Foo - So I just got my license plates today....

Why did I get a set of "commercial" plates? This is not a work vehicle.

Can anyone tell me the difference between commercial plates and regular ones? Googling doesn't help much, other than to say it goes by vehicle weight.

Why did I get a set of "commercial" plates? This is not a work vehicle.

Can anyone tell me the difference between commercial plates and regular ones? Googling doesn't help much, other than to say it goes by vehicle weight.

In CT atleast, having a comercial plate can ban you from certain highways, BUT you can park in loading docks ( read, very helpful during x-mas season in the malls)

Why did I get a set of "commercial" plates? This is not a work vehicle.

Can anyone tell me the difference between commercial plates and regular ones? Googling doesn't help much, other than to say it goes by vehicle weight.

You have a pickup, right? Any pickup with an open bed is considered a commercial vehicle. To be classified as a passenger vehicle it must have a permanently attached shell over the bed.

I was already familiar with this, so I googled "ca dmv pickup commercial plate open bed" and I think the first result answers your question.

Edit: Looks like you are subject to extra fees? It mentions "weight fees."

Heavier vehicle, tougher on the roads = More fees to cover road repairs.

When I lived in RI they gave both my trucks commercial plates (Ford Ranger and Ford E150 van). They were both used for work. Here in Colorado they gave me just regular plates. I have no idea why.
I guess I really have no answers to your question. I probably shouldn't have even responded, but since I've already typed this out, I might as well hit "Submit Reply"

You have a pickup, right? Any pickup with an open bed is considered a commercial vehicle. To be classified as a passenger vehicle it must have a permanently attached shell over the bed.

I was already familiar with this, so I googled "ca dmv pickup commercial plate open bed" and I think the first result answers your question.

Edit: Looks like you are subject to extra fees? It mentions "weight fees."

Depends on location. You can't make that statement as a sweeping generality. I have a diesel pickup with no shell and it's not registered as a commercial vehicle in my state.

Many states go by GVWR (or max weight your vehicle can carry; over 10K I believe by US DOT rules, you have to go commercial which is why many trucks are 9900#).

From the CA DMV site, it does appear you register as a commercial vehicle for all pickup trucks in CA.

Depends on location. You can't make that statement as a sweeping generality. I have a diesel pickup with no shell and it's not registered as a commercial vehicle in my state.

Oh sorry, I knew Siu was in California. I forgot that Foo was an internationally renowned and visited destination. :o

I checked what carbonlife googled and yes, it seems it's the open bed thing. Shorty only weighs in at 5021 unladen weight so I don't think it's that.....

What a ripoff. It seems I'm going to be paying about $100 or so more for registration per year PLUS higher insurance rates because it's "commercial". :mad:

Thanks for your help, everyone. :)

You could always move....

To where?

My T-100 is 3950 unladen.

No wonder it gets 17/24 MPG :)

Commercial vehicle licensing in CO starts at 10K GVW

To where?

Colorado, probably... :D

What is the make/model of your truck?

I'm curious. And i like trucks.

I checked what carbonlife googled and yes, it seems it's the open bed thing. Shorty only weighs in at 5021 unladen weight so I don't think it's that.....

What a ripoff. It seems I'm going to be paying about $100 or so more for registration per year PLUS higher insurance rates because it's "commercial". :mad:

Thanks for your help, everyone. :)

5000 in several states is the magic number.

My T-100 is 3950 unladen.

No wonder it gets 17/24 MPG :)

Commercial vehicle licensing in CO starts at 10K GVW

Wow, that's kinda sad... my Ram 2500 is 7300# unladen and gets 16/21ish unladen. Loaded up with a 10K trailer and another 1500 in the bed, I still get 13ish! ;)

5000 in several states is the magic number.

I guess I need to get lighter wheels and a titanium body.

7300 pounds?! Holy crap.

I checked what carbonlife googled and yes, it seems it's the open bed thing. Shorty only weighs in at 5021 unladen weight so I don't think it's that.....

What a ripoff. It seems I'm going to be paying about $100 or so more for registration per year PLUS higher insurance rates because it's "commercial". :mad:

Thanks for your help, everyone. :)

Siu, it's kind of confusing, but here is the reference:

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/vehindustry/ol/im_02_05.htm

Maybe you can get an exemption with a short bed? Call them...that is so much money!

