questions for california owners

[Truckoholic]

Taken from FAQ: Commercial Vehicle Licensing

Question 5: Is a CDL required for a commercial motor vehicle (truck) equipped with air brakes, even though the weight rating is 26,000 pounds or less?
Guidance: No. The GVWR or GCVWR, number of passengers or transportation of hazmat would be the sole determining factor. Air brakes, by themselves do not establish any requirements for CDL.

 

[Truckoholic]

Taken from Oregon DMV CDL Endorsements & Restrictions

Note: You do not need a CDL to operate a vehicle equipped with air brakes unless the vehicle otherwise meets the definition of a commercial motor vehicle.

 

[Truckoholic]

Taken from ODPS | BMV | Frequently Asked Questions

I recently purchased a truck with a GVWR under 26,000 lbs, but it is equipped with air brakes. I will be using it to transport non-hazardous materials. Will I need a CDL to drive this truck?
No. A CDL is not required to operate a vehicle if the GVWR is less than 26,001 lbs and it is not transporting hazardous materials or passengers. The presence of air brakes alone does not make it a CDL class vehicle.

I hope I have sufficiently satisfied the questions involving this issue, and that we can put it to bed now.

 

[MyothersanM1]

Any Schmo can rent a 26' foot Penske Truck with air brakes. Heck, they rent them at the storage yard where I keep my truck.

 

[Rustygears]

Rustygears why is your registration $1000 a year?

My A3 is 1996 and after multiple discussions, DMV would not give historic plates even though it was built from an earlier vehicle due to the mfg. date on the title, which is the date of record they use to determine historical plate eligibility.

So I am stuck with commercial plates even though I have no intention or insurance for commercial use of my hobby vehicle. The combined reg and weight fee is nearly $1000 this year and as indicated, that's only for a 15K GVW. The truck weighs 13900 with full fuel and no driver so I am legally overweight if I put more than myself and 750 lbs in the truck. If I wanted to license it for full capacity, the weight fees would drive the price of tags up considerably.

 

[Craig C]

Reg and DL

So:

1. If the vehicle is 25 yrs or older, reg it as HISTORIC or in the case of M109A3 that has been converted for living, reg as housecar.

2. You WILL need at least a Class B Non Commercial, which I believe most large motor home drivers must get, I believe there is also a Class A Non Commercial DL or so I have been told.

3. Don't let DMV tell you you have to pay Wt. Fees if it's reg'd as Historic...they don't apply.

4. If it's Bobbed, you are still going to have to pay Wt. Fees as a pickup if reg'd normally, so reg it as Historic. (Even Bobbed and with large singles, it weighs alot and they want you to pay out the nose $$$$$.)

5. If it's never been Reg'd in CA you will have to get a police officer, CHP Officer or a licensed VIN Verification person to do the VIN verification form. An APPOINTMENT with CHP to get one done can take weeks etc. so if you know an officer or someone who knows one who might be able to do the verification try that route....much easier. And with that delay, you can still go into dmv to reg it, get the temp red tag until you can get the VIN verified then go back to DMV and finish it off.

6. When Reg'd as Historic, follow those guidelines when driving. It's for an event, to exercise the vehicle, you're going to have maint. done, you're going for a meeting of collectors in your area etc etc etc..... Don't haul loads of dirt for your yard etc, if CHP catches you, you're not gonna like going to court etc.

 

[MyothersanM1]

So:

5. If it's never been Reg'd in CA you will have to get a police officer, CHP Officer or a licensed VIN Verification person to do the VIN verification form. An APPOINTMENT with CHP to get one done can take weeks etc. so if you know an officer or someone who knows one who might be able to do the verification try that route....much easier. And with that delay, you can still go into dmv to reg it, get the temp red tag until you can get the VIN verified then go back to DMV and finish it off.

@Craig C: to briefly expand on bullet #5...I was able to get my VIN verified at a local AAA office. They are authorized to do it per the DMV form REG343 (see attached second page at the bottom). I had no problems with the clerks there. The guy was actually honored to do it. He said my truck was his first military vehicle. Probably talked about it at the dinner table that night. Anyway, a quick and painless experience without having to deal with Ponch and Jon CHiPpy.

Oh, and to #6. Always have a story, always have an out and stick to it.

 

[Truckoholic]

I had a CHP officer come out to my place and do the VIN verification on two M35's, an M101 and an M105 all at the same time. I had them all parked right next to eachother, so he was just able to go from one to the other. He turned out to be a really nice guy and thought they were pretty cool.

One thing nice about living in such a small community as I do, I now know him, and I allready go to church with three of the other CHP officers around here, and I know another one as well. So that's 5 CHP officers that know me around here that just smile and wave when they see me out and about in my MV's.

