Well, you got a lot of questions. If your truck is a 3 axle or greater, over 6000 lbs, then you need a CDL A or B. That is the way it is written in the dmv rules handbook. One of the reasons a lot of people Bob their trucks here. Historic doesn’t get you out of it, as written. Most LEO won’t enforce that, unless you are drawing unnecessary attention to yourself (insert stupid “hold my beer” moving infraction here). A 5 ton, empty is over 21k. Put a load in that you are flirting with the 26k commercial tags. If you register your 5 ton you put down the weight of the truck plus capacity which is actually 10 tons on road so that means a 40 sticker, Bye bye historic. If you state that, that is. But is it something you really want to lie about? Getting pulled over driving out of class I think is a $2500 fine, plus a tow and having to find a CDL driver to get it out of the impound. Which is a pile of more fees, I think like $500-1000 for the heavy tow, $250 a day storage. I have a CDL, and drove on a regular DL for many years without issue. I got nothing but thumbs up from most LEOs that saw me driving down the road, but my area (Bakersfield) is very conservative and pro-military and nostalgic ‘Mercia stuff like that, YMMV. Most cops actually want to check it out when they see me at Home Depot or whatever.
As far as getting your vehicle titled and registered, with only a bill of sale, that one will get you a different answer wherever you go. A SF97, the government form that is basically a release of liability from the DLA to the original purchaser, is useless if this isn’t you. This is only good for the original purchaser. It is possible to get a title in your name with only a bill of sale. However it depends what DMV you go to, and who you talk to. Do not ever, ever, ever tell anyone it is a military truck or former military truck. Just give them the make, tell them it’s a cargo truck, and don’t offer anything that will trip their nose hairs to lead them to think you own a military truck. Less they know the better. That isn’t really a lie. Mention something like M923A2 and they will ask more probing questions. They will get the truck confused with the “anti HMMWV” registration law they passed several years back, and they will take that as an all inclusive anti civilian military vehicle rule and it will be the hill they chose to die on. I’ve argued till I was blue in the face on this with their clerks before. They even said they needed an SF97. Knowing darn well that form is useless unless you are the original purchaser from DLA. The vin number will be an issue as it isn’t a standard 17 digit. I would ask around honestly and see who successfully registered a MV and what DMV they went to and who they talked to there. That might help. I lucked out with my 5 ton, as I registered it during the Covid shutdown, and they had an online registration chat room and email system. Before this, I got shot down and they wanted an SF97 in my name at 3 other offices I went to. I did mention military which was a mistake. I had a non op bill of sale and title when I did the online registration. I didn’t mention military truck, told them it was a 1990 BMY cargo truck, gave them the vin, they asked for a weight certificate, EPA tag picture on the engine, emailed that in, and I got a clear title, plates, and tags and it was finalized once I showed proof of insurance. It was a long process and it took several days between emails at times. Probably over a month total. I insured it through State Farm out of carpenteria, agent name is Dawn Ott. I have free towing and it costs me about $40 a month for $200k liability. That would have been harder in person to register for sure. One of the offices even said it would need to be vin verified by the dmv, and guarantee soon as they saw that huge camo thing in their lot they would have lost their mind and said no no no no no. If they ask for a verify, get a private one. I can refer you to a guy up near Stockton, I think he can do it thru email, he’s also a collector, and knows his stuff. Also is active military. Good dude.
So step one for you is to get a title, even if it’s non op, in your name. I hired a title company to do that, cost me $120. They also did the vin verify. Step 2, do the dance above and try to get an operational road title. You have to title as commercial before they will let you do a historical, they want their tax $$$, which was about $700 for me. I never did the historic for various reasons. If you read the law, it doesn’t let you use the vehicle much besides parades and to exercise the vehicle. If mr LEO saw you more than once driving around on a non parade day or whatnot, technically you are tax evading, and don’t be caught hauling anything. I think you are allowed to haul your own things (not for hire) but it honestly isn’t something I want to argue on the side of the road, which will make them sniff around and possible get you in trouble with the proper licensing issue I mentioned earlier. I was going to license mine historic eventually, but I sold it before I got a chance when the Biden gas prices went into affect and it was going to get very painful at the pump so I decided to stick to my trusty multifuel M35A2. It’s a few forms you have to fill out, don’t mention military if you can help it, and “statement of the facts” form saying your reasoning for wanting to register historic. It’s easy, costs like $35 and takes a few months to process it but you have to surrender your plates in the meantime. I did that on my deuce years ago.
CA has some stupid laws. However the best way is to honestly bypass all the DMV issues here if you get shot down, and the vehicle is not in the system yet. Get a Vermont title if the truck is over 25 years old. You don’t even have to live there, it is all done by mail. It’s like $150 to do it. All you need is a bill of sale and fill out their paperwork. Look up their procedure online and there is some you tube videos how to do it. A few months later, you will get plates, a title, and tags from Vermont. Wait a few months, scuff up the plates a bit, then take all that to the evil CA dmv, a different one you haven’t been seen in yet, and they HAVE to register your truck at this point due to reciprocity. Basically pay donate (sic) fees and exchange the Vermont stuff for CA tags plates title and registration. It basically takes out the DMV associate that thinks they know the law but they really don’t, and unfortunately get to be the cop, judge, jury and jailer when it comes to registering these trucks. And funny thing is, the dmv clerks know this loophole and their is nothing they can do about it. I’ve had someone tell me the clerk told them, “ah, the old Vermont trick” but there is nothing they can really do about it.
You can also go the RV registration route, but you must also get a operational title to do this unless you find someone at a title company that is good with this. The fees are less yearly for this. Like historic is. But you must have a toilet, a sink, and a bed in the back of the truck. A toilet can just be a “bucket style” porta potty, a simple basin with a drain for a sink, and a cot. But don’t get pulled over with all that stuff taken out of the bed, more tax evasion opportunities for them to nail you with. However this is an automotive plate, not a commercial one, and I think it does get you out of the CDL requirements but not sure on that. It’s honestly not a battle I want to fight on the side of the road with Mr. J.Q. Highway patrol so I got my CDL and was done with it. One of the things I did when I was out of work for the Covid shut down in 2020. It wasn’t hard and pretty useful honestly. In my opinion, It just limits your negative interactions you may have with the law, it has air brake endorsement (if you have a 900 series) and makes you look somewhat better if you get pulled over. Just my opinion. Hopefully this answers your questions. Good luck!
Thank you for lol of the info, what kind of a title company do you end up going through to get a title for this truck to aid in the registration?
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