I am at a loss

[dano50]

I live in California where to LEGALLY drive a motor home over 40 feet a non-commercial Class B license is required. I am aware that most people that should have one, don't. I want to be legal, but I am at a loss as to how you learn to drive a motor home and obtain the required license without buying the motor home first and driving it illegally. My problem is that I have ordered a motor home from a dealer in Florida. My intention is to get the proper license, go to Florida, and bring it back to California and register it (and pay more sales tax). I have already gone through the nightmare of getting the instruction permit so I can legally drive with a licensed driver to learn and then take the driving portion of the test. I am willing to go just about anywhere in California that has a drive testing site nearby to take a class and practice the driving requirements of the driving test. Does anyone have any ideas or know anyone that has been through this because it is not easy to comply with the law! It is pretty clear that there are not a lot of us because the DMV is completely clueless, all the way to the top. Anybody have any suggestions????

[mzbrandi]

Look at your community college vocational tech training for truck driving classes or look in the phone book or google.


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[dano50]

Originally Posted by mzbrandi

Look at your community college vocational tech training for truck driving classes or look in the phone book or google.


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I have googled and there are organizations and people that will train you, but you must have your own RV. I have looked into renting, but the cost is a bit steep for just driving it for a few hours and not actually living in it - $300 a day with a 3 day minimum). And I have yet to see a rental over 40 feet in my area and that is what I will be required to test with. I am not sure I have time for a community college class or that a truck driving class will meet the needs that are specific to the motor home driving test. I do appreciate you offering suggestions though.

[emm-dee]

I don't think you'll have to pay sales tax twice. Every time I ever bought a vehicle out of state I didn't have to pay tax on it until I registered it in Georgia. If the dealer is taking sales tax then beware of be scammed (why wouldn't that surprise me since you are dealing in Florida).

[Shady camper]

California Class B is not vehicle specific as far as RV versus bobtail truck, which you would need a Class B to drive. A course through a truck driving school for a Class B usually includes the driving pratical test which satisfies DMV. You would only need to take the written at DMV.

I went through this years ago. I brought the driving certificate in, took the written and got my license.

[dano50]

Originally Posted by Shady camper

California Class B is not vehicle specific as far as RV versus bobtail truck, which you would need a Class B to drive. A course through a truck driving school for a Class B usually includes the driving pratical test which satisfies DMV. You would only need to take the written at DMV.

I went through this years ago. I brought the driving certificate in, took the written and got my license.

What I need is a non-commercial Class B license and it is specific to what California refers to as a license for a "Housecar over 40 feet." It must have been different years ago, because it is not the same now. I am REQUIRED to bring a motor home over 40 feet to take the driving test and have a licensed (can be commercial class A, non commercial Class A or non commercial Class B) driver with me.

[Shady camper]

Must have changed then... I found this on DMV. Required for over 45 feet.

https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/?1...648/dl648pt4_1

[dalford]

Originally Posted by emm-dee

I don't think you'll have to pay sales tax twice. Every time I ever bought a vehicle out of state I didn't have to pay tax on it until I registered it in Georgia. If the dealer is taking sales tax then beware of be scammed (why wouldn't that surprise me since you are dealing in Florida).

And what is it about dealing in Florida? Why would you post something to alienate all us good Floridians?
People always complain about Florida drivers but truth be know most of them are not from Florida. They are snowbirds or from Georgia...

[dano50]

Originally Posted by emm-dee

I don't think you'll have to pay sales tax twice. Every time I ever bought a vehicle out of state I didn't have to pay tax on it until I registered it in Georgia. If the dealer is taking sales tax then beware of be scammed (why wouldn't that surprise me since you are dealing in Florida).

We are not paying sales tax twice. Florida and California have a reciprocal agreement. Florida will be collecting their 6% tax and sending it on to California on our behalf assuming we follow through and register it there. California sales tax is 8% where we live, so we will owe an additional 2%. That is all the sales tax we will be paying in California when we register it. Between the two, it will be the same as what we would pay if we bought it in California.

[dano50]

Originally Posted by Shady camper

Must have changed then... I found this on DMV. Required for over 45 feet.

https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/?1...648/dl648pt4_1

Yep, that is it. It is for over 40', and 45' is the maximum allowed length for a motor home in California. So, basically it is for anything between 40'1" and 45'.

[dano50]

Originally Posted by Shady camper

Must have changed then... I found this on DMV. Required for over 45 feet.

https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/?1...648/dl648pt4_1

This explains it more clearly.

https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/de...dl648/dl648pt2

[spock123]

If you want to go cheap, in NC you can go learn how to drive a school bus and get your class B license. You don't ever have to drive the bus except when you take the test. The first license you have to pay for but the bus driving class is free. If you can drive a bus you can drive anything


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[CAT-RN]

Originally Posted by dano50

This explains it more clearly.

https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/de...dl648/dl648pt2

What coach did you buy. They say my coach is 40'. But it is actually registered as 39' ??

Russell

[spock123]

In North Carolina you can get a Class A non commercial driver license without taking a road test. All you have to do is score higher on the written test. I use to drive tractor trailers with a Class A license, just good for in state driving


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[Carmen]

In PA you need a CDL for anything over 26001 pounds, just went thru this with a friend that bought a 36000 pound diesel pusher. I went with him to NY to pick it up, spent a couple of weekends training him on pretrip, driving skills etc and then he took his test. PA requires written (computer), skills test and then a road test

[elind]

Originally Posted by emm-dee

I don't think you'll have to pay sales tax twice. Every time I ever bought a vehicle out of state I didn't have to pay tax on it until I registered it in Georgia. If the dealer is taking sales tax then beware of be scammed (why wouldn't that surprise me since you are dealing in Florida).

I bought a cargo trailer in Wisconsin and paid sales on it there. When I plated it in Michigan all I had to pay was the difference between the two states which was 1.5%. Dang, Michigan was higher.

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by CAT-RN

What coach did you buy. They say my coach is 40'. But it is actually registered as 39' ??

Russell

Correct. The number in the RV model number rarely is its actual length.