Dee Thomas wanted to post a warning for boat owners

[backseatfishergirl]

Dee called and wanted to share a story on WesternBass to warn other fishermen.

A friend of Dee's launched at one of the local marinas on the Delta and returned to his trailer after a day of fishing. When he arrived law enforcement had issued a ticket for his trailer having "expired tags". The angler was confused at this thinking that the "permanent registration" on the trailer didn't ever expire and there was no "tag" needed or placed on the trailer's plate.

After investigating the matter, they were informed "permanent" registrations were only good for five years and a boat owner is required to renew their "tag" before the deadline every five years. The DMV confirmed they do not give out tags for trailer plates and a boat owner may or may not receive a renewal notice; however they are still responsible for knowing when the five year deadline is up and must pay for and renew the "tag" prior to the expiration.

Dee stated the ticket fine was $50 or it could be reduced to $30 if the issue had been corrected and signed off by a police officer. Additionally, the fee for the renewal was $10.

Dee was unaware of the situation with the "permanent trailer" renewal fees and wanted to warn other boat owners to help them avoid a ticket and another unexpected expense.

He said everyone should check their registration and there will be an expiration date on the trailer reg that lists the month it expires.

[mark poulson]

Thanks to him, and to you for posting it.

[jeff bradshaw]

Tell Dee thanks for the warning and thank you for posting it....

[Brian D.]

The cops at Castaic Lake that patrol the parking lot do this as well.

[Hipster]

My question is this,

Would'nt they have to look for the ID on the trailer to find the production date since there is no date on the license plate? That is not just an easy oh there is the number!!
Thus this appears to be another scam to get state funds

All I have to say is I need out of this state

[Dave Wilson]

The police just type in the license number on the trailer to the State system to check it's status.

[Revoke36]

Tell Dee to post some of his secret spots!

[kane-o]

so much for a " perminate " tag.. got to love california....

[B.Carpenter]

Thanks for the info. I just checked my trailer reg issued issued in 2005 and the expiration date says "PERM"

[jimmy87]

I just recieved a notice from DMV to renew my permant trailer registration as well. cost of 10 dollars.
However I am not sure for witch trailer. I own 2 trailers. one is for the bassboat the other is a junk/trash/dirtbike hauler. It says the trailer is a 2009. I never owned a 2009 trailer. Go figure.

[dwise]

Here's what is printed on my trailer registration:

"This validated permanent trailer identification (PTI) card or a facsimile copy is to be kept with the vehicle for which it is issued. This requirement does not apply when the vehicle is left unattended. It need not be displayed. Present it to any peace officer upon demand. PTI IS VALID FOR FIVE (5) YEARS FROM THE DATE OF CONVERSION OR FIRST OPERATION. If you do not receive a renwal notice, use a facsimile copy of this form to pay your renewal fees or notify the DMV of the non-operational (PNO() status of your stored vehicle."

I'm lucky in that since I bought the boat used in November of 2010, the seller had his last receipt for the trailer registration, which shows me the exact expiration date, which is Sept. 30, 2012. I just need to make sure I pay the $10.00 before that date. If you bought your boat new, then I would just count five years from the time you took over ownership since the dealer would have paid all the registration fees for you when you purchased the boat.

[DaveH]

With local sherriff in LA country your also looking at a 25 sign off feel, a well thought out scam if you ask me...

[jazzwannabe]

If you don't get a notice from the DMV, how do you figure out when it's due?

[dwise]

If you don't get a notice from the DMV, how do you figure out when it's due?

You go into a DMV office and ask, or mail a copy of your registration, along with a letter to the DMV asking for your due date.

Easier to go to the DMV office near you.

[jazzwannabe]

If you don't get a notice from the DMV, how do you figure out when it's due?

You go into a DMV office and ask, or mail a copy of your registration, along with a letter to the DMV asking for your due date.

Easier to go to the DMV office near you.

Ugh.

[dwise]

I know...visiting the DMV office is a pain in the drain, but it's better than paying them more money (that they don't deserve) by letting your registration expire, and you'll have peace of mind.

[mark poulson]

Can you do it through the Auto Club?

[dwise]

You can do registrations at Auto Club but I don't know if they have access to information in the State's computer system. So if you don't know when your registration expires, I'm not sure Auto Club will be able to tell you.

[kane-o]

i just checked mine and it does have an experation date on the pti tags. $10 renewal fee every 5 years. and yes you can do it at a.a.a. they can access your dmv records.. and thanks for the heads up offshorefishergirl and dee t. saved me a ticket. mine is due in a few months....our lovely castaic sheriffs like to write tickets when your fishing. its the only time you see them, when they have to meet there ticket quota driving around the parking lot... 5 or 6 sheriffs working castaic in the winter doing nothing. got to love ca.

[mark poulson]

our lovely castaic sheriffs like to write tickets when your fishing. its the only time you see them, when they have to meet there ticket quota driving around the parking lot... 5 or 6 sheriffs working castaic in the winter doing nothing. got to love ca.

Where are they in the spring, when the rental boat navy is raping the lake? I guess the two fish over 18" doesn't apply if you rent a boat. The two rods per angler kind of gets forgotten, too.

[kane-o]

dont get me started on castaic mark...

[dwise]

our lovely castaic sheriffs like to write tickets when your fishing. its the only time you see them, when they have to meet there ticket quota driving around the parking lot... 5 or 6 sheriffs working castaic in the winter doing nothing. got to love ca.

