Paperworks for Trailer made in 2008

[FunCaptain]

Hi all,

this is my 1st positing.

I am from the South West of Germany, and since I was interested in British style RIBs I registered here 2 years ago.

Now finally I am buying a RIB with trailer from Britain and try to prepare the transfer home to Germany.

Now the seller can't find any vehicle paperworks for the trailer (his father bought it, who passed away). The only document he has is the sales receipt from September 2008.

So now my simple question is: What kind of documents normally come with a trailer, or came with a trailer made in 2008?

[Poly]

In the uk we have no paperwork, registration, log book, etc for trailers. I know this is not the case in all of Europe and causes some surprise / confusion. New trailers being sold in the uk since Oct 2012 needed type approval (and the manufacturer should probably supply paperwork for that) - however that is irrelevant for a trailer that was already in use. You won't be asked to prove anything about the trailer paperwork (ownership, type approval etc) by anyone in the UK. So long as it has the plate showing it's maximum weight riveted to it (usually near front), then you will be fine.

Of course if you need to register it in Germany (?) then you might find that harder without any paperwork.

[FunCaptain]

Hi Poly,

thank you very much for your quick precise help!

I know that registration in Germany will be some effort, pretty much like a self made trailer, but if the trailer is worth it I will take this expense.

So do you think for transfer I can just bring a licence plate similar to the licence plate of my car and tow it inside the UK?

Of course for France and Germany I need to check this separately, and also I will have to check this with my car insurance.

[Pikey Dave]

I have just had this exact scenario. I sold a 2008 RIB & trailer to a gentleman in Germany, boat paperwork was fine, but nothing for the trailer. He couldn't even get temporary German plates to import the trailer into Germany in order to take it to TUV for homologation. We had to be "creative" with the UK plate that was already on the trailer in order for him to even drive the trailer into Germany from the UK. I think that it failed the TUV approval despite having a lot of money spent on it to bring it up to standard (it was in very good condition to start with) the design standards have changed & afaik the drawbar design is no longer acceptable, all new trailers over a certain weight have to be "A frame" type. After many arguments with TUV he sold the trailer & bought a new one.
Good luck[emoji106]

[FunCaptain]

Thank's for sharing this experience, might happen similar to me.

What kind of licence plate was on the trailer, was it the one of the last towing car, or did it have its own?

Or is it possible without licence plate?

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by FunCaptain

Thank's for sharing this experience, might happen similar to me.

What kind of licence plate was on the trailer, was it the one of the last towing car, or did it have its own?

Or is it possible without licence plate?

The last towing car. Here in the U.K. We don't have separate plates for the trailer.

[Poly]

Do German trailers have their own unique number plate?

[FunCaptain]

Yes, I have a tiny trailer, just for my mother's electric wheelchair, and it has its own documents and licence plate, I even have a separate insurance contract.

In former times in Germany we used a copy of the towing car's plate, without stamps, but that's long ago.

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by Poly

Do German trailers have their own unique number plate?

Most European countries do. Along with separate MOT equivalent tests & insurance. They are regarded as a standalone vehicle.

[FunCaptain]

Thank you all, for the fast great help!

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by Pikey Dave

Most European countries do. Along with separate MOT equivalent tests & insurance. They are regarded as a standalone vehicle.

When we recently "strayed" up the Lobit Pass, the Slovenian border guard at the top asked to see the documentation for the trailer. Apart from the type approval cert, I didn't have anything, this caused a bit of consternation [emoji57]

[Poly]

Originally Posted by Pikey Dave

Most European countries do. Along with separate MOT equivalent tests & insurance. They are regarded as a standalone vehicle.

That's what I thought. Does create an interesting problem for the op though! I suspect nobody in the uk is going to notice, never mind get upset if he drives with matching plate for the car (as we do here) to get to the ferry - using a British plate for that would be much more likely to both attract interest and be a problem. (Ironically it may be easier to get a duplicate German plate in the uk!)

Not sure what he does when he reaches the German border though...

[Pikey Dave]

I think it was pretty easy to cross the German border with a set of UK plates (allegedly [emoji6]) he crossed the channel into France, the French ain't fussy & due to the "advantages" of the Schengen Agreement it was s simple case of drive into Germany without further checks. On our recent trip, the only way we knew we had passed from Belgium to Netherlands to Germany was because the satnav told us, absolutely seamless.

[Poly]

Originally Posted by Pikey Dave

I think it was pretty easy to cross the German border with a set of UK plates (allegedly [emoji6]) he crossed the channel into France, the French ain't fussy & due to the "advantages" of the Schengen Agreement it was s simple case of drive into Germany without further checks. On our recent trip, the only way we knew we had passed from Belgium to Netherlands to Germany was because the satnav told us, absolutely seamless.

Aye, I didn't think the border staff would care, I was more thinking that perhaps a German traffic cop might be better clued up on trailer rules than UK ones.

[FunCaptain]

These are the 2 routes I could go: gmaps

The longest way is through France. I have read that in France they have a separate registration of trailers beyond 500kg. However, I think within the EU, the registration law of the country of the towing vehicle applies.

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by FunCaptain

These are the 2 routes I could go: gmaps

The longest way is through France. I have read that in France they have a separate registration of trailers beyond 500kg. However, I think within the EU, the registration law of the country of the towing vehicle applies.

Hmm, German car towing British trailer (with dodgy plates) through France, what could possibly go wrong[emoji6]

[FunCaptain]

Maybe I should sell the trailer in North Wales and sail to Plochingen/Neckar.

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by FunCaptain

Maybe I should sell the trailer in North Wales and sail to Plochingen/Neckar.

I would seriously consider negotiating a discount on the price of the boat without the trailer, buy a trailer in Germany & collect the boat with the new trailer.

[HDAV]

Or hire a flatbed car transporter in Germany tow it over and take the
Boat trailer back on a trailer?

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by HDAV

Or hire a flatbed car transporter in Germany tow it over and take the
Boat trailer back on a trailer?

But the trailer will be useless in Germany, better selling it here.