questions for california owners

[motas2002]

hello everyone. i am new here and have a few questions for you california deuce owners. i am thinking about purchasing a deuce and would like suggestions to avoid any pitfalls. What do i need to know? will i have to upgrade my license? easiest way to title the vehicle? any advice would be appreciated. thank you in advance.

 

[RedbeardTheZombieHunter]

You will not have to worry about upgrading your DL in California. Some other states require a CDL for various reasons like weight, number of axles, or the air assist system on the brakes, but none of those apply to you. In California, if the vehicle is privately owned and not being used for commercial purposes, you can drive it on a regular old class-C license. As far as title questions, I'm not up on that info but I'm sure someone on here will chime in with an answer for you before too long.

 

[motas2002]

Thanks for the info. Any other tips out there?

 

[Barneyszoo]

You will not have to worry about upgrading your DL in California. Some other states require a CDL for various reasons like weight, number of axles, or the air assist system on the brakes, but none of those apply to you. In California, if the vehicle is privately owned and not being used for commercial purposes, you can drive it on a regular old class-C license. As far as title questions, I'm not up on that info but I'm sure someone on here will chime in with an answer for you before too long.

I certainly don't mean to question your info, but when I reg my 813 the supv. at the DMV told me that 3 axles require at least a class B. Was I miss informed?

 

[hole]

Read this for starters.http://www.steelsoldiers.com/conver...icensing-issues.html?highlight=california+cdl

 

[WillWagner]

Buy one that is registered already. It'll save you the DMV headache. If you don't, DO NOT use DMV, use a registration service that does salvage titles. They'll know what buttons to push.

 

[nf6x]

Back when I got my first 2.5-ton 6x6 in 1999, I carefully read the Cal. Vehicle Code sections related to licensing, and came to the conclusion that the weight and number of axles of a deuce puts it into the "class B" category for licensing under California law. There was no mention of any sort of exemption to that classification based on intended use. While intended use affects licensing in many other states (I've been told), and under federal requirements, to the best of my knowledge it does not in California. Back then I also contacted CHP's commercial enforcement division and discussed this with them. The guy I talked to seemed to know his stuff, citing specific CVC sections for every answer he gave me. He confirmed that CA requires at least a class B commercial driver's license to drive a deuce, regardless of how the vehicle is used, and regardless of whether it's registered as regular commercial or a historical vehicle. I did not discuss or carefully research RVs, so I can't comment on licensing for RV conversions of deuces. Also, this information is a decade old, so I cannot confirm that nothing has changed since then.

 

[Harleighguy]

I bought mine from Fla with a Fla title and had absolutely NO problems with the DMV when I went to register it. The only thing I had to do was get the CHP to verify the VIN and that was it (one officer showed up to perform the vin inspection and sees the Deuce and calls 4 of his workers to stop by too). Made an appointment with DMV and 15 minutes and 750 bucks later had a 5 month temp and all the paperwork was done. I registered it as a Historical Veh. Been a year now and still no problems.

 

[nf6x]

Same here, Harleighguy! California's licensing requirements are a bit inconvenient for deuce owners, and the registration is expensive if you don't take the Historical Vehicle route. Still, based on the accounts I've read from folks in other states, CA isn't such a bad place to register an MV. Some states seem to give lots of headaches to folks who want to register their deuce, HMMWV, or whatever, but CA seems to be more interested in taking our money than in saying "no". The only real hassles I've had with registration involved dealing with DMV clerks who were unfamiliar with Historical Vehicle registrations since they've done them so seldom. The first time I registered a deuce, the clerk wanted a weight certificate. Once I returned with it, it turned out that the computer wouldn't let her enter it once she set the registration as a Historical Vehicle; it seems that regardless of the CVC requirements, the computer only allowed a body type of "car" to be entered for a Historical Vehicle plate. So the next time I did it, I explained to the (different) clerk who wanted a weight certificate that it was my experience that the computer wouldn't accept a body type other than "car" for a Historical Vehicle plate, and that it wouldn't accept the weight certificate then. She tried entering it that way, and I got my registration without a weight certificate.

