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Ca residents only, 3500 SRW/DRW declaration of GVW

2K views 30 replies 16 participants last post by  JHaws 
#1 ·
So here it is, yet another GVWR thread about modern day 3500's. My SRW has a GVWR that's well over the 11,499 lb rating. This means that all DRW's are in the same boat.

I'm not for hire, I don't haul for profit et cetera. Yet the vehicle I drive has a GVWR over 11,499 which means that by law, I have to declare a weight. I bought my truck new out of state and one of the DMV requirements was to have a weight cert. If a remember correctly, it tipped the scales at about 7,800 lbs unladen. Nonetheless, the door sticker shows GVWR 12,340 lbs which means i'm over the 11,499 lb benchmark and I supposed to stop at DOT weigh points; despite signs reading NO PICKUPS.

https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/wcm/c...ca-7206e349d4c7/reg4008.pdf?MOD=AJPERES&CVID=
 
#2 ·
The way I read it that form is for commercial trucking. But then again I don't live there so have no clue on the registration process out there.

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#5 ·
"Pickup trucks with no body type modifications (e.g., utility bed added, stake, etc.) and an unladen weight under 8,001 and a GVWR of 11,499 and under are excluded."

This is what baffles me. Under 8,001 unladen AND GVWR under 11,499. All 3500's, SRW and DRW are over 11,499
 
#6 ·
"No pickups" at the CHP scales is a black and white regulatory sign, you must obey it, do not enter the scales.
You have to declare weight to DMV when you register because you will be charged weight fees up the kazoo.
 
#12 ·
All pickups in CA are considered commercial, and it has ZERO to do with operating commercially or in commerce. Any pickup over the GVWR indicated on that form, should be registered by paying the weight fees based on what you ~may~ carry in the bed or the GCWR while towing. 1/2 and 3/4 ton pickups pay a flat rate weight fee as part of the registration and one tons and up pay a fee based on the weight they may carry/ or tow, so the fees vary.
 
#11 ·
My 2014 Ram 3500 Drw weighed in at 9060 lbs with just my hitch in the bed. My 2017 with the Aisin transmission and the DEF emissions probably weighs more than that. So how does someone say that we are under the 8000 lb empty weight? For North Carolina, Ram has to state the empty weight of the truck. My 2019 was stated as 8600 lbs, So the DMV Computer will not accept any weighted liscence plate under 9,000 lbs for my truck. I complain about the $400.00 that I have to pay for my 20,000 lb liscence plates every year, but that barely scratches what California charges. I saw that while stationed in San Diego at Point Loma Submarine Base in 1990.
 
#14 ·
The problem here is who do you ask who can give you an official answer? You cannot rely on anyone at the DMV to give a correct answer. If they give you the answer you want to hear, you might get caught later. If they give you the answer you don't want to hear, it will cost you money and then you'll have to correct it later. When I read the form I saw it applying only to "owners and lesees of COMMERICAL vehicles" but then someone chimed in with "all pickups in CA are commercial", which I find odd, but so is CA so it very well could be true. So maybe the question to be asked is "are all pickups in CA commercial"?
 
#15 ·
Yes all pickups or any vehicle designed to carry a payload with an open bed are supposed to be registered as commercial. The law is a little funny with that as you can have a bed as long as the cab can’t be closed off to it and be registered non-commercial. But if you have a closed off cab and are registered non-commercial, you better not get caught with so much as a leaf in the bed.
 
#16 ·
Yep. In Ca, all pickups are commercial, but not like OTR trucks, bobtail delivery trucks etc. But.....if I remove the pickup bed and add a flatbed or utility type contractor box, it is no longer a pickup and I'm required to declare weight ratings, add CA numbers and stop at all weigh scales. It's ridiculous.
 
#17 ·
I moved out of Cali in 2016, so my info is not as up to date. My understanding when I did live there though was that switching all pickup trucks to commercial was nothing more than a revenue generator as they cost more to register. I don't remember ever seeing much enforcement on weights or scales and I drove I5 and HWY99 weekly.
 
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#24 ·
Just so you all know if you have a handicapped plate you can have the CA weight fees waived for ONE pickup per person. Takes registration each year from near up to $1000 to about $150.
 
#26 ·
I had less headaches and hassle going from 26,000 weighted plates to 38,000 apportioned plates, in a commercial setting, than you poor CA folks do.....simply trying to register a friggggggin’ pickup in CA. Hats off to those that continue to hang around there with the ever changing paradigm of rules and regulations...
 
#30 ·
all pickups are registered commercial. you pay and register for unladen weight. unless you are using it for commercial purposes. if i recall correctly, that is a question on one of the forms
if the dmv screws up, it's on them.

i have only had 1 issue registering an out of state truck in regards to weight. i figured i would save myself a trip, so i stopped at a CAT scale since i was passing one. this was in NV, about 75 miles from home.
I went to the DMV to register and they would not accept the weight cert since it came from a NV scale.
Instead they said to go to the local dump and get weighed on their scale. So I did, the dump gave me a janky receipt with the weight on it, nothing as official as the CAT cert. Took that to the DMV and I was golden
 
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