Ok, so in light of the recent Ohio thread and the fact that I've just got a trailer to start towing my offroad truck I'm trying to educate myself on the towing laws.

My truck was registered by the dealer when I bought it. I don't remember specifying anything. It looks like my truck is registered at 5000lbs, which is crazy, cause it weighs 6000-6500lbs empty. I have "GW: 5000" and "PASS-COMM FE 15" on my registration. My plates do NOT say "Truck" or "Commercial" on them. On the NJ MVS website under COMMERCIAL VEHICLE Fee Code 15 says "Non-Commercial Truck" and judging by the fees my truck is most likely registered at 5000lbs.

So what I need to know is, am I registered passenger or commercial and more importantly, does anyone know how OTHER STATES will look at my registration?

Also, since it seems my dealer registered my truck at 5000lbs, should I reregister it at 20,000lbs? My GCVW will be 15,000-16,000lbs.

I guess I'm going to swing by the trooper barraks in Hamilton when I get a chance.. but I figure I'll ask here first.

-Jay

 

Probably best to ask the troopers, or your startes MV dept.

 

If you are registered at 5000 Lbs, you are overweight. By some in here that makes you UNSAFE. Your insurance won't cover you & you can be sued for everything you have.
But maybe not... Ford says you can have a GVW higher then that so... just because it's NOT legal you might still be safe????? I just can't figure this out.
Legal = Safe.... Not Legal = Unsafe ... Ford sets weight laws and determans what is Legal & Safe. Elected officals only enact other laws.
If you REALLY want to know, go to the https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/forum68/
and they will give you the real scoop.

 

I KNOW I'm safe.. that's never been the question. What I want to know is what do I need to do to be LEGAL. And I need to be completely legal, not grey area legal because if I get pulled over 600 miles from home I do not want to drive 1200miles for a court date.

Thanks for the responses so far.

-Jay

 

In most cases the states don’t care what the door sticker is listed at on a noncommercial vehicle. The only thing they worry about is what it is licensed for, even if it’s twice what the door sticker is listed at. When being stopped, the “man” has been known to check the rating on the tires to see if you’re over weight. If your registration is in order, your tires are rated for the weight and you are not driving in an unsafe manor, they could care less about anything else, unless there is a maximum combine weight (26,000 lb???) that puts you into the commercial category. If you get in an accident you will be covered, because that’s what you pay insurance for. They don’t void your insurance just because you are drinking and get in an accident do they? They might cancel you or refuse to renew, but they will clean up the mess up to the limits of the policy if you have an accident! Whatever NJ requires for the registration should be reciprocated in other states. If stopped in another state that dose not conform to NJ registration, you may be required to prove it to the officer, so if in doubt take a copy of NJ rules with you when on the road.

 

Alright, lets get this straight.

For passenger vehicles, they register you at the UNLADEN WEIGHT, usually the weight that's on the title.

If you get commercial plates, they register it at the GVWR.

5000lbs? The title for my '01 says 5600. And it actually weighs around 6800lbs on the scale.

You're not going to be "overweight" because you're a passenger vehicle and the weight on the reg is the UNLADEN weight.

 

I'm interested in what you find out, Jay. I live in New Jersey, and I can't figure it out either. I've never towed anything heavy, so I never gave it any thought.

I have a 2002 F250 SD CC long bed, and sure enough, I have the same registration as you ... GW:5000 AX:2 PASS-COMM FEE 15, with a $75 dollar renewal fee. I bought the truck new, and was never asked about registration stff.

I have an 1984 F-250HD sitting the back yard, that I also bought new. I just dug out the NJ title says the same .... PKUP; WC/GW/NP:5000; axles 2, code 15. this title was created back in 1984.

I thought maybe it had something to do with the Garden State Parkway. If you look at those regualtions, trucks like ours (and 3/4 ton Chevy's and Dodge's) are not allowed on the Parkway. Nothing makes sense.

I can't imagine that NJ would undercharge us for anything!

Vehicles with commercial plates in NJ have to be registered to a business only.

Let us know what you find out.

Thanks. Jim

PS: Do you legally own a gun here in NJ. Talk about screwed up laws that make no sense!!! lol

Where do you tow your offroader to? Paragon?

 

Just read what Krewat said ....... thanks

 

Krewat; I deffinitely hear what you're saying about unladen weight... The problem I have is my registeration says comm-pass. I'm afraid an out of state cop might say that means commercial, heck I'm not even sure it doesn't mean commercial. The fee code 15 is under the commercial section of the MVS website BUT it says "non-commercial truck" on that page. My Suburban is a 3/4 ton truck too, I've never tried to tow anything with it but I'm sure it's in the same ballpark as my Ford... And it says "Passenger" on the registration which to me is very clear. This whole "comm-pass" thing is what bugs me.

The frustration is that none of this is clearly explained anywhere on the state mvs website. I don't want to come here and post silly questions making it obvious I'm a towing newb, but I can't find the info on my own.

I will go speak with the troopers sometime next week and I'll post a followup in this thread.

-Jay

Edit, sorry Jim, forgot your question.. So far I haven't had my suburban wheeling much. I've just recently started going that way with it. And we're going to be moving to Arkansas in the next few months.. I doubt I'll wheel it at all here. I've been with friends to Paragon and Rauch as well as some private properties.

 

Relative to my explanation of what you can and can not do above, I may have misspoke on one item. When approaching the 26000 lb GCWR the door sticker on the truck and the placard on the trailer can come into play when considering what is and is not a commercial vehicle situation requiring a CDL, even if it is only for personal use. If you are close to 26000 combine, it would be best to read 383.5 of the commercial code to see if it applies to you. That applies to a truck- trailer combination, not truck – 5th wheels RV combinations.

CyberJay - this can be a very confusing subject. When you ask the trooper to clarify your situation, don’t be afraid to ask (very politely and with reverence, “play dumb”) to see reference for the answer, with a specific section in the motor vehicle code or the commercial code. It has been my experience that if left unchallenged it is very easy to get a wrong answer from even the most well meaning trooper on the subject. Often times they deal a lot more with the commercial rules on this subject and not the personal use side of the equation, thus mixing up the two and miss applying the rules

 

Do you have a link to back this up? I go up and down the Parkway a lot with my
F250 and a 24 foot enclosed car trailer...