Commercial Vehicle Registration question

[PrincessFalafal]

Kinda new to California and not up on the laws for these things yet, hoping someone can point me in the right direction.

I'm looking at getting a used cargo van to transport myself and my trackbike to the track on the weekends, as well as occasional weekend camping. It seems that many of these vehicles are former commercial vehicles, and are registered as such.

What is the processes for changing the registration to personal/non-commercial in California?

 

[295566]

TLDR: For most vehicles you can't. You have a pickup or cargo van? Commercial vehicle it is...

 

[dravnx]

Not true.
How to Change from Commercial License Plates to Auto License Plates Check List
If you have a station wagon, pickup with a camper permanently attached, a van modified for human habitation, or a multipurpose vehicle you can change from commercial plates to auto plates. The requirements are:
California Certificate of Title (Pink Slip).
A completed Certification of Vehicle for Human Habitation (REG 256A).
The commercial license plates on the vehicle.

 

[splat]

TLDR: For most vehicles you can't. You have a pickup or cargo van? Commercial vehicle it is...

This is incorrect information.

OP Try here:

https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/?...ntent_en/dmv/vr/checklists/commercial_to_auto

Any vehicle designed to haul such as cargo vans, trucks, or vehicles with beds like the subaru baja/brat, explorer SportTrac, chevy HHR (without windows on the back doors) will usually require commercial registration. If you decide to make your truck non-commercial, be sure you never remove that camper.

 

[4x4Runner]

Not true.
How to Change from Commercial License Plates to Auto License Plates Check List
If you have a station wagon, pickup with a camper permanently attached, a van modified for human habitation, or a multipurpose vehicle you can change from commercial plates to auto plates. The requirements are:
California Certificate of Title (Pink Slip).
A completed Certification of Vehicle for Human Habitation (REG 256A).
The commercial license plates on the vehicle.

But why? Why all the extra work for something that’s not part of a company?

One thing I don’t understand about this state. Pickup truck is automatically a commercial vehicle regardless of ownership and you have to jump through these hoops to get it registered as a non commercial vehicle.

Then there’s the cost of registration...

 

[dravnx]

Why are you concerned with having a commercial tag?
In California, commercial tags don't have the meaning that they do in other states. Don't worry about it.

 

[Caddywumpus]

You can park in loading zones

 

[dravnx]

In some states, at least in NY, you are restricted from certain roads if you have commercial plates.

 

[Escape pod]

Why are you concerned with having a commercial tag?
In California, commercial tags don't have the meaning that they do in other states. Don't worry about it.

^ x 2

Pickups and van below 10,000 lbs having commercial plates have a minimal cost to register each year. Some smog test stations [ every 2 years] try to ask for more money, Some don't.

 

[msethhunter]

Why are you concerned with having a commercial tag?
In California, commercial tags don't have the meaning that they do in other states. Don't worry about it.

Because it's a bullshit tax grab specifically designed to be difficult to remove. Commercial vehicles pay more for reg. Taking the time once to remove it saves a lot of money over time. It's $154 a year for just about every "commercial" vehicle (basic full size truck)

My brother has a 3500 Duramax to tow his 5th wheel to go camping. His registration last year was over $1000. It's bullshit.

 

[Whammy]

Because it's a bullshit tax grab specifically designed to be difficult to remove. Commercial vehicles pay more for reg. Taking the time once to remove it saves a lot of money over time. It's $154 a year for just about every "commercial" vehicle (basic full size truck)

My brother has a 3500 Duramax to tow his 5th wheel to go camping. His registration last year was over $1000. It's bullshit.

Exactly,
I have a 2013 Tundra and each year I pay for registration what my payments used to be when I first got it.
it comes out to about 620.00 in reg every year.
At first I used to curse, Gray Davis when I had another truck
Then it was cursing Moonbeam, now it has switched to cursing Gavin Newsome.
I didn't have to curse Ahhhhhhhhhhhnold he revoked the outrageous registration scam.
Those were the good ol days.

 

[dravnx]

I dunno, I looked at the delta of commercial vs passenger on my 2018 Tacoma and it wasn't worth my time.
The state has to get their money from somewhere. With cars getting 40 mpg, gas tax isn't enough anymore.

 

[fubar929]

One thing I don’t understand about this state. Pickup truck is automatically a commercial vehicle regardless of ownership and you have to jump through these hoops to get it registered as a non commercial vehicle.

Neither of the pick-up trucks I've owned was ever registered as a commercial vehicle...

 

[Charles R]

In some states, at least in NY, you are restricted from certain roads if you have commercial plates.

I heard they were going to close market street in SF to all non-commercial vehicles. When I heard that on the news, I wondered if they remembered that pickups were all registered as commercial, and would technically still be allowed.

 

[dravnx]

Neither of the pick-up trucks I've owned was ever registered as a commercial vehicle...

Are you sure?
Commercial plates don’t say commercial on them, they have only one letter instead of 3

 

[KooLaid]

Are you sure?
Commercial plates don’t say commercial on them, they have only one letter instead of 3

Couldn't you then get a personalized plate with randoms numbers and only 1 letter on your "converted" commercial vehicle?

 

[ScottRNelson]

Couldn't you then get a personalized plate with randoms numbers and only 1 letter on your "converted" commercial vehicle?

You can't get a personalized plate that matches any pattern that normal plates have.

I always wondered why pickup trucks had different plates than cars. It never made any sense to me. They do that in Utah too. In Idaho the pickup trucks get the same ones the cars do. Probably because about half of all vehicles here are trucks. Commercial vehicles get two letters, the first of which is a K and then four numbers (or is it five?)

 

[295566]

This is incorrect information.

OP Try here:

https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/?...ntent_en/dmv/vr/checklists/commercial_to_auto

Any vehicle designed to haul such as cargo vans, trucks, or vehicles with beds like the subaru baja/brat, explorer SportTrac, chevy HHR (without windows on the back doors) will usually require commercial registration. If you decide to make your truck non-commercial, be sure you never remove that camper.

Technically yeah but for what op is looking to do, I'm right. No way to get around the commercial and still be a trackday hauler unless you tow.

 

[396]

You can park in loading zones

Not in SF in regular Pickup truck. Ask me how I know......

 

[BURNROPE]

My 3/4 ton Ford PU came with a shell and passenger plates, I need a lumber rack and a tool box for what I do. I had to get a weight certificate to take to the DMV to change over to commercial plates. I pay about $250/year in weight fees that are listed on the registration separately It seems most of the yellow zones downtown are for box trucks. I couldn't find any kind of breakdown on how they determine the fees.