Non Commercial plates for one ton trucks in Ohio are nothing new. I have been running single and dual rear wheel trucks and vans with dieselsfor the past twenty years. I have run both types of plates over the years depending on the type of use intended for each of the trucks. Right now I have a 2003 F-350 diesel Dually with the long bed and all the stuff that you could get on it at the time I bought it new. Since day one it has been running a non-com plate with my Amateur radio call sign on it. People used to get Farm licenses for pick-ups until they came out with the non-com plates. If the truck belongs to a business that is INC. or if it is used in business it is supposed to run a Com. plate. There really isn't much difference in the price nowadays. I think it was less than ten bucks when I went to a non-com on my E-350 diesel van when I stopped using it for contract expedited freight business. Pulling race cars or big trailers is not considered commercial use unless you are doing it as a business as opposed to a hobby. Bottom line, if you don't need Com. plates don't get them. It's a big hassle and your insurance could end up costing you a lot more. Another problem is that you can't renew your commercial plates online. You have to take the time to go in in person and do the renewal. Online it's a simple credit card and mail transaction. I have a large enclosed trailer that is over the Ohio 4,000# limit and must be registered as commercial. I have to go in person to renew it and it's a real pain in the posterior. Ohio needs to establish a non-com license for big trailers used for hobby or private use. This would be a great help in alleviating the crowded conditions at the registrar places. If you look around these big over 4,000# trailers are poping up in driveways everywhere. They probably won't be any cheaper if they do come up with a plate for them but it would be a lot easier.

 

The difference is more than 10 bucks. For non comm it goes off of the manufacturers given size(1/2, 3/4, 1 ton) of the truck, for commercial it goes off GVW. According to the BMV website(oplates.com) non commercial one ton is $84.50(plus fees and other BS) commercial one ton is $116.00 (plus fees and other BS). The commercial fee is based on the GVW of the truck mine are 10,000(2wd) and 11,000(4x4) they both fall into the 10,001-14,000 fee schedule, which is where I got the $116.00.

 

Yeah, that is a bit more than ten bucks but it has been a while since I made that switch. Maybe it wasn't that munch then. I guess I really thought there wasn't that much of a drop for non-com.

 

Understood. I've only ever tagged mine non-comm, but my buddy always tags his commercial because his business technically owns it. I was pretty sure the difference was significant. But I guess when fuel is $4 a gallon $30 extra for tags is nothin.