Farm Tags

Clem72

Well-Known Member
I've run Maine and Virginia Permanent trailer tags for decades.
Officer. Officer. This one right here!
driving on the run GIF by BrownSugarApp
 

TPD

the poor dad
I’ve got Maine trailer tags. Had one truck about 8 years ago with farm tags but that truck has since left the fleet so no vehicles at the moment with farm tags. 25 miles from Scotland don’t get me very far.
 

Wickedwrench

Stubborn and opinionated
Most of the big excavating companies around here have nothing but Maine tags on their equipment trailers. Saving those dollars.
 

Gilligan

#*! boat!
PREMO Member
If someone stole my horse trailer I'd feel awkward calling the MD Police to report my trailer stolen with Maine tags when I've always lived in Maryland.
I'd just tell them the trailer had no tags and that I suspected the thieves might have been from Maine.
 

Ken King

A little rusty but not crusty
PREMO Member
25 miles from Scotland don’t get me very far.
Probably farther then you think. You can get to Clements, Loveville, and just shy of St. Leonard (measured from a point just south of Scotland (distance, not driving miles)).

As to trailer tags - MD Code - Transportation - § 13-402(f)(1) - A trailer or semitrailer operated in intrastate service need not be registered in this State if:
(1) It is registered in another state;
 

Clem72

Well-Known Member
Probably farther then you think. You can get to Clements, Loveville, and just shy of St. Leonard (measured from a point just south of Scotland (distance, not driving miles)).

As to trailer tags - MD Code - Transportation - § 13-402(f)(1) - A trailer or semitrailer operated in intrastate service need not be registered in this State if:
(1) It is registered in another state;

So Mr. King, just to point out that semicolon means that the subparagraph is part of a larger clause, not independent.

There were actually three parts to that clause and all three need to be satisfied.
(f) A trailer or semitrailer operated in intrastate service need not be registered in this State if:
(1) It is registered in another state;
(2) The truck tractor or other vehicle that is towing it is registered in this State; and
(3) The registered owner of the truck tractor or other towing vehicle has at least one trailer or semitrailer registered in this State for each truck tractor also registered in this State.

(1) is a given, since we are talking about the trailer being licensed in another state.
(2) is likely also a given since the vehicle is licensed.
(3) is trickier, means you can't have all of your trailers licensed out of state, only up to half of them. If you only have 1 licensed vehicle you must have one in-state before you can have one out of state licensed trailer.

And of course this is predicated on "intrastate service", but that seems like a vague enough term that you could probably qualify it by saying you drive to DC once every couple of years.
 

Sneakers

Just sneakin' around....
I'm reading that above as relating to commercial trailers as in 18 wheelers, and not so much private vehicles. Truck Tractor.
 

Ken King

A little rusty but not crusty
PREMO Member
So Mr. King, just to point out that semicolon means that the subparagraph is part of a larger clause, not independent.

There were actually three parts to that clause and all three need to be satisfied.


(1) is a given, since we are talking about the trailer being licensed in another state.
(2) is likely also a given since the vehicle is licensed.
(3) is trickier, means you can't have all of your trailers licensed out of state, only up to half of them. If you only have 1 licensed vehicle you must have one in-state before you can have one out of state licensed trailer.

And of course this is predicated on "intrastate service", but that seems like a vague enough term that you could probably qualify it by saying you drive to DC once every couple of years.
The key to the construction of the code is where the "and" is placed. It does not follow part 1, it follows part 2, meaning that the additional requirement is for part 2. You can observe that in various other areas of the code if you bother to explore. Or you might simply look at how to use the semicolon to connect independent clauses.

As to intrastate you do know that means within the boundaries of a state in contrast to interstate which means beyond a state's boundaries.
 
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Clem72

Well-Known Member
The key to the construction of the code is where the "and" is placed. It does not follow part 1, it follows part 2, meaning that the additional requirement is for part 2. You can observe that in various other areas of the code if you bother to explore. Or you might simply look at how to use the semicolon to connect independent clauses.

