PA weight class and drivers license class

[N3HCP]

If what I just read is correct, here in PA if towing any trailer, including an RV, with a GVW over 10K then your weight class sticker must be for the total combined GVW, not just the truck. Also, it towing with a GCVWR over 26001 pounds a class A driver's license is required.

I see a lot of rigs towing big fivers with 4 and 5 weight class stickers and I'll bet most drivers have a class C license. From what I've been able to glean from the PennDot website, changing from a class C license to a class A requires a new learners permit, new physical, vision, written, and driving tests!!

Anybody from PA ever run into problems because of these requirements??

[Todouble]

Nope. My weight class is 4 on the truck. I was under the impression it's for the max weight you will be carrying in the truck. Like if your truck is 10k gvwr then that's what they recommend you register for. You can register for a lower class 3 which if I remember is 9k. If that's all you believe you will ever have loaded. Never heard the weight class including the trailer in tow.

[VinceU]

Originally Posted by N3HCP

If what I just read is correct, here in PA if towing any trailer, including an RV, with a GVW over 10K then your weight class sticker must be for the total combined GVW, not just the truck. Also, it towing with a GCVWR over 26001 pounds a class A driver's license is required.

I see a lot of rigs towing big fivers with 4 and 5 weight class stickers and I'll bet most drivers have a class C license. From what I've been able to glean from the PennDot website, changing from a class C license to a class A requires a new learners permit, new physical, vision, written, and driving tests!!

Anybody from PA ever run into problems because of these requirements??

Having lived in PA for many years and pulling/driving RV's for over 20, wondering if those aren't commercial driving rules?

[N3HCP]

Here's the chapter and verse. I know, clear as mud. I checked with a notary and as truck dealer, both gave the same answer. Trailers over 10K the truck sticker must reflect the combined weight of truck and trailer.

Pennsylvania Code
Title 75 - VEHICLES
Chapter 49 - Size, Weight and Load
4942 - Registered gross weight.

(c) Combination.--No combination containing a trailer having
a gross weight or registered gross weight in excess of 10,000
pounds shall be operated with a gross weight in excess of the
registered gross weight of the truck or truck tractor for a
combination.

[ependydad]

My wife's uncle (lives in PA) was talking about something about this due to his combination weights. I didn't fully understand what he was saying and he said he skirted by with his last fifth wheel but couldn't any longer with the new one. Unfortunately, I don't know any details.

[VinceU]

Originally Posted by N3HCP

Here's the chapter and verse. I know, clear as mud. I checked with a notary and as truck dealer, both gave the same answer. Trailers over 10K the truck sticker must reflect the combined weight of truck and trailer.

Pennsylvania Code
Title 75 - VEHICLES
Chapter 49 - Size, Weight and Load
4942 - Registered gross weight.

(c) Combination.--No combination containing a trailer having
a gross weight or registered gross weight in excess of 10,000
pounds shall be operated with a gross weight in excess of the
registered gross weight of the truck or truck tractor for a
combination.

I just read all of Chapter 49 of Title 75. My interpretation is totally different. They are speaking of GVWR and not GCWR. If I were wrong PA would never have registered your truck as they did. You would have to produce a CDL. The chapter is 99% special loads, public vehicles, commercial, Farm etc, bridges short spans of highway etc. I read rules and regs for a living, no one could operate a RV in PA if your rules were correct!

[Herk7769]

Originally Posted by Todouble

Nope. My weight class is 4 on the truck. I was under the impression it's for the max weight you will be carrying in the truck. Like if your truck is 10k gvwr then that's what they recommend you register for. You can register for a lower class 3 which if I remember is 9k. If that's all you believe you will ever have loaded. Never heard the weight class including the trailer in tow.

This is correct. In PA the truck is registered for ITS max.
The camper gets its own registration.

Mine is 4 as well and I hate writing that 200 dollar check every year.
Look into the 5 year registration for your camper.

