Registering your pickup as "PM" or noncommercial in Ca. to save weight fee?

[hpcbmw]

I saw a post recently about taking your truck with the camper mounted on it to California DMV and getting the registration changed from commercial to noncommercial. It's not entirely clear, but it sounds like it would save the
"weight fee" when you pay your registration. On my 2000 F250 the weight fee is $204.00. Does anyone have personal experience with this in California? If you are able to change the reg, it looks like you get a different license plate (apparently commercial plate has a different letter/number combo then non commercial).

If the registration is lowered by the "weight fee" (in my case $204) that's pretty significant. But, what if I take off the camper to move furniture or haul my 5th wheel - am I now a target for a ticket?

Thanks for any input.

 

[PeterV]

I registered my truck as such (with the camper on full time). It did save me the entire weight fee and I do not plan to ever drive without the camper on (it's not a daily driver).

Indeed the license plate is different - it's the same format to a car (3 letters). The pickup plate (with fee paid) has only 1 letter in it. So it would be easy for police to spot the difference - and indeed you would be liable in that case. The DMV agent told me that she has seen people go to the DMV after being busted for this; and they were retroactively asked to pay the weight fees for previous years + penalties which added up to thousands.

So my 2 cents: if you plan to drive without the camper on (especially regularly), it is not worth the risk and potential penalties. Even in my case I am a bit nervous of eg. having to repair/temporarily take the camper off and driving around without it...

 

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

I registered my truck as such (with the camper on full time). It did save me the entire weight fee and I do not plan to ever drive without the camper on (it's not a daily driver).

Indeed the license plate is different - it's the same format to a car (3 letters). The pickup plate (with fee paid) has only 1 letter in it. So it would be easy for police to spot the difference - and indeed you would be liable in that case. The DMV agent told me that she has seen people go to the DMV after being busted for this; and they were retroactively asked to pay the weight fees for previous years + penalties which added up to thousands.

So my 2 cents: if you plan to drive without the camper on (especially regularly), it is not worth the risk and potential penalties. Even in my case I am a bit nervous of eg. having to repair/temporarily take the camper off and driving around without it...

Peter V this is good info.For my 2 cents I have always heard that if there isn't anything in the bed even a spare tire you can drive around without the com tag.BUT I don't think I would want to take the chance.
I don't take my camper off but I am going to wait until I get closer to my new tag date to change.I am not sure you can get a refund when changing.
I haven't checked with DMV or AAA yet.When I do I'll post the info.
Frank

 

[M1010 Mike]

I was going to do this as well since our camper in on 99% of the time but decided not to for that 1% if I need to pull the camper off for work on it or the truck. It is a BIG fine if you get caught, way more than what the yearly cost would be.

 

[RC Pilot Jim]

HPCBMW,
My friend did this about a year ago lowering his registration from $744 per year to $150 (2009 Dodge RAM 1 ton 4WD)
He has a shell mounted permanently and tows a 25 foot trailer. He researched through the auto club (CA). They said he couldn't haul building materials without the commercial plate and he said if he does he will cover everything with a tarp.

I read somewhere that with an open be you could only carry suitcases.

My Eagle is bolted down full time. I haul lumber for small projects as I have the shell model so I am sticking with the commercial plates. Annual fee for Tacoma is $331. It is not worth the ticket and fine.

 

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

My camper is on 100% of the time but for the hassle of dealing with the DMV/AAA I just didn't want to go there.My weight fee is $80.Yes $80 is a tank of gas but....I could see if your weight fee were several $100's it might be worth it.
Thanks for bringing this to the thread for us to think about.
Frank

 

[ckent323]

I bought my 93 Dodge W250 used in 2000 and it had a stockland bed cap on it. I have always registered it non-commercial. I have always kept the cap or the camper on the truck. If I haul something it is always coverd by the cap or in a few cases a tarp. I have hauled equipment on trailers from the local rental yard to do work around my house from time to time.

I have never had a problem but I do live in a small city in a rural area so maybe lucky as much as anything else.

My advice is to call the local CHP office and ask them about it. I can imagine there are some differences locality to locality. I think they will tell you how they make a decision when they see a pickup registered non-commercial.

Regards,

Craig

 

[Phil Sergent]

Went to DMV yesterday to register my 2014 F-350 as noncommercial. I have a Leer shell on 'permanently'. No luck folks.

The DMV was very clear, as was the DMV form (256A) I provided them; it must be suitable for human habitation. Here's the exact wording "Human habitation is living space which includes, but is not limited to: closets, cabinets, kitchen units or fixtures, and bath or toilet rooms."

The person at the DMV was very sympathetic to my situation and even went to his manager to ensure he was interpreting the law correctly. During the process he did ask if the vehicle was with me, so they may check if you exaggerate on what is really there.

In the end I'll live with the situation. I really don't want to fudge with the DMV, receive the reclassification, and then find myself pulled over by every CHP that wants to see how all of the required amenities fit under my Leer shell.

 

[billharr]

I have not changed mine as I do use a pick up a few times a year and getting a fix it tickets years ago.

