California CVRA Stickers/Weight Fees and Declared Operating Weight Questions

[tomato]

DMV answered one of my questions. The higher weight fee replaces the $308 that is there for operating weights below 10,001 pounds.

[TheLexx]

What additional sticker? The only sticker I received is the regular year sticker that goes on the license plate. My truck is registered for 14k lbs and I've never received anything other than the same type of registration sticker I get for my other vehicles.

I have to pay the CVRA fee because my dually is rated 14000. They don't care that it is only used for towing RV. I find this ridiculous but you can't fight DMV.

After 6 years the total DMV is $688 this year (it was $980 ish in 2014) My guess is you will be in the $1000+ range.

The additional sticker is in the glove box. Never needed or asked for.

There was no choice for me to pay it or not. Sounds like the dealer may have done you a favor but you are also misrepresented to DMV so not sure if DMV has some ability to make you pay corrected amount if/when they find out.

[tomato]

You only get an extra sticker (stickers actually) if you declare an operating weight over 10,001 pounds. There should be a box at the bottom of your DMV renewal each year asking if you want to update this weight. Also depends on your truck's unladen weight - if it is under 8,001 pounds, you don't need it and won't be asked. If you indeed already did this and checked the 10,001-15,000 pound box (code A), you should have received these the first time it was registered that way. if you bought used, the original owner may npt have applied them or given them to you.

For those interested, I also confirmed that once you get in compliance with all this and have the CVRA stickers, you need to stop at the truck scales. It just keeps getting better!

[JCR GD]

What additional sticker? The only sticker I received is the regular year sticker that goes on the license plate. My truck is registered for 14k lbs and I've never received anything other than the same type of registration sticker I get for my other vehicles.

It’s a commercial weight sticker that is supposed to be displayed on commercial vehicles. Not sure why i get it.

[TheLexx]

I purchased my F450 in Nevada and personally registered it back home in California at the DMV. The truck was registered for 14k lbs since it's a one ton dually. I have never received any such additional sticker. In fact, all the scales around here have big signs out front that say "NO PICKUP TRUCKS OR CAMPERS". I've never stopped at any scale and I've pulled our fiver all across the western United States and western Canada. I really don't think your information is correct.

You only get an extra sticker (stickers actually) if you declare an operating weight over 10,001 pounds. There should be a box at the bottom of your DMV renewal each year asking if you want to update this weight. Also depends on your truck's unladen weight - if it is under 8,001 pounds, you don't need it and won't be asked. If you indeed already did this and checked the 10,001-15,000 pound box (code A), you should have received these the first time it was registered that way. if you bought used, the original owner may npt have applied them or given them to you.

For those interested, I also confirmed that once you get in compliance with all this and have the CVRA stickers, you need to stop at the truck scales. It just keeps getting better!

[tomato]

My info is definitely correct, unfortunately. Does your registration say "PK" or "VA" under body type? If it says PK, you got lucky and DMV has you as a pickup despite your actual unladen weight. Might be due to Ford's specs at the time.

[TheLexx]

I'll have to go out and look at the registration. I'm pretty sure it's registered as a pickup. All pickup trucks registered at 14k lbs GVWR and lower get commercial plates in California. It's their intended use that determines if you're a commercial vehicle and therefore need to stop at weigh stations. I bet your registration was done incorrectly. People on multiple forums have reported being yelled at by the weighmaster for driving their RV's into the scales in California. That's why they have that giant sign out front that reads "NO RV's or Campers".

My info is definitely correct, unfortunately. Does your registration say "PK" or "VA" under body type? If it says PK, you got lucky and DMV has you as a pickup despite your actual unladen weight. Might be due to Ford's specs at the time.

[JCR GD]

My registration shows "VA" so I guess that is why I get the stickers. But since I am not using it in a commercial capacity I don't need to display the stickers.

The scales say no pickups so that non-commercial peeps won't go in there. HOWEVER if you are using your pickup for commercial hauling then you do need to go in and must have the stickers displayed. I have seen many pickups (usually dually) in the scales with various types of loads (apparently commercial loads.) Since we are all RVs for personal use, no need to go in to scales.

[D2Reid]

LOL, I am sure glad I don't domicile in CA. My FL driver license states simply: "...or any recreation vehicle." No weight restrictions on my 5th wheel.

[Redapple63]

Wait a minute. Unless you're hauling commercially (as in paid transportation) RV owners do NOT need a commercial class A in California. However if you're combined GCVWR is over 26k, you probably need a NON-commercial class A. AFAIK there are no "stickers" you need to keep. The license class is merely designated on your DL.

I have a F450 with registered 14k lbs GVWR. My registration is over $1000 every year. That's because of the weight fees California imposes on our trucks. With a 14k lbs truck, I am allowed to pull a fifth wheel up to 12k lbs without the non-commercial class A DL. In my case our Reflection 28bh is only 11k lbs GVWR so I'm good. However, if your fifth wheel is between 10-15k lbs GVWR, in California you are required to obtain a trailer endorsement known as "Restriction 41". This is what is imprinted on the back of my DL. In my case however, AFAIK once my trailer goes over 12k lbs, I'd need a non-commercial class A. So the Restriction 41 in my case applies only to fifth wheels 10-12k lbs GVWR.

This is from the California Driver's Handbook:
Attachment 31352 Attachment 31351

So here's another tricky part. Notice in the Class C box it states you may "drive a 2 axle vehicle with a GVWR of 26,000 lbs or less". And then in the "you may tow" box, it mentions a fifth wheel between 10-15k lbs. It doesn't mention the need for the special trailer permit! And the way these boxes are worded, it suggest you may drive any two axle vehicle vehicle up to 26k lbs GVWR and then tow a fifth wheel up to 15k lbs WITH YOUR CLASS C DL. It's only when your trailer is over 15k lbs GVWR that you need a non-commercial Class A DL regardless of how heavy your pickup truck is (as long as it's under 26k lbs GVWR).

However we know that federal law requires you to get a different DL when you exceed 26k lbs GCVWR. I've had folks state that 26k lb limit is for commercial towing, not RV's.

So which is it? Does the 26k GCVWR limit apply to RV's in California due to Federal law? Because it's not worded as such in their Driver's Handbook.

In my case I'm confident that I'm within my DL class with my current trailer. Anything heavier and I'd probably opt for the non-commercial DL just to be safe.

You don't need a Non-Commercial class a as long as you don't exceed the weights...

5vers is 15k travel trailers is 10k. Exceptions are made for farmers.