When it comes to commercial vehicles, I was very comfortable in issuing citations for speeding and operating in the wrong lane. After that, I had to check my handy dandy Redi-Ref (cheater card). This is the abbreviated version of the vehicle code that every CHP officer carries. With regard to these next two questions I checked with Commercial Vehicle Inspection Specialist (CVIS) David Parker, assigned to the Cottonwood Inspection Facility, and relied on his expertise.
Why are 90% of all semi trucks on the freeways in California licensed for being in Oregon with “permenant” tags? This seems to place the total burden of highway maintenance costs on California licensees rather than “apportioned” tags would.
If you see “permanent” on combination vehicle trailer plates, you are seeing a trailer that has no weight fees associated with it. California registered trailers use “PTI” (permanent trailer identification). Other states use a similar system. There is no weight fee connected to the trailer. All the weight fees are connected to the power unit or truck. These carriers pay a weight fee on the power unit for the total gross weight of the combination for each state they enter. Power units from other states display “permanent” tags (or other identifying means) that are not apportioned, must use a trip permit or temporary registration to enter California. These permits are generally valid for ninety days or four consecutive days.
Why are drivers of non-commercial licensed pick-ups from out of state (Oregon) allowed to violate California laws by carrying ladders/material and equipment openly in their pick-ups while Californians have to pay hundreds of dollars in commercial license fees just to carry an empty garbage can or piece of wood in theirs? I thought that all laws in this state had to be obeyed by those from out of state.
Commercial motor vehicles meeting the registration requirements of a foreign jurisdiction and subject to registration but not entitled to exemption from registration or licensing under the California Vehicle Code, as an alternate to registration, may secure a temporary registration to operate in this state for a period of not more than 90 days, or a trip permit to operate in this state for a period of four consecutive days. These permits are not required to be displayed but must be produced when requested by law enforcement.
Here in California, a “pickup truck” is defined as a motor truck with a manufacturer’s gross vehicle weight rating of less than 11,500 pounds, an unladen weight of less than 8,001 pounds, and which is equipped with an open box-type bed not exceeding 9 feet in length. “Pickup truck” does not include a motor vehicle otherwise meeting the above definition, which is equipped with a bed-mounted storage compartment unit commonly called a “utility body.” If you own such a vehicle, than weight fees are due and you will be issued commercial license plates. Way back when, if you decided that you were never going to carry anything in the bed of the truck, other than equipment incidental to the operation of the vehicle (spare tire, jack, lug wrench) then you were allowed to register it as a passenger vehicle. That is not the case anymore. The vehicle by design, regardless of your intentions, is a pickup truck. If you decide to install a permanent mounted camper or camper shell on this vehicle, and the key word is permanent mount. Then you can register it as a house car. The definition of a house car is a motor vehicle originally designed, or permanently altered, and equipped for human habitation, or to which a camper has been permanently attached. A motor vehicle to which a camper has been temporarily attached is not a house car. Having a snap on vinyl or plastic cover over the bed does not make it a house car or permanent mount.
The benefit of registering your pickup truck as a house car is that you do not pay weight fees. The disadvantage is that, the one day you remove that camper shell to haul a load of trash to the dump or take that spare dresser down to the Salvation Army you are now in violation of the your registration and subject to citation.
In addition to the citation, you are subject to paying the weight fees for the entire year of registration. It is usually at this point, I attempt to make a light heart comment regarding the subject, but the reality is that registration fees are where the CHP gets its funding. Not from citations. Those funds are divided between the cities and counties. When cruising those highways and byways, I was constantly checking registration tags and license plate configurations to ensure the correct registration was being taken care of.
Given today’s economy everyone is trying to save a little here and a little there. We do have some of the highest registration fees in the nation and recently they just went up. But, until things change, it’s probably best that everyone pays their share (I realize that there are thousands that are not, but that’s another column).
So if you have a pickup truck with passenger vehicle plates displayed, you might want to re-think that idea or make certain your permanent mount is just that, permanent. With your pickup truck proudly displaying those commercial plates, take the family out and enjoy the ride.
Monty Hight is a retired California Highway Patrol officer and Public Information Officer. He is the North State AVOID Campaign’s Public Information Officer. He lives in Redding. More information on AVOID can be found here.
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