Farm Truck Registration

[Texpolo1106]

Hey everyone!

I was thinking of getting my truck registered as a "farm truck." I live in Texas and do not farm for a living. However we do use the truck to get feed, pick up livestock and so on. I was wondering what experiences people have had doing this, whether they are good or bad. Thanks!

 

[TRR]

We've have our dump truck registered as a Farm Truck in Texas. I forget how much we save in fees. There are restrictions to the registration - you are only allowed to go 150 miles (as the crow flies) except for (I think) once a year and then you can go further. There are also limits as to crossing the state line, we're in central Texas and are a long ways from the state line so I didn't pay much attention to that part. We don't get much beyond 30 or 40 miles with it so the limits don't bother us any. We have a full registration on another vehicle so there won't be any issues with a long trip. The farm registration is to a specific address.

However, if you obey all the traffic laws, etc., you won't be stopped. If you're not stopped you are the only one who knows how far you are, unless you get in an accident. My personal suggestion is to obey all the laws.

 

[bdog]

The main limitations are that you can not use the vehicle to go to any other type of work. I don't know the exact wording of the law and I am sure there are other limitations but realistically if they stop you anywhere you could just say you were on the way to the feed store or tractor supply for parts or whatever. The only way I see they could ever prove you were not using it for farm use was if they saw you using the vehicle to go to work.

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

I have heard of the DPS showing up at a business in a small town and "busting" all those with farm plates.

 

[JESSE1]

I have heard of the DPS showing up at a business in a small town and "busting" all those with farm plates.

I've also heard of the DPS cruising through company parking lots looking for farm tags. If you have a non-farm primary job, you evidently shouldn't be using farm tags.

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

I have ONE trailer with farm tags. I would recommend you pay your regular license plate fees on the truck and get you a trailer (with farm tags) for hauling feed since farming is not your primary job.

 

[Rocksprings]

Farm Truck


http://www.txdot.gov/txdoteforms/Ge...eportError.jsp&configFile=WFServletConfig.xml

 

[jinman]

While commuting back and forth to work in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, I constantly saw carpenters, concrete workers, and landscapers with farm tags on their trailers and trucks. On an average day, it was not unusual to see at least 10, and my guess is around a large construction site there were probably many more. The non-farm use was blatant and clear. I just think that officers are overwhelmed with much more critical issues than enforcement during morning and afternoon rush hours. As a matter of fact, I'm convinced that farm tag enforcement in the DFW area is not high priority at all.

 

[RickB]

We've have our dump truck registered as a Farm Truck in Texas. I forget how much we save in fees. There are restrictions to the registration - you are only allowed to go 150 miles (as the crow flies) except for (I think) once a year and then you can go further. There are also limits as to crossing the state line, we're in central Texas and are a long ways from the state line so I didn't pay much attention to that part. We don't get much beyond 30 or 40 miles with it so the limits don't bother us any. We have a full registration on another vehicle so there won't be any issues with a long trip. The farm registration is to a specific address.

However, if you obey all the traffic laws, etc., you won't be stopped. If you're not stopped you are the only one who knows how far you are, unless you get in an accident. My personal suggestion is to obey all the laws.

Does that recomendation include having the proper class of registration on one's vehicle?

 

[TRR]

I would. The truck is licensed for 50,000# and requires a Texas Class B exempt license to drive it. Since it is licensed as a Farm truck it is exempt from CDL requirements including the driver license requirements, but it does require an "exempt Class B driver license", a regular car driver's license isn't the right type. The "exempt" is from CDL requirements. The driver license test is easier than the CDL as well.

A Texas car drivers license allows one to drive a vehicle up to 26,000# and pull up to 10,000# trailer.
A Texas class B license allows one to drive a vehicle over 26,000# and pull up to 10,000# trailer.
A Texas class A license allows one to drive any vehicle and pull a trailer over 10,000#.

P.S. The CDL license holders consider the Farm Truck drivers as "dangerous" because they don't have to meet the same standards as the CDL drivers. Regardless of which route you choose, please be a safe, courteous, and patient driver.