Buying our Big Country in Florida when we are Alabama residents made for getting our license plate just slightly more work. It all started when they were finishing the paperwork for the trailer at the dealer, working with me over the phone. I mentioned we were Alabama residents and wondered how that affected taxes. They thanked me for reminding them and assured me they’d take care of it (and they did).

While we were out west, last week, the local tag and title office called to let me know that all the paperwork arrived so we could come in and get our plate. I told them we’d be out of town until this week and they said they’d hold it until we got home. Our temporary tag ran out this past weekend, but since we’re parked and hadn’t planned any trips for a bit, we’re good.

Tuesday, we dropped by the tag office and got a form that a sheriff deputy needed to fill out after inspecting the trailer and making sure it was the one we were supposed to have. The Elmore County Sheriff’s office was super friendly and efficient at dispatching one of their finest out to Fort Toulouse to meet Val to go over the trailer. After a few minutes of paperwork, it was done.

Today I left work at 11:00 am, picked up Val at the trailer and we headed to the tag office. Waited in line for about 10 minutes, then spent about 45 minutes at the window while they got all the paperwork in order (there was a check there from the RV dealer in the correct amount for the sales taxes) and issue us our tag. $315 later, we had the metal plate and registration in hand and headed to lunch.

I went on back to work. After work, I stopped by Lowes to get some bolts and nyloc nuts to put the plate on the back. A few minutes and we were officially licensed. Grabbed the temporary tag out of the kitchen window and tossed it in the trash.

I also took a quick opportunity to finally put some levels on the outside of the trailer for future parking escapades. I found that the tile floor just inside the door is not a good place to check for level side to side. As a matter of fact, once I got the trailer to what seems like level, I found that four different surfaces in the living room and kitchen all have different amounts of un-level in both directions. I used the refrigerator door no longer swinging open or shut on its own as “level” and declared it at that. Close enough.