There isn't going to be a short bed exemption if the stupid SUVs with a three-foot "truck bed" (Explorer Sport-Trac, Avalanche, etc) count as pickups. Seems like they're pretty adamant that all pickups get a commercial registration.

There isn't going to be a short bed exemption if the stupid SUVs with a three-foot "truck bed" (Explorer Sport-Trac, Avalanche, etc) count as pickups. Seems like they're pretty adamant that all pickups get a commercial registration.

Jeepers, that's pretty incredible; back east here if you have commercial tags you can't get on the parkways...very restricting - they're over half of our limited access roads...

It may not be anything more than a heftier charge for registration, here. Pickup trucks don't have different license plates or anything.

Yah huh it does. There is only one letter in the plate. The rest are numbers.

Thanks for the link, Steve. Shorty has a 6 ft bed. I don't use it to transport workers and not for profit.

Yah huh it does. There is only one letter in the plate. The rest are numbers.

Thanks for the link, Steve. Shorty has a 6 ft bed. I don't use it to transport workers and not for profit.

Do you swear you've never piled a bunch of illegals in the back to do chores and yardwork for you for the day? ;)

Yeah the plate is different but I don't think they restrict you in any way like they apparently do in some other states.

Wow, that's kinda sad... my Ram 2500 is 7300# unladen and gets 16/21ish unladen. Loaded up with a 10K trailer and another 1500 in the bed, I still get 13ish! ;)

well, you are running diesel, so not exactly a fair comparision.

but yea, those numbers are pretty good.

Yah huh it does. There is only one letter in the plate. The rest are numbers.

Thanks for the link, Steve. Shorty has a 6 ft bed. I don't use it to transport workers and not for profit.

One thing that you should realize - if you managed to have it changed to passenger you would have to following the rules for gas mileage - SUVs were able to be on the road because they were considered commercial - not passenger.

If you were a passenger vehicle, you probably would be parked and in violation of the law.

At least that is what I understand.

So - you pay the extra registration so you can pay extra at the pump too! Isn't that wonderful? :lol:

This is how the car using public will gradually be pressured (through political decision) into using
smaller, more efficient vehicles.

7300 pounds?! Holy crap.

Yeah... 1100# of it is the diesel engine.

This is how the car using public will gradually be pressured (through political decision) into using
smaller, more efficient vehicles.

If the price of fuel doesn't get them first!

One thing that you should realize - if you managed to have it changed to passenger you would have to following the rules for gas mileage - SUVs were able to be on the road because they were considered commercial - not passenger.

If you were a passenger vehicle, you probably would be parked and in violation of the law.

At least that is what I understand.

So - you pay the extra registration so you can pay extra at the pump too! Isn't that wonderful? :lol:

Yah and extra insurance too. :cry:
I have the kind of engine that runs on four cyls until you need the power, then it goes to eight.


This is how the car using public will gradually be pressured (through political decision) into using
smaller, more efficient vehicles.

But I can't get five bikes in the back of my Sentra!! (with five people)

Yah and extra insurance too. :cry:
I have the kind of engine that runs on four cyls until you need the power, then it goes to eight.



But I can't get five bikes in the back of my Sentra!! (with five people)

3 bike trunk rack and 2 bike roof rack.

Nuff said.

Here's the story of MDS (the four/eight cyl thing)

http://www.greencarcongress.com/2005/06/chrysler_puts_m.html

And in here it says that if I stay under 65mph it stays in four cyls.

http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2006/04/20/004504.html

Why did I get a set of "commercial" plates? This is not a work vehicle.

Can anyone tell me the difference between commercial plates and regular ones? Googling doesn't help much, other than to say it goes by vehicle weight.


There are no 'commercial' vehicles in Florida. All trucks, cars and buses have the same non descript license plate. We at least let the tourists still pay for most of our infrastructure.

Reading the thread title, this was the first thing that popped into my head.....

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/72/Kramer's_ASSMAN_plates.jpg

If the price of fuel doesn't get them first!

Thats market pressure, not political pressure.

Pretty sure that here it's actually cheaper to register a truck or SUV commercial than it is as a passenger vehicle. No restrictions either, except you must run a front plate.

Here's the story of MDS (the four/eight cyl thing)

http://www.greencarcongress.com/2005/06/chrysler_puts_m.html

And in here it says that if I stay under 65mph it stays in four cyls.

http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2006/04/20/004504.html

Must be Mopar, then?

Yes, Cranky. Mopar.