Truck weight registration

[Professor Marvel]

I am looking at an old bucket truck to use around my properties so it should never be driven far but I will occasionally need to move it down the road. It is on a F700 and has a 40 ft lift on it. Looking at the specs the truck weights about 10,000 lbs and the boom probably doesn't weigh more than the truck so I a guessing that the truck weighs somewhere around 20,000 (I will take it to the scales at the grain bin to make sure exactly what weight it is). Looks like the GVWR is 33,000. I don't plan on ever carrying anything on it or towing anything with it. Is there any problem with me registering is as a 26,000 vehicle so I won't need a CDL to drive it. I don't have and don't want a CDL.

 

[George2615]

Not at all. You can register it for any weight that is greater than the actual weight.
If the vehicle weighs 10K you can register it for anything between 10 and 33K if you like.
Just like a trailer. Just because a trailer may be rated for 14K doesn't mean you have to register it for that weight.
Just don't be over the registered weight if you have to go on the DOT scales.

 

[Professor Marvel]

Thanks George

 

[breadtrk]

Does it have Air brakes? Air = CDL

 

[Professor Marvel]

No air brakes

 

[MacLawn]

Good question professor. I've been wanting an old dump truck I found, and was wondering the same thing. I just love old trucks like this! I'd like to haul a bit of fill dirt and gravel for me place. Have a heap of ditches that need filling.

oh, when ye get'er, post some pics!

 

[Rock knocker]

It is very uncommon for states to allow a truck to be registered for less than the manufacturers GVW.

 

[paulharvey]

It is very uncommon for states to allow a truck to be registered for less than the manufacturers GVW.

I had a 2500hd that was originally listed at over 6,000 lbs, and that doubled my tag fee; lady at tag office asked if I used it to haul or just drive. I told her (the truth) just as a commuter vehicle 99%; she revised it to 5,999 lbs saving me around $90/year.

 

[paulharvey]

I am looking at an old bucket truck to use around my properties so it should never be driven far but I will occasionally need to move it down the road. It is on a F700 and has a 40 ft lift on it. Looking at the specs the truck weights about 10,000 lbs and the boom probably doesn't weigh more than the truck so I a guessing that the truck weighs somewhere around 20,000 (I will take it to the scales at the grain bin to make sure exactly what weight it is). Looks like the GVWR is 33,000. I don't plan on ever carrying anything on it or towing anything with it. Is there any problem with me registering is as a 26,000 vehicle so I won't need a CDL to drive it. I don't have and don't want a CDL.

You don't need a CDL in Florida to drive a truck (excluding interstates) if used exclusively for agriculture purposes.

Back

CDL Exemptions

The following persons are exempt from the requirements to obtain a commercial driver license:

Drivers of authorized emergency vehicles that are equipped with extraordinary audible warning devices that display red or blue lights and are on call to respond to emergencies;or
Military personnel driving military vehicles; or
Farmers transporting farm supplies or farm machinery, or transporting agricultural products to or from the first place of storage or processing or directly to or from market, within 150 miles of their farm; or
Drivers of recreational vehicles used for recreational purposes; or
Drivers who operate straight trucks (single units) that are exclusively transporting their own tangible personal property which is not for sale.
An employee of a publicly owned transit system who is limited to moving vehicles for maintenance or parking purposes exclusively within the restricted-access confines of a transit system's property.

 

[bcp]

I remember reading some exceptions for trucks that don't carry a cargo on the highway, such as cranes and boom trucks. I think they were registered at actual weight, not GVW. You might check on that.

Bruce

 

[oosik]

Around here you can register a truck for agricultural purposes. Annual fees are significantly less and you get a special license plate identifying it as an AG vehicle. This allows the truck to be used anyplace within 25 miles of your farm/ranch.

I just checked on sales & use tax for my location. If I were to purchase a $30,000 tractor out of state -
1) there is both state and county sales tax and use tax due, the combined rate is 0.081 which would be $2430 on the $30,000 out of state purchase
2) if I were located elsewhere in the county I might be subject to these taxes also - Regional Transit Authority Tax, Public Transportation Benefit Area Tax, Rural County Opportunity Empowerment tax and indian country tax.

It looks like its either better to be where I'm currently at or just move out of state!!

 

[George2615]

Good question professor. I've been wanting an old dump truck I found, and was wondering the same thing. I just love old trucks like this! I'd like to haul a bit of fill dirt and gravel for me place. Have a heap of ditches that need filling.

oh, when ye get'er, post some pics!

Check with your insurance company about insurance. When I bought a 1T dump truck for my personal use I could not add it to my regular auto insurance and don't own enough property to qualify for Ag or Farm plates. I had to get a commercial policy. Your state may be different.
I was able to register it for a lesser weight (14K) than the maximum GVW of 16000.

 

[Soundguy]

Check with your insurance company about insurance. When I bought a 1T dump truck for my personal use I could not add it to my regular auto insurance and don't own enough property to qualify for Ag or Farm plates. I had to get a commercial policy. Your state may be different.
I was able to register it for a lesser weight (14K) than the maximum GVW of 16000.

when i got into 1 and 1+ ton trucks my ins co asked me if it was a wrecker, and if it was i'd have to get commercial ins.

 

[George2615]

when i got into 1 and 1+ ton trucks my ins co asked me if it was a wrecker, and if it was i'd have to get commercial ins.

If my 1T was just a 1T pick up I could have added it to regular car ins. Because it was a dump truck it required the commercial policy.

 

[Soundguy]

my ins co said as long as my truck is for my farm or property, they didn't care.. but specifically if it was a wrecker.. they cared.

 

[Norm W]

Some states have a "Special Purpose Commercial" plate. It applies to cranes, backhoes, road rollers, snow plows etc. They can't be used to transport anything.

 

[tedmed0302]

Ya man! Up where I live the rules are simple---so they can squeeze the most money out of us!!! I think some of you boys need to think of it that way!!! LoL!!! Ok sorry. Where I live we have farm plates---trust me if it moves and you put the plate on it you are all set. Now, with us non-income earning agriculture types they get sneaky.... Meaning the gross weight is what you must register. If you get caught "under-rating" you get a nice ticket... Here's an even better one, today's F350 single wheel comes in at say 11,000 so according to FMCSA, drivers need a health card, my state says well u must register commercial as well---cause you are over 10,000----more money! Now if you have a 90's F350 dually, rated at say 9000---well it's dual wheels so commercial plates----more money!!! Oh and you better letter the truck if you have a 1 ton dump up here, regardless of 6 wheel, single wheel, gvw.... Trust me I got the ticket to prove it!! LoL! I went to court and fought it, because at the time I did not have my CDL so I apologized and brought pix of my sinful ways being corrected!!! They dismissed all my fines and I only lost 1 day of work. Now the air brake thing wrecks it all, just like someone already said. No matter what the gvw or your occupation/intention---CDL required. For some crazy reason EMS is exempt, that's less money for the general fund so I don't get that one! LOL!! Bottom line is check your local DOT for a CDL handbook. Here they are free, some states charge a few bucks. It's money we'll spent.

 

[tedmed0302]

I forgot to mention my state has very few amendments to the federal rules for trucks and registration, it literally says adopted federal rules for just about all of it... More money is more money!!! LoL!!! Don't even ask about tobacco tax on cigars!!!

 

[Soundguy]

i know in florida a 1 ton gets a december tag just like a commercial, whether privately owned or not.

 

[tcartwri]

It is very uncommon for states to allow a truck to be registered for less than the manufacturers GVW.

This is exactly how Budget, Ryder, etc.... can rent joe blow a 5 ton straight truck. They register them for well under the GVW.