As to intrastate you do know that means within the boundaries of a state in contrast to interstate which means beyond a state's boundaries.

No, the "and" is always placed before the last item in a numbered list in legal documents. It's convention. If you only needed to meet one of the enumerated criteria there would be a very obvious "OR" separating the clauses.

You can look to that exact same statute to see that every single time there is a list, the second to last item end with an "and", unless it explicity has an "or". See the Example below. So you can be sure that all three of those clauses apply, not just the top one or the bottom two.

The presence of the "OR" in that same document should clue you in that the use of "and" doesn't link only the last two items in the list.

(2) Except as otherwise provided in this section or under an agreement in compliance with Title 12, Subtitle 4 of this article, the vehicle is not:
(i) Used for transporting persons for hire, compensation, or profit;
(ii) Regularly operated in carrying on business in this State;
(iii) Designed, used, or maintained primarily for the transportation of property; or
(iv) In the custody of any resident for more than 30 days during any registration year.

In this case it's the first three items, or the last item. if that had been and "and" instead of an "or" it would mean all items were required not that you can pick and choose them as you seem to believe.
 

Ken King

A little rusty but not crusty
PREMO Member
No, the "and" is always placed before the last item in a numbered list in legal documents. It's convention. If you only needed to meet one of the enumerated criteria there would be a very obvious "OR" separating the clauses.
The semicolon connects independent clauses that are related to the main clause, it does not bind them together. If the clause at question was written with an "and" after the first clause they would be bound together and require adherence to the following clauses. In this instance the trailer would not need to be registered because it was already registered in another state, thus meeting the requirement for exception.

And with that I guess we will just disagree.
 

Clem72

Well-Known Member
The semicolon connects independent clauses that are related to the main clause, it does not bind them together. If the clause at question was written with an "and" after the first clause they would be bound together and require adherence to the following clauses. In this instance the trailer would not need to be registered because it was already registered in another state, thus meeting the requirement for exception.

And with that I guess we will just disagree.

All you have to do is google "legal list semicolon" and you will get unlimited articles that will explain why the semicolon is there instead of a comma, and many will also explain why there is an and in the list.

But in the end it's still grammatical rules.

"To make a PBJ you need bread, peanut butter, and jelly"

is the same as

To make a PBJ you need:
(i) Bread;
(ii) peanut butter; and
(iii) jelly.

You need all three, you can't just use bread and call it a PBJ, neither can you use just peanut butter and jelly without the bread.

In the same fashion you can use an "or".

"To make a payment please insert cash, check, or credit card."

To make a payment please insert:
(i) cash;
(ii) check; or
(iii) credit card.

And in this case it's obvious that you can use any of the three choices. Again, grammatically correct but using semicolons instead of commas (as is explained in the links I suggested you read).

Which of those resembles the statute we were talking about. It's the first one, with the "and". So all of them are required.

You can still agree to disagree, it's a free country and you are allowed to be factually incorrect.
 

Ken King

A little rusty but not crusty
PREMO Member
You can still agree to disagree, it's a free country and you are allowed to be factually incorrect.
Factually incorrect? Don't think so. Here is an example of factually incorrect
just to point out that semicolon means that the subparagraph is part of a larger clause, not independent.
A semicolon is used between closely related independent clauses which are not joined by a coordinating conjunction.

As to your PBJ example bread is not a requirement (unless it is associated with the word sandwich). Smucker's Goober is premixed PBJ and you don't need bread to eat it, you can muck it down with a spoon or spread it on crackers and it is still PBJ.
Thank gawd we got that legal matter adjudicated.

Meanwhile, I'll keep on using my "Virginia Permanent" trailer tag. I've got it mounted to clips to I can quickly move it from one of my boat, box or flatbed trailers to another. Very handy.
Don't know about that. It seems this has been a discussion for about 14 years and it is still "clear as mud". https://forums.somd.com/threads/trailer-tags-need-advice.192356/
 
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