I had a 1969 one ton Ford van to haul my flat track racing motorcycle in. Inside finished with paneling and carpet. Registered as a "house-car" to save the weight fee. Had a CHP follow me for over 30 miles before he turned on the red lights. He asked for my license and registration. It was late at night and he shined his flash light inside. He then told me my house-car was laden with motorcycle. Just a fixit ticket but the most expensive ticket I have ever received. If you carry any thing in a shell with non commercial plate I would close your curtains.

 

[M1010 Mike]

I did actually change mine over to an RV registration to remove the $250 weight fee. Haven't been an issue but I also have personalized plates so unless they were ran in the system, no one would ever know there was a change.

 

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

I'll go back to my comment from March of last year at the beginning of this thread.
Check just how much the weight fee is for your registered rig.
I did and it's only $80 per year. Seems like not enough to hassle with IMO.
Frank

 

[malimish]

If you are registered as a CA House car, I was wondering if you could tell me the exact abbreviations listed on the actual registration. (We are currently in Mexico where they are hassling truck campers that are not registered as a MH "Motorhome" or RV on their registrations.) Thanks!

 

[Wallowa]

If you are registered as a CA House car, I was wondering if you could tell me the exact abbreviations listed on the actual registration. (We are currently in Mexico where they are hassling truck campers that are not registered as a MH "Motorhome" or RV on their registrations.) Thanks!

Curiosity finally got me...what exactly are there 'hassling' you about? Assuming that Mexican 'authority' wants to charge a fee if you do not meet their criteria. If yes, what is that based on and how much?

Reminds of Baja "Red Cross" checkpoints in every small town...donations accepted.

Phil

Ps...Actual CVC definition of "house car"...note it does not require specific construction and is only judged by: "permanently altered, attached and equipped for human habitation".

As for carrying anything you want to inside your FWC...go for it, that does not invalidate the house car definition..

Alternative is to get the hell out of Kalifonica.



362. A "house car" is a motor vehicle originally designed, or
permanently altered, and equipped for human habitation, or to which a
camper has been permanently attached. A motor vehicle to which a
camper has been temporarily attached is not a house car except that,
for the purposes of Division 11 (commencing with Section 21000) and
Division 12 (commencing with Section 24000), a motor vehicle equipped
with a camper having an axle that is designed to support a portion
of the weight of the camper unit shall be considered a three-axle
house car regardless of the method of attachment or manner of
registration. A house car shall not be deemed to be a motortruck.

 

[malimish]

Owners with truck campers are being granted TIPs (temporary import permits) at the US border but denied TIPs at the southern border of Mexico. Customs is stating that they do not allow pick ups that are over the 3.5 ton GVWR limit. Which is a mistake from translating the law from Spanish. In Spanish trucks over that "payload" are not allowed.

Kinda confusing but I know two people that are stuck in Guatemala bc Mexico won't grant them another TIP. Big problem. So we are altering our travel plans to prevent us from getting stuck south and unable to return north. If we change our registration to say RV, it would solve the issue.... But California doesn't have a RV destination, I don't think. Hoping someone with house car stays will pipe up and tell me the details of their registration.

Curiosity finally got me...what exactly are there 'hassling' you about? Assuming that Mexican 'authority' wants to charge a fee if you do not meet their criteria. If yes, what is that based on and how much?

Reminds of Baja "Red Cross" checkpoints in every small town...donations accepted.

Phil

Ps...Actual CVC definition of "house car"...note it does not require specific construction and is only judged by: "permanently altered, attached and equipped for human habitation".

As for carrying anything you want to inside your FWC...go for it, that does not invalidate the house car definition..

Alternative is to get the hell out of Kalifonica.



362. A "house car" is a motor vehicle originally designed, or
permanently altered, and equipped for human habitation, or to which a
camper has been permanently attached. A motor vehicle to which a
camper has been temporarily attached is not a house car except that,
for the purposes of Division 11 (commencing with Section 21000) and
Division 12 (commencing with Section 24000), a motor vehicle equipped
with a camper having an axle that is designed to support a portion
of the weight of the camper unit shall be considered a three-axle
house car regardless of the method of attachment or manner of
registration. A house car shall not be deemed to be a motortruck.

 

[malimish]

Btw. Ours is bolted down instead of attached using a turn buckle so we should qualify.

 

[Wallowa]

Btw. Ours is bolted down instead of attached using a turn buckle so we should qualify.

Hey you guys stay safe...as you well know it is a different game down there and the rules are constantly changing..

Good luck...Phil

 

[doriopsilla]

I just changed the reg on my truck from commercial to passenger. This is the third truck I have done this on since 1992. All have had "permanently" attached shells. This latest change, done earlier this month, was the most frustrating. I did it at SoCal AAA, and they were very careful to tell me that I can't use the vehicle for getting things from Home Depot, etc. This was never an issue before. They also made sure I had a bed in the back. I use the vehicle mostly for scuba diving and have a platform I built so I can stash my cylinders and weights underneath, and keep the rest of the gear up top. I took the foam pad out of my teardrop and put that on the platform, and that satisfied. Now I carry a couple of sleeping bags, just in case. I saved, as always, the $80 weight fee.

 

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

Welcome to the cult.IMO not sure saving $80 is worth the hassle if you get stopped by the "law".
Just my take on the Cal.weight extra fee. I have owned a pickup for over 50 years in Ca and never
thought about not registering it as a commercial vehicle.

Although I think it's a stupid law since you don't register vans as commercial even when they are used that way.
Frank