[Herk7769]

Originally Posted by N3HCP

Here's the chapter and verse. I know, clear as mud. I checked with a notary and as truck dealer, both gave the same answer. Trailers over 10K the truck sticker must reflect the combined weight of truck and trailer.

Pennsylvania Code
Title 75 - VEHICLES
Chapter 49 - Size, Weight and Load
4942 - Registered gross weight.

(c) Combination.--No combination containing a trailer having
a gross weight or registered gross weight in excess of 10,000
pounds shall be operated with a gross weight in excess of the
registered gross weight of the truck or truck tractor for a
combination.

I believe he is talking about his driver's license; not the registration.

AH! here it is: http://www.dmv.state.pa.us/driverLic..._classes.shtml

CLASS A (minimum age 18): Required to operate any combination of vehicles with a gross weight rating of 26,001 pounds or more, where the vehicle(s) being towed is/are in excess of 10,000 pounds. Example: Recreational Vehicle, when the towing vehicle is rated at 11,000 pounds and the vehicle towed is rated at 15,500 pounds (total combination weight of 26,500 pounds).

A regular Class C (normal PA license) is all that is required under 26,500 combined weight.

[Todouble]

Originally Posted by Herk7769

Look into the 5 year registration for your camper.

I haven't tried yet cause fiver is new but my understanding is any trailer over 10k you can't get the five year tag on.

[Herk7769]

Originally Posted by Todouble

I haven't tried yet cause fiver is new but my understanding is any trailer over 10k you can't get the five year tag on.

You are correct: http://www.dot4.state.pa.us/pdotform...rms/mv-70s.pdf

Second page at the top. Up to 10,000, one or 5 year tag; over just one year.

My camper's GVWR is 9300 pounds.

The rates are going up, so if you are due for registration; might pay to renew early if you can.

[N3HCP]

Originally Posted by Herk7769

This is correct. In PA the truck is registered for ITS max.
The camper gets its own registration.

I like this interpretation but, according to everything I've read and from what I was told by the truck dealer and the notary (both of whom work with this stuff every day) RV or not, if the trailer is registered over 10k, the truck should be registered for the truck and trailer combo max weight.

[doc73]

Originally Posted by N3HCP

I like this interpretation but, according to everything I've read and from what I was told by the truck dealer and the notary (both of whom work with this stuff every day) RV or not, if the trailer is registered over 10k, the truck should be registered for the truck and trailer combo max weight.

I do not deal with large trailers much so I can not answer from my experience, but my neighbor works for PennDOT doing audits on inspection garages. Just last week he had been telling me about a guy running a landscaping business where his trailer was over 10,000lbs and his truck was stopped. He had been cited one because of the 10,000lbs trailer he needed a CDL and two because of the trailer / combination he needed a bi-annual inspection not the semi-annual like most of use. It did not matter that he was a landscaper (commercial). His point was that the trailer was over 10,000 which means CDL and bi-annual inspections. He said it was up to the vehicle owner to be in compliance and correctly registered, licensed, and inspected.

Now, I have been a cop for ten years (traffic officer at that) and had NEVER heard of this until last week. I think I am pretty good with this stuff including the PA vehicle code. I asked him that if I had never heard of this and this is what I DO for a living then how can Joe public who has no idea what Title 75 PA Vehicle Code even means know this... I got a shoulder shrug...

[Herk7769]

The key of course is "non-commercial" use.

Even using the company pickup to tow your RV is a no-no as far as the law is concerned (as I understand the law anyway). Using the pickup that has your company flash on it means stopping at weigh stations, too.

If you look at the truck registration rules, it is the GVWR of the truck alone that determines what you pay for registration.

Yes, you can even register your 1/2 ton as a car (allowed as long as the unladen weight is less than 5,000 pounds.), but don't get caught with it loaded beyond that.

[doc73]

That's correct at least for here in PA, no idea other states but I would guess theyd be similar.


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