So, it's not too hard to register an MV in California, especially if you know what to expect and can be helpful and friendly with a clerk who's faced with an uncommon situation, possibly for the first time ever.

I just won a 1984 M923 in a GL auction, and I plan to try registering it as a Historical Vehicle. I hope that the much newer model year doesn't cause any problems. I haven't done a Historical Vehicle registration for anything newer than around 1972 before.

 

[Truckoholic]

Yes, in California if it has 3 axles regardless of whether it has air brakes or not, and regardless of its intended use, it requires a commercial drivers license.

However, when registered as a vehicle of historical interest, my research has been inconclusive. I've had my Class A CDL since I was 18, so I've not had any reason to really be concerned about it, and therefore have not spent as much time researching it as someone else might. But when a truck is registered as a vehicle of historical interest, it can not be used as a commercial truck, and therefore, I don't see why it would be any different than driving a three axle motorhome which does NOT require a commercial drivers license. I would like to see what would happen if the CHP tried to ticket someone for driving a historical vehicle with an improper license if they were not using it commercially. Because that is pretty much the whole point of being able to license something as a vehicle of historical interest. To be able to drive it in parades and things without having to pay the ridiculously high registration costs that you would have to pay if using it commercially. And a commercial drivers license should only be required if you are driving a commercial vehicle. But this IS California. The land of oppressive laws, and idiots who make and interpret the laws!

 

[Truckoholic]

The only real hassles I've had with registration involved dealing with DMV clerks who were unfamiliar with Historical Vehicle registrations since they've done them so seldom. The first time I registered a deuce, the clerk wanted a weight certificate. Once I returned with it, it turned out that the computer wouldn't let her enter it once she set the registration as a Historical Vehicle; it seems that regardless of the CVC requirements, the computer only allowed a body type of "car" to be entered for a Historical Vehicle plate. So the next time I did it, I explained to the (different) clerk who wanted a weight certificate that it was my experience that the computer wouldn't accept a body type other than "car" for a Historical Vehicle plate, and that it wouldn't accept the weight certificate then. She tried entering it that way, and I got my registration without a weight certificate.

I dealt with the exact same thing! I went in there knowing I did not need to have the truck weighed, told the lady it did not need to be weighed because I was registering it historical. She told me, No you do too need to have it weighed. So she gave me the paperwork to have the VIN verification done and paperwork saying it had to be weighed. I left, thought about it for a couple days and realized she was full of it.

So I had the CHP do the VIN verification and went back into the DMV without having the truck weighed. The same lady looked at the paperwork she had given me before and asked where the weight certificate was, and I told her I did not have it weighed because it does not need to be weighed to register it as historical. She said yes it does, and she would not proceed no mater what I told her until she had that weight certificate!

So I went and had the dang thing weighed at a cost of $20 to me, I go back into the DMV and give her all the paper work again, including the weight certificate. She gets to the part where she needs to enter the weight, and it would not let her do it, so she hands it back to me and tells me "We don't need that". I could have smacked the woman! I said "I told you so!" I should have told her she owed me $20 because I allready told her I did not need that! I was so pissed! But feeling the need to just bend over and take it, in order to finally get my truck registered so I could drive it, I just shut my mouth and dealt with it. But now I know better what to tell her when I go to register my next one as a historical vehicle.

 

[nf6x]

I feel your pain! It might have helped to go to a different DMV office if that's an option in your area. The approach I took was to smile a lot, be helpful and calm (none of which comes easily for me!), explain that I've been through this before and what the computer is going to demand, and I suppose to just get lucky and not end up at the window of an obstinate clerk. I've dealt with clerks who had never done a Historical Vehicle registration before and ones who've been there forever and knew all of the corner cases, and that makes a difference. Sometimes the clerk wouldn't be familiar with the Historical plates, but they'd go ask the manager who had been through it before. In the end, sometimes it's just easier to bite your tongue and spend the twenty bucks to get over the hurdle and move on!

