License plates on tractors, loaders, skid steers??

[ctc1111]

Hey, I've noticed on every piece of equipment I see driving on the road from large wheel loaders, to skid steers, to large tractors have license plates on them. Some are the blue state official plates but I've seen many commerical or even normal plates like one would have on a car on the back of this equipment.

Whenever I would drive my tractor down the street, on the side of the road, with my flashers on to go clear some snow at my uncles company down the road our problematic neighbor across the street would call the cops and they'd come down and tell me to get off the road. And the neighbor being friends with every cop in town dosen't help either. I called the police station to ask about the laws and they just told me its illigal. And I'm not sure if this is true or not. I find they tell me stuff that I don't think is true sometimes, like when I had my band over for a practice the neighbor complained and the police showed up so I answered the door and asked if there was anything I could help them with being very polite so they told me that if they herd another noise they were going to come inside and take all our stuff that was making noise and then arrest us all for "disorderly persons". If I remember correctly thats not legal lol especially becuase it was 2 in the afternoon on a saturday and I was very polite to them and had no attitude with them or anything.

Becuase of this I'm wondering if a tractor such as a Kubota L3430HSTC cab model could be registered to the road like all the skid steers and larger tractors I see are.

Is this something that people do to tractors like this??

Its not a rual area, its zoned commercial but is just on the edge of a somewhat upscale downtown area.

I appriciate any help on this! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif thanks

 

[theonlybull]

depends on your state i guess. here, our tractors are registered as farm tractors, they get none expiring tags, and are insured with plpd for road travel

our backhoe has GT plates (general truck/tractor), and is insured plpd for road travel only

there should be some way to register your tractor, if you plan to travel on the road. the local dot should be able to tell you

 

[ctc1111]

THANKS FOR THE HELP! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[ctc1111]

Does anyone know if I would need a special drivers license in MA to drive it if it was regestered??

If noone knows what its like in mass, whats it like in other states??

 

[Bedlam]

I used to be from Mass. I am sure that youd have to have some sort of proof odf insurance in that state.
Im also sure they have some sort of Farm or AG plate you could get.
Here is the link to the registery site.You could also look around for some-one who has a tractor registered and ask them . I dont hink many local cops would know the law, so you need to do a bit of research.I have a friend who does construction in Mass and he has an Owner Repair plate , and insurance, and can attach it to any of his equipment.
Sounds as tho your neighbor has it in for you.I have no idea about the noice situation, but when they tell you its the law, just ask them specifically what statue they are quoting.
Good Luck
Al

 

[AntrimMan]

When I was stopped in town for speeding in my car last Friday I asked the police the same question about tractor plates. You need over the road plates of some type or you are illegal. In a small town where no one hates me yet I could get by with a wink and a nod but if I did some damage it might get a bit sticky.
I see commercial backhoes on the road occasionally and there is not always a plate displayed so they get away with it.
All in all it's not good to piss off the police. Eventually you have to leave your property and they can make life suck. Your always better off being nice.

All the best,
Martin

 

[thcri]

Do a search for "Implement of Husbandry" Every state is different. I did look up Mass and it looks like they are pretty strict.

Here is a link to a pdf file but I recomend you do some searching.

Farmer

In Minnesota we pretty much have to do nothing but have a SMV on the back.

murph

 

[MadDog]

I looked into this last year and, as I remember it, concluded that in Massachusetts, if you were using your tractor for agricultural purposes, you do not have to be registered in order to use on the side of a public way for some limited distance so long as you had appropriate lights and signage. I think it was 1/4 mile or so. A search on "registration" or some similar term will probably turn up the previous threads on this.

 

[Soundguy]

Wow.. glad I don't live in the people's republic of MA... Down here in horse country florida.. you get on your tractor and drive down the street. No interstate travel.. but highway driving is fine with plaques and lamps... I do it every month.

There is a milage limit.. but I believe that is due to the off road diesel... Since I pass a gas station anyway.. i just fill up with clear diesel as it is..

Soundguy

 

[pekabu]

Can't comment on MA, but in NH you need plates. Costs me $10 a year plus insurance which I already carry. I don't go on the road two often but once a year I seem to take a 3 mile trip through town. The police don't seem to bat an eye.

