Commercial vs Weighted vs Batman

dieselfuelonly

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 9, 2008
Location
Chapel Hill, NC
As usual there are 5,000,000 opinions on this subject, the DMV website loses you completely, and trying to figure out the correct answer is near impossible.

If I am using my truck/trailer/Bobcat (I'll always be below 26k lbs gross) to make money, am I correct in that:

*I will need commercial plates on the truck (Can you choose a weight limit, like you can with a standard "weighted" tag?)
*What about the trailer? Does it just need to have a "regular" plate?
*I've seen a lot of trucks that are obviously being used for a business, yet they are just running weighted tags - that is not the legal way to do it, right?
 
I've done a lot of research on this and Batman is the best option. I have nothing else to contribute, but thanks for the laugh.
 
jeepinmatt said:
I've done a lot of research on this and Batman is the best option. I have nothing else to contribute, but thanks for the laugh.
Click to expand...
Can't go wrong with Batman!
awww.berlinwallpaper.com_Murals_York_HP_BatmanAccent2.jpg
 
being as you are in it for a profit, to make money, you are commercial. you can choose a weight just like a weighted tag. ive found out that if you are at 26,000 or less they will leave you alone most of the time. you might get stopped to check your license or such but as soon as they find out you have your things right they will leave you alone.
the trailer tag does not have to be weighted, just a trailer tag thats current. i ran one that had expired by at least 2 years or so and got pulled in stokes county. i bought a permanent tag $75 and when i went to court they just threw it out. if you plan on keeping the trailer i would go permanent tag, less stickers and bs to keep up with.
 
oh if you cross state lines and or go more than 100 nautical miles from your home office you will have to keep a log book, just like the truckers do. and you will need dot numbers.
 
Opinion #5,000,001...
If you are hauling your own property, you are OK with a weighted tag on your truck as long as you don't blatantly exceed your indicated weight (up to a max of 26,000 lb).
If you are hauling property that belongs to someone else and getting paid for it, you need a commercial tag and DOT number.
 
If you are hauling your own property, you are OK with a weighted tag on your truck as long as you don't blatantly exceed your indicated weight (up to a max of 26,000 lb).
Click to expand...

Does this include hauling my own property, but using my own property to do work for others and make money?
 
dieselfuelonly said:
Does this include hauling my own property, but using my own property to do work for others and make money?
Click to expand...

I'm no expert, but I would say yeah.

I've read it (and be told by DOT officer), commercial tags are more directed towards people hauling for profit

Last place I worked, out field work trucks had only weighted trucks up to 22K pounds, not commercial. However, just before I left, they started handing out DOT numbers for the trucks, so they may have been switching over. We did do some hauling for profit, so they may have been busted and decided to switch.
 
I agree. As long as you are not hauling other peoples stuff and charging them money to do it, you are OK.
We had this discussion in one of the dealer ed classes. For instance... if I was hauling my own vehicles around the country I can run my dealer tag on my truck. If I put somebody else's car on the trailer and was charging them money to deliver it somewhere then that would make me a commercial carrier and I would need a commercial tag, insurance, etc.
 
I *think* "Not For Hire" Decals are required on both sides of the cab if you are hauling commercial equipment for yourself.
 
stay under 26,000# if you tag for more than that you will be required to have a IFTA sticker and pay fuel tax and also if go over 26k you will be required to pay heavy road use tax and it is $550 a year.
 
just get a weighted tag to cove ryou entire load and don' tsweat the rest, you have a 99.5% chance of never getting messed with. If the .05% comes into play unleash batman on the cops ass and all will be well.
 
Back
Top