 

[Clay James]

I've been pulled over in my M109A3 which is historic and I have a regular class C and he didn't say anything about it. Same thing happened to my buddy in his historic registered deuce. Of course it all depends on the cop. It seems everyone has a different interpretation of that law.

 

[RedbeardTheZombieHunter]

Another thing the "People's Republik Of Kommiefornia" is famous for is changing the laws when they get the feeling they're not taking enough of the taxpayer's all-too-hard-earned money! Several years ago, my brother was an OTR driver and when he wasn't running cross country, he was running local containers out of the Long Beach Terminal. One morning he went in to get a container, got his tractor into the yard, got hooked up to the trailer, and then realized he didn't have his DL in his pocket (which every driver must show in order to leave the yard with a trailer), So he called me at home (I lived 15 minutes away in Gardena), had me drive down, walk into the lot, climb into his tractor and pull it up to the checkout booth, show my class-C, and roll it out to the street where he took it from there. Turned out at the time, all you needed to drive out with a trailer was a class-C to flash. He also explained that as long as the tractor was privately owned and not used in a commercial capacity, you didn't need a DCL to drive it. Looks like the greedy powers that be found out they could be taking more money from the people who actually earned it. Good thing my M35A2 is getting bobbed as soon as I get it, huh?

 

[quickfarms]

In California a 3 axle vehicle over 6000 lbs requires a class b.

If you tow a trailer over 10000 lbs you need a class a

They are cracking down on recreation vehicles now. If buy a recreational vehicle now but do not have the correct drivers license you can not drive it off of the dealers lot, most dealer just have it delivered.

 

[SMOKEWAGON66]

I hate california lol...I have a class A CDL so Ive never researched this topic...I registered mine historic to save money...if i had the $$ id register as regular vehicle for like 800 bucks a year.

 

[MyothersanM1]

My.

Registration: Historic Tags (Ref. CVC Sect. 5004). I used a DMV proxy service recommenced by a fellow SS member. Worth the extra fee. An Historic plate is only as restrictive as you allow it to be. Remember, you're either driving it for maintenance purposes or your going to a car show/military reenactment. If one person looks at and says "neat", well, that's a car show. BTW...AAA verified my VIN, didn't have to bother with Ponch & Jon CHiPpy.

License: Class B w/o restrictions (air brake, standard shift) minimum. Please err on this side of caution and get one. It is not that difficult. If Joe Dumba$$ tries to drive under one of your three axles you'll be much better protected under the eyes of law if you are properly licensed. If not properly licensed your insurance carrier may walk away from you after a catastrophic event. Also, it is not a pretty sight when an over-zealous Comm. Enforce. LEO tows your Deuce because you're driving out of class. I cannot emphasize this enough. Be properly documented and always run safe.

 

[nf6x]

Good advice in my opinion, Brian! I'm also under the impression that the punishment for driving out of class is pretty harsh, though I don't have a real citation to back that up.

Your mention of every trip being for maintenance or display reminds me of an Independence Day several years ago when I stuck a US flag on my HMMWV on a pole, and put on a one-truck parade around town. My next door neighbor's kid rode shotgun, and I had to unzip the side windows to make room for his smile.

 

[MyothersanM1]

Your mention of every trip being for maintenance or display reminds me of an Independence Day several years ago when I stuck a US flag on my HMMWV on a pole, and put on a one-truck parade around town. My next door neighbor's kid rode shotgun, and I had to unzip the side windows to make room for his smile.

NICE

Also, if I might add, doing everything legally, correctly and safely is only in the furtherance of the honor and integrity this hobby represents.

 

[motas2002]

In my reading here, it would seem that converting to a RV would be the better way to go.