 

[daTeacha]

I'd opine that your neighbor bears a distinct physiological resemblance to a hemorrhoid, but your best route might be to contact your state DOT by letter, complete with a SASE, asking them about your situation and whether you need plates or not. Then keep their reply handy for when the cops stop you next time.

Here in Ohio, you can drive Ag equipment on country roads with appropriate safety markings but no registration is needed. The SMV sign should not be used if going over 25 mph. Combines might be going down a state route and be exceeding the width limits enough to send other vehicles onto the shoulders and be legal so long as they have lights and flashers working.

When I lived in Michigan, a guy who had lost his license for DWI simply drove his tractor to the local bar every Friday and Saturday night and was completely legal without plates or SMV sign. That was in a very rural area, though.

 

[billbill1]

Rural and Ag around here and I believe the SMV is the only thing required. Most do use flashers on the oversize equipment though so maybe that is also a requirement. No tags. No tags on trailers either (boat or utility) under a certain weight.

 

[MadReferee]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Can't comment on MA, but in NH you need plates.)</font>

Not really true. It all depends on what you are doing with your vehicle (tractor) while it is on the road. If your vehicle is being used as an "Implement of Husbandry" (RSA 259:44) it does not need to be registered (RSA 261:64). The law is very vague in that is stated in RSA 261:83 that
Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, a farm tractor that is fitted with attachments such as cultivators, loaders, or other equipment, specific to the activities of the farm, shall qualify for farm tractor registration rates and number plates, provided that it is being used exclusively for agriculture and farming purposes, and not being used for hire.

You may qualify for farm plates that allow you to travel on public or private ways within 20 miles of your farm but you don't necessarily have to have them to access you own property via a duly maintained public or private way (RSA 261:64).

Confusing, you bet. But the real bottom line is that you can't drive your tractor down to the local convenience store or over to your buddy's house legally without at least farm tractor plates.

I live right between several working farms and apple orchards. Tractors go up and down the road just about every day except during winter. I know for a fact that none of them are registered. Everybody knows and nobody, including the town police, cares. Just the way I like it. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[matthew3120]

I don't know what your local police are trying to pull but for the most if you have SMV sign on your tractor you are legal.I live in northren wisconsin where we get alot of snow and almost every weekend I drive 5 miles to plow and that is right in the city and never had problem with the police.I don't know where you live but that is why they put flashers and turn signals on your tractor. there lucky I don't live there. /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

Matthew3120

 

[JoeR]

I am with Sounduy, that would be the Republik of MA.

What a lousy neighbor, and I love how the police threaten people. They are doing one heck of a public service! Sounds like you have lousy law enforcement too. They are giving all law enforcement a bad name.

Here in Florida, my daughter can legally drive my tractor on the road at age 9. No license, etc... Just an SMV tag. I am not saying I would let her, but the law is in favor of the farmer.


Joe

 

[SnowRidge]

Around here, you see tractors on the road every day. Our neighbors drive past our place several times a day on their way to their pastures on the other side of the ridge. An SMV sign is all you need. I have never seen law enforcement show the slightest interest in any tractor on the road, but I have seen a guy on a big Massey at the Hardees drive in window. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[jaab]

i went to my local DMV office here in NY and was told there is no way to register my tractor. i asked the nice lady at the office how i could move my machine down the road and she said i would have to trailer it as it is illegal to operate it on the road. this should be real interesting when it comes time to move snow and such. i know in my state we have special commercial plates for machinery but she said it didn't apply to me and there was nothing more she could do for me. i guess her coffee break was more important to her than the people who pay her paycheck, but thats another story

 

[Dirthog]

In Pa it all depends what you have for a tractor farm equipment is legal with just lights and flashers but construction equipment must have a plate and ins. found that out the hard way one night while out with the backhoe even though I had enough lights to make it daylight out. the only way I got out of it was one of the twp supervisers came along and said I was working for them. which was not quite true I had been and did quite a bit just not then. the cop grumbled a bit and left next day I was in getting plates for backhoe

 

[3RRL]

Does anyone happen to know what California rules are?

 

[ctc1111]

I'm not sure i'd be able to qualify as a farmer becuase Its a downtown district and we have a large parking lot inbetween two large buildings, one of which is ours.

Would I be able to qualify for construstion?

I'm going to have to pay a visit to the local DMV and ask some questions about this tomorrow, I'll let you what they say if I get time to head down there. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif