NY --- Commercial plates
 

Hi guys (and girls).

I moved from out west, and am discovering the inconveniences of driving a (large) truck in NY. Since I purchased my newer F250, I was given commercial plates..which restricts me from quite a few things.

I'm the recent proud recepient of a HOV lane violation, even with 3 passengers.

So...How can I get passenger plates? NYS DMV says anything over 5500# must be registered as commercial. I've seen them on many F250/350's, with and without shells, even some DRW's. I'm ready to drive back 'home' to get my out-of-state plates.

Ideas/suggestions/hints are welcome.

Thanks,
Chris
2005 F250 Super Crew 6.0 5-speed, moonroof and all.
http://lh6.google.com/chrisnvsc/Rp_y..._3445.crop.jpg

I checked the NY DMV website and here's the link:
 

http://www.nydmv.state.ny.us/forms/mv114.pdf

Unfortunately, you do have the correct information, if I read it correctly.:mad:

...There's just way too many of them on the road. There has to be a loophole, or someone knows something...

id take your truck to the dump station and see how much it weighs....if its under 5500 (go with an empty tank of fuel ect.) print it off and take it to the DMV...i see alot of people in michigan are doing that.

your dealer kinda messed you over with that one...

I believe that weight figure is GVW...(as i understand it to be loaded weight)..You should be able to register it for under the 5500..It will just reduce what you can carry legally weight wise..

When I first got my 87 F250 SC I had it registered with pass car plates. The GVW is 8600. I had it weighed with tanks about empty, no spare, no me etc. Gross wt was 4780. At that time you had to have a "permanently attached cap" (bolted). The title for some reason listed the body type as "suburban".

No, it's 5,500 unladen weight it has to be under.

Thanks, that what I meant to say !

In order to get passenger plates on a pickup over 5500lbs you must "modify it to change its registeration class".

What that means is that you need a cap/topper/camper shell.

In box # 6 on form mv-82 (the registeration form) check off "yes" the box for question #3 "has this vehicle been modified to change its registeration class"
In the "if yes explain" box write "permanently installed camper shell and camping equipment".

presto-passenger plates!

I'll check that out. I wouldn't think it was -that- easy...

DING DING DING! We have a winner ;)

The best is buying the truck brand-new with a cap/topper (or a receipt showing a deposit on one). The dealer registers it as a "Suburban" (SUBN on the reg).

What you're going to do is change the class to "SUBN". Instead of "PICK".

A few years back, a lot of local dealers here on Long Island got fined because they were registering open pickup trucks w/passenger plates.

I did it the right way.

I tried to do the "Change registration class" thing with my '74 highboy - they gave me a problem about it - you MIGHT have to actually PROVE the cap/topper/camper exists and is on the truck, and you have a rug or something in the back. Check with your local DMV before doing anything that requires $'s ;)

Careful though, if you remove the cap/topper/camper for any reason. If you go on a parkway or do something else that a commercial-plated vehicle should not do, you might get pulled over and ticketed for "operating out of class" or "Registered out of class" or something to that effect.

Whenever I leave the cap/topper off, I don't go on the parkways, I don't go in the HOV lane, etc.

Even when I am perfectly 100% in the right, I'm still careful, and don't use the parkways much. I don't need a green NYS trooper pulling me over thinking he's got me and gives me a hard time for "arguing" with him/her ;)