[flynryan]

How does this save you $200 in DMV fees? What exactly is non-commercial?
Someone please explain this to me because I have never heard of it. Thanks
http://orangecounty.craigslist.org/cto/1236262564.html

 

[Willie B]

....Because of the camper shell it is registered as a passenger car...............If you take the camper shell off and put anything at all in the bed,.......ticketable offense...

 

[GAZOO]

as he said, with a pick up you pay weight fees just like a comercial veh. With the shell you avoid this. The weight fees are one of the things that will double next year.

 

[GAZOO]

also if you think you will put the shell on and then pull it off and get away with it, you wont. They will give you a new plate and the letter/number configuration dictates commercial vehicle. Next time your on the freeway look at at car plate then a pickup truck, the plates are different. I think the commercial always has a letter then a number, don't remember but I know they can tell by the plate right away.

 

[ultra26shadow]

what if you have a tonnou cover? could the same thing apply? whats the difference if you have a camper and throw all your stuff in the camper? can you still tow legally?

 

[riverbound]

I did this on my old F-350 as I had a shell on it and had no plans on taking it off. They will give you a new plat designating it as an Automobile and not a Comercial vehicle. Tounneaus dont qualify for some reason. I eventually went to a vanity plate and that would be one way to get around the plates stating the difference but in all reality I dont think it would be worth it if caught as I think the fees are in the $1k range. Look at your registration, the money you will save is the weight fees. If you have a shell its an easy thing to do just go to DMV or AA and tell them that you want to switch your truck to automobile instead of commercial and they will make the changes ont he spot.

 

[Big Inch]

also if you think you will put the shell on and then pull it off and get away with it, you wont. They will give you a new plate and the letter/number configuration dictates commercial vehicle. Next time your on the freeway look at at car plate then a pickup truck, the plates are different. I think the commercial always has a letter then a number, don't remember but I know they can tell by the plate right away.

passenger is 1 number 3 letters 3 numbers
commercial is 1 number 1 letter 5 numbers

 

[Phil in SoCal]

I have a couple friends who have done this. The also got vanity plates to hide the change from Johny law. One of them didnt change his plate. He was seen by the CHP and stopped just because the Camper he had was off. I believe the ticket was in excess of 700 bucks.

 

[gottaminute?]

camper shell/ non comm plates

do not even poke a 2x4 out the back window or you will get popped.
been there done that
pat

I dont know why it is legal in a station wagon but not in a truck with non commercial plates (in cali)

 

[mjc]

It is registered as a house car(same as a motorhome) I have had my daully done this way for 17 years have never had a problem.

 

[Sherpa]

....Because of the camper shell it is registered as a passenger car...............If you take the camper shell off and put anything at all in the bed,.......ticketable offense...

WHAT HE SAID... in Calif you can get your registration changed to what they
call "Pickup-mounted" as in you now have a camper shell......

but, exactly like said above, you remove that shell, and haul or don't even
haul something, you can get fined... been there, done that. (thought I was
being sneeky, but the CHP DOT COPS know their shit...)

ticket was around 225 about 10 years ago... (weight fees were just a tad
less at the time)...

don't do it.

--Sherpa

 

[screaming pete]

i just did this this year, iv'e had a camper shell sence 1995 and its never been off. i was doing some reading at the dmv ca and i was like wtf i can save some bucks. the lady at the counter said i was flirting with the chp so dont ever take that shell off. i said OK give me my new plate. $103.00 this year OTD

 

[Old Texan]

Where in the living hell do you CA people get these idiot politicians that think this crazy stuff up??????

I'm just awed and amazed at some of the CA laws/rules I hear about......

 

[angry dad]

Where in the living hell do you CA people get these idiot politicians that think this crazy stuff up??????

I'm just awed and amazed at some of the CA laws/rules I hear about......

I hear ya!!

I gotta get out of this joke of a state! :|err

 

[Sharpy]

passenger is 1 number 3 letters 3 numbers
commercial is 1 number 1 letter 5 numbers

Interesting..... I didn't know that's how it's coded, always wondered how they could tell the difference.

 

[Sharpy]

i just did this this year, iv'e had a camper shell sence 1995 and its never been off. i was doing some reading at the dmv ca and i was like wtf i can save some bucks. the lady at the counter said i was flirting with the chp so dont ever take that shell off. i said OK give me my new plate. $103.00 this year OTD

While you were reading, did you notice whether you could get a conditional use permit to remove it temporarily, kind of like a 1 day move permit for a non-op?bulb

 

[Moneypit]

Strickly enforced

As mentioned, the CHP is all over this. It seems that registration fees play a large part in the CHP yearly budget. I was told a truck with "housecar" plates can not haul anything that a standard sedan can't haul. I got a ticket 40 years ago for hauling a motorcycle, (broken), in a truck that had the shell removed. It wasn't mine, but I had to pay to "commericalize" the truck to clear the ticket....Ray

 

[lbhsbz]

Yep, non-commercial is cheaper, but then you can't get away with parking in loading zones all the time.

 

[72Hondo]

This is how I have my Dually Registered. I took it off one day to do some fiberglass work. I never got stopped but I was under the impression if you don't haul anything no offense. and if you do haul anything it must be a part of your truck or something like that.

 

[Willow Rat]

Be careful. I took my camper off to go get a car and tow it home from AZ and was pulled over and warned in Palm Springs. The next day my wife was pulled over and ticketed taking the kids to school.