Propane on the road?

lockedup5

lockedup5

overcompensating underachiever
Joined
Jan 30, 2008
Location
Burke County (Hildebran)
I just converted my Jeep cj-5 to propane and I mounted my tanks on the rear fender wells. I still like to drive it around town but everyone can see my tanks including the cops. What is the chances I'll get a ticket? I'm guessing it is illegal to drive a vehicle on the road w/o paying the highway use tax on the fuel. I guess it is like putting dyed diesel fuel in your truck or running bio fuel. Does anyone know what the fine is? I imagine it is pretty heafty.
 
Bio/WVO is legal to run up to a certain (very high if I remember) amount.
There are many LP powered vehicles on the roads (city of asheville has at least 8), so there is a way to do it legally (though admitedly the city may have more leniency than an individual)
 
Just tell them your forklift ran out of gas and you had to go get more :D
 
From what I understand, getting caught in NC costs you about two grand right off the bat. For propane, you can either register and pay at the pump (few dealers are setup for that), or file a quarterly tax return and pay that way.

I have been trying to contact the Motor Fuels Division of NC Dept of Rev for a couple of months now....emails, left literally a couple of dozen phone messages left for various people there, and not one return call. I left messages ranging anywhere from "what do I have to do to legally run propane" to just leaving my name and number...not one call back.

All the calls are from my cell phone, so if I get caught I'll hope for a lenient judge and show him the cell phone detail bill where it shows I have called up there many times, trying to get to be legal. I'll still be screwed, though.

As far as you getting caught...one thing to consider besides taxes....my understanding is that an ASME tank is good to go....forklift tanks are not road-legal.
 
It is only illegal to use a vehicle on the road if you are not paying highway tax, as you mentioned. If you pay tax, no problem.
Now, assuming you are a good law abiding citizen, you iwll be paying highway tax anyway, by keeping a logbook of your mileage and sending a check to Raligh.
As far as Johny Law cop goes, you are a good law abiding citizen, and are paying your taxes by logbook since it dosn't get taken at the pump.
Translation - he dosn't care nor is it his business.
If you really are concerned about it, make up some books and have them on hands to show him....
 
Guess I could tell the cop I mounted those tanks to look like a dune buggy and they are for unleaded gas. Most are ignorant enough they would believe me.:lol: Joking aside what kinda log books do I need to cook up?
 
:driver:I guess if I want to get technical I need to worry about bad inspections, bumper height, brake lines crimped off, no windshield (sometimes), and I'm sure they can write me up for a few other things.
 
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