Where are they in the spring, when the rental boat navy is raping the lake? I guess the two fish over 18" doesn't apply if you rent a boat. The two rods per angler kind of gets forgotten, too.

If the angler has a two rod permit on his fishing license then it's legal.

[mark poulson]

I'm talking about shore guys with multiple rods in rod holders, taking anything that bites, throwing it in their ice chest, and never getting inspected at the main ramp when they get ferried back by the same rental boat that took them, along with multiple others, out to every point on the lake on the Fish Arm.
They stay away from the Ski Arm, where they can be seen from the West Ramp Lifeguard Headquarters.
I've seen the same rental boat deliver anglers to different points on multiple trips from the main ramp.
It's no wonder there are such poor catches now.
The fishery is being raped, and no one is watching.

[kane-o]

I'm talking about shore guys with multiple rods in rod holders, taking anything that bites, throwing it in their ice chest, and never getting inspected at the main ramp when they get ferried back by the same rental boat that took them, along with multiple others, out to every point on the lake on the Fish Arm.
They stay away from the Ski Arm, where they can be seen from the West Ramp Lifeguard Headquarters.
I've seen the same rental boat deliver anglers to different points on multiple trips from the main ramp.
It's no wonder there are such poor catches now.
The fishery is being raped, and no one is watching.

mark, i have spoke to lori bennett, the dfg guys, the guards and the sheriffs.... during the summer, like you said you will see EVERY point with guys and 4 rods each fishing, and they even go in after hours !! i am usually the first one to launch on the days i fish, and as soon as the gate is open, i head out and see guys who have walked in fishing the points... as far back as dry gulch.. and they keep everything.. very sad there is no enforcement out there.. but you will find about 4 sheriffs in there office doing nothing..

[mark poulson]

I'm talking about shore guys with multiple rods in rod holders, taking anything that bites, throwing it in their ice chest, and never getting inspected at the main ramp when they get ferried back by the same rental boat that took them, along with multiple others, out to every point on the lake on the Fish Arm.
They stay away from the Ski Arm, where they can be seen from the West Ramp Lifeguard Headquarters.
I've seen the same rental boat deliver anglers to different points on multiple trips from the main ramp.
It's no wonder there are such poor catches now.
The fishery is being raped, and no one is watching.

mark, i have spoke to lori bennett, the dfg guys, the guards and the sheriffs.... during the summer, like you said you will see EVERY point with guys and 4 rods each fishing, and they even go in after hours !! i am usually the first one to launch on the days i fish, and as soon as the gate is open, i head out and see guys who have walked in fishing the points... as far back as dry gulch.. and they keep everything.. very sad there is no enforcement out there.. but you will find about 4 sheriffs in there office doing nothing..

It is frustrating.

[Lugnut]

I had the same thing happen to me when I was fishing Hogan last winter. CHP wrote me a ticket, with an address I hadn't had for 5 1/2 years. When I went to DMV they said my address wasn't changed properly.....lets see, three vehicles, camping trailer, motorcycle, dirt bikes, etc. and the boat trailer was the only one incorrect. I will keep my views of the DMV to myself, but I will say I have went rounds with them over various items. I even had them tell me once when they were trying to charge me a $150 late fee on a registration I had paid and received tags on a year earlier that I had a credit in the exact amount of the registration, but it wasn't posted for some reason.......and I could go on with a couple more......

[mark poulson]

I had the same thing happen to me when I was fishing Hogan last winter. CHP wrote me a ticket, with an address I hadn't had for 5 1/2 years. When I went to DMV they said my address wasn't changed properly.....lets see, three vehicles, camping trailer, motorcycle, dirt bikes, etc. and the boat trailer was the only one incorrect. I will keep my views of the DMV to myself, but I will say I have went rounds with them over various items. I even had them tell me once when they were trying to charge me a $150 late fee on a registration I had paid and received tags on a year earlier that I had a credit in the exact amount of the registration, but it wasn't posted for some reason.......and I could go on with a couple more......

I think a lot of the stuff that happens with govt. bureacracies is due to incompatible software, and programming or data entry errors.
My friend's service station had two street entrances blocked off for six months by the city for street repairs, but they never did anything.
When he called to ask for the start date, the person he spoke to checked the computer, and told him the work had been completed the week before.
Totally clueless.

[acm95301]

Thanks for the heads up.

[Jody]

Looked into this a little more and the regulation states the 5year $10 fee if for the maintaining of the records for your PTI, unless you make a change in owner or address. Makes you feel good, dosen't it. I will never vote for anther incumbent.

[backseatfishergirl]

Looked into this a little more and the regulation states the 5year $10 fee if for the maintaining of the records for your PTI, unless you make a change in owner or address. Makes you feel good, dosen't it. I will never vote for anther incumbent.

Does this mean you aren't supposed to get charge unless you make a change in owner or address?

[Jody]

No, you still have to renew every 5 years no matter what. If you make any changes during that time you have to request a new sticker and start from that date out 5 years.

[smokinallison]

All DMV are pushing appointments. If you make an appointment they have to help you in 15 min or less. If you walk in, you are scheduled to wait 1-3 three hours before technicians even think at helping you out. Appointments take priority. So if you need to renew your trailer for 10 bucks save the hassle schedule an appt. Please be advised if you haven't renewed your boat stickers due 123111 you won't be assessed a late penalty till after jan 31. Due to the budget not being passed on time. Only for this year.

I work for DMV. Hope his helps everyone.

Tight lines.
-Allison boat owner

[swordfish]

I would check at a local AAA office before dealing with DMV if you are a member, so much easier there.