I normally am not a fan of CHP officers. They all too often tend to have a God complex. So it's nice to know 5 out of the 10 or so that I know of in this area. In fact one of them actually called me the other night when he got a report of a car stuck on one of the dirt roads around here, because he was trying to find the person, and knew I would know what road they were on and how to get there. ha ha

 

[quickfarms]

rustygears do you know how many M35a3's were manufactured in 1996 under the contract extension that your truck is part of?

What is the vin number of your truck?

This number is critical to exempting your truck from weight fees.

It can be done within California law but it takes a little bit of determination.

Since you are paying weight fees and your truck is currentaly registered at 15000 lbs you are required to display your weight stickers on either side of the wehicle.

Additionally you are required to get a motor carrier permit and display your CA or USDOT numbers.

 

[willy]

Rusty Gear,
Today I have filed and got my deuce to be a (House Car)
It is a automobile and not a truck
Now if you want to haul cargo in it I think you out luck
But if you want to sleep in it at outing or when ever
Go to DMV and change you truck to a House car simple no restrictions and no CDL just a class C
Willy
Also thank you for telling me about putting oil in my drag link
After 3 turns on the steering wheel it came loose and I had power steering
Not before what I thought was PS , now it is.
Willy

 

[Bad_Carp]

Rusty Gear,
Today I have filed and got my deuce to be a (House Car)
It is a automobile and not a truck
Now if you want to haul cargo in it I think you out luck
But if you want to sleep in it at outing or when ever
Go to DMV and change you truck to a House car simple no restrictions and no CDL just a class C
Willy
Also thank you for telling me about putting oil in my drag link
After 3 turns on the steering wheel it came loose and I had power steering
Not before what I thought was PS , now it is.
Willy

You do know that while simple to file as a housecar, you need to have actually converted it to such. If you get stopped and it is not permanently altered for human habitat then expect it to be impounded and being charged violating the vehicle code.

 

[willy]

Ok Bad-Carp,
I have to start some where,
I will be building 4 bunk beds a counter and a stove as I am going on the Alcan Hwy project in Aug. and put radio's in it
So in mean time I need to drive to Home depot and buy my materials it will be for Human habitat.
Willy

 

[Bad_Carp]

Ok Bad-Carp,
I have to start some where,
I will be building 4 bunk beds a counter and a stove as I am going on the Alcan Hwy project in Aug. and put radio's in it
So in mean time I need to drive to Home depot and buy my materials it will be for Human habitat.
Willy

Wasn't suggesting that you weren't going to make it a housecar, only that there is more to the issue than just paperwork. Don't want others reading this thread to be mislead and think this is just a paperwork loophole.

Here are the requirements:

Housecars must contain permanently-installed independent life support systems which meet the criteria of the American National Standard Institute (ANSI) and provide at least four of the following facilities:

• cooking
• refrigeration or ice box
• self-contained toilet
• heating and/or air conditioning
• a portable water supply system including a faucet and sink, separate 110-125 volt electrical power supply
• LP gas supply

 

[willy]

Well Thank you sir.
I was not told that there are requirments.
Now I know I will meet or exceed these rules.
I have too, if I will live comfertable at the run I am very excited about that run it should be very nice, Automatig, power brakes and now PS windows will be up
and we will be driving in gods country, Radio on and listing to country music true my VIC-1.
Willy

 

[LowTech]

Bad Carp, thanks!
I spent a lot of time looking for that info when I was getting ready to build the "She Beast", . . . didn't have any luck. Talked w/ multiple people from DMV, time on-line, etc.

Here are the requirements:

Housecars must contain permanently-installed independent life support systems which meet the criteria of the American National Standard Institute (ANSI) and provide at least four of the following facilities:

• cooking
• refrigeration or ice box
• self-contained toilet
• heating and/or air conditioning
• a portable water supply system including a faucet and sink, separate 110-125 volt electrical power supply
• LP gas supply

 

[quickfarms]

You will still need a class b license. If it is registered as a house car you could use a non commercial class b

 

[Bad_Carp]

You will still need a class b license. If it is registered as a house car you could use a non commercial class b

You do not need a class b for a housecar under 40 feet long. A class C is all you need.

 

[Bad_Carp]

Bad Carp, thanks!
I spent a lot of time looking for that info when I was getting ready to build the "She Beast", . . . didn't have any luck. Talked w/ multiple people from DMV, time on-line, etc.

Yea, it's there but pretty obscure and no one could direct me to it, stumbled across it while searching one day.

 

[LowTech]

I'm w/ Bad Carp on this one.
No class B needed.

 

[tamangel]

CVC section 362 defines Housecar:

V C Section 362 House Car

Mike