truck plates

[vbguru12000]

I know this isn't exactly a 'LEO question', but was hoping your experience could help you answer eitherway.

Frequently, I see numerous pickups, vans, and SUV's in Indiana with truck plates. I'm just wondering why they have them when I know they don't need to. I've seen the same vehicles without truck plates, and I know the truck plates cost more. Does anybody know why they do this?

Thanks!

[retdetsgt]

In some states, it depends on what they're used for. If they are for private transportation, they can have passenger car plates. However, if they are used for a commercial purpose, they have commercial plates.

It varies from state to state though. Some states require truck plates on any truck. In Oregon, you can use passenger plates even on pickups and vans up to a certain size or unless you own more than a given number.

[phantasm]

about 10 years ago in NY, ALL pickup trucks had to have commercial plates.

[deputywave]

Frequently, I see numerous pickups, vans, and SUV's in Indiana with truck plates. I'm just wondering why they have them when I know they don't need to. I've seen the same vehicles without truck plates, and I know the truck plates cost more. Does anybody know why they do this?

Thanks!

It used to be that a vehicle, plated with a truck plate, was exempt from the seat belt law. That is no longer the case. Generally, pickups will be plated with truck plates and SUVs and vans can be plated with either. I've seen a few pickups sporting non-truck plates, but it isn't as common. Truck plates aren't necessarily more expensive. Plate fees are based on the vehicle year. The newer the vehicle the more you pay, even with the lottery break.

[PapaBear]

In California, pick up trucks are registered as commercial vehicles unless the owner specifically requested that they be registered as passenger vehicles. If the P/U is registered with passenger car plates, it must be used as a passenger vehicle and may not be used to transport and articles not directly associated with the upkeep of a home. That means one cannot legally transport bricks, lumber, yard equipment, construction materials, etc If the owner is stopped carrying anything similar a ticket may be issued to re-register the vehicle and the DMV will assess penalties and back fees for misuse.

Harsh? Yes, but highly effective because there is a significant difference in the fees between commercial and passenger vehicles.

[retdetsgt]

If the P/U is registered with passenger car plates, it must be used as a passenger vehicle and may not be used to transport and articles not directly associated with the upkeep of a home. That means one cannot legally transport bricks, lumber, yard equipment, construction materials, etc If the owner is stopped carrying anything similar a ticket may be issued to re-register the vehicle and the DMV will assess penalties and back fees for misuse.

Even if you're carrying that stuff for your own home? When I had my house built, I was buying and bringing all of that home, but it wasn't for commercial use, it was for my own house. I hauled 5 yards of top soil, a pickup load at a time. Unless the officer followed me home, I couldn't prove it was for me though.

[PapaBear]

Even if you're carrying that stuff for your own home? When I had my house built, I was buying and bringing all of that home, but it wasn't for commercial use, it was for my own house. I hauled 5 yards of top soil, a pickup load at a time. Unless the officer followed me home, I couldn't prove it was for me though.

If the pickup is registered as a passenger car, yes, that would be a violation of law in CA. The rule is "for household maintenance" not home improvement or enlarging a home. Maintenance items would be laundry soap, paint for the home, sealer, etc.

One of the greatest violations deals with weight fees and campers on the pick up. If the camper unit is temporary it is considered a load; if it is permanently attacked it is a part of the vehicle and has to be included in the weight and adding a higher fee.

[retdetsgt]

That is severe.

One of the few things I like about Oregon state government is their vehicle registration laws. You can register almost any small vehicle, including trucks as passenger cars and passenger car registration is dirt cheap. It just went up from $27 a year to $42. Which is exactly why the only traffic offense I really worked was expired tags. The people that didn't renew their plates didn't skip it because of financial reasons, but rather because they were the types to not take care of life in general, like arrest warrants.....;)

I have no idea what it costs for commercial vehicles, but I assume it's pretty high.

[vbguru12000]

It used to be that a vehicle, plated with a truck plate, was exempt from the seat belt law. That is no longer the case. Generally, pickups will be plated with truck plates and SUVs and vans can be plated with either. I've seen a few pickups sporting non-truck plates, but it isn't as common. Truck plates aren't necessarily more expensive. Plate fees are based on the vehicle year. The newer the vehicle the more you pay, even with the lottery break.

So it's generally people just mistakenly thinking they don't need to wear seatbelts with the truck plates and didn't know the law changed? Or was the change recent?

[deputywave]

So it's generally people just mistakenly thinking they don't need to wear seatbelts with the truck plates and didn't know the law changed? Or was the change recent?

That exemption changed about two years ago.