Pickup Commercial Plates

[MaHoTex]

Thought I would go to the experts for an answer!

From another thread:

Why does everyone think that you can't haul anything in the bed of a truck that doesn't have commercial plates? SOMEONE that's claiming this needs to explain and who WHY they think that.

Here is a link to the thread:

http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=962529&page=3

Post # 107

[Samuelx]

Does this chapter answer anything?

https://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/reg_hdbk/ch13/toc.htm

[Spanky8601]

A long time ago the urban myth was that you could register your pickup truck as a passenger car without a permanently mounted camper. Provided you never carried anything in the bed of said truck. It was a wrong assumption then as it is now. Pick-up truck without PM camper means weight fees as per 9400 (a) VC are due. Exception for limited time needed to repair PM camper.

[MaHoTex]

Does this chapter answer anything?

https://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/reg_hdbk/ch13/toc.htm

Not that I could find. I already read through that and could not find the answer.

I guess the question is really, if I have a camper on my pickup and remove the commercial registration, can I still throw stuff in the back of the truck and haul it?

[FLIGHT762]

If you remove the commercial registration off of a pickup and have a regular plate with the (permanent) camper installed, you can't take the camper off and use the truck to haul. If you do, you can be cited.

Conversely, everyone with a commercially plated pickup truck seems to erroneously think they can park in a yellow (commercial loading) zone to go out to lunch, shopping, etc.

[1CavScout]

^^^ This is how I always understood the law (but I was never a traffic guy).

I have a permanently affixed shell on my truck with non commercial plates, but I can still lawfully use the bed as long as the shell is on. I actually bought a trailer for hauling stuff because in the long run it's cheaper than paying the weight fees.

[CBR_rider]

https://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/reg_hdbk/ch13/ch13_1.htm

https://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/reg_hdbk/ch13/ch13_3.htm

[MaHoTex]

Thanks for the clear answer. Makes sense to me!

[CHESTERTON]

I argued that my 2006 gmc 1500 with a hard bed cover did not meet the definition of a commercial vehicle because it was not used for commercial purposes and did not have an open bed. The DMV clerk used the "utility body exemption " and gave me the plate. 13.000 Commercial Vehicle Definition

A commercial vehicle is a type of vehicle:

Used or maintained for the transportation of persons for hire, compensation, or profit (for example, a taxi or limousine).
Designed, used, or maintained primarily for the transportation of property.