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urbex's avatar
urbex
Explorer
Jul 25, 2016

Are gross weight fees levied in Arizona on RVs?

I recently picked up a 2.5 ton flatbed truck that I planned on using as a hauler/tow rig for my 4x4 toys and camper. I've been going back and forth on whether I toss my slide in truck camper on the bed of this, and continue to pull my 4x4 on a trailer, or put the 4x4 on the flatbed portion and buy a camper trailer instead.

Then I went to put tags on this thing, and found it's considered a commercial vehicle as it has a GVWR over 10K pounds (it's factory rated at 18K pounds), which I have to pay a gross weight fee on. At the full 18K pounds, it's an additional $144/year. Even though I have no business, and will be doing zero commercial work with this truck, Arizona considers it commericial just based on the GVWR. Right now I have it registered at 8K, so it's only $7.50/year, as it's not yet ready to be driven and I wanted it legal once I get enough repairs completed to be road ready.

Given the height of the truck, I'm thinking that attempting to make ramps sturdy enough to handle driving a 5K pound truck up them, while being easy to store on the truck isn't exactly going to be all that feasible. Thus, making the case that permanently mounting a camper body on the back, and legally converting it to an RV may be a better option. Especially seeing as how it won't exactly be an easy task to get a camper on and off this bed either, regardless of whether I go the slide in route, or remove the axles off a camper trailer and put that up there.

I know that $150/year is really a small amount, especially compared to what some of these guys are paying on new DPs, but it still will add up over time...
Seeking Advice

7 Replies

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  • byronlj's avatar
    byronlj
    Explorer
    Jul 26, 2016
    You don't have to stop at weigh stations. They told me I would be fined a certain dollar amount, such as $10 per pound I was over stated weight, if I was stopped and weighed. I have never been weighed or heard of anyone else, but stuff happens.
    Dave
  • Nutinelse2do's avatar
    Nutinelse2do
    Explorer
    Jul 26, 2016
    We have been on the road for a year and a half, with " commercial " plates, have never been stopped, questioned, or had any problems. We drove 14k miles last year, and have been everywhere from Az, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Indiana, Michigan, South Dakota, etc.

    No, you DO NOT have to stop at scales. Az only cares about getting their money, and it is only a legality so they can get more for registration.

    You are making a much to do about nothing. Any dually truck in Az is licensed
    as " commercial".

    To make yourself feel better, talk to the guys listed above, and they will ease your mind.
  • urbex's avatar
    urbex
    Explorer
    Jul 26, 2016
    Registration isn't my concern. Never weighed it the first time for registration, or had it inspected...I just told them 8K pounds, and they gave me tags. Heck, the truck wasn't even driveable when I bought it. My understanding is the weight fee isn't based on actual weight of the vehicle, but rather weight of the vehicle PLUS cargo.

    My concern is getting stopped by a cop with portable scales, weigh stations, or getting stopped for NOT stopping at a weigh station, which it sounds like will apply to me now as the truck is registered as a commercial vehicle. Or what happens when I go out of state with it.

    I guess I should probably be asking this kind of stuff on a forum geared towards the toter-home guys or the ones using MDT tow rigs, as it's probably more applicable to those guys than the general A/B/C class RVers.
  • Nutinelse2do's avatar
    Nutinelse2do
    Explorer
    Jul 26, 2016
    urbex wrote:
    Nutinelse2do wrote:
    It is more to register an rv, than is is to pay the commercial truck fee.

    Talk to the mvd, and they will be able to give you exact numbers.

    Why don't you just keep it registered at the 8k? MVD in Az does not require inspections after your 1st registration.


    In my experience, talking to the MVD about swaps and major conversions is like talking quantum physics to a 5 year old, lol. I went through major pains when I was converting ATVs into street legal vehicles years back, and it felt like I had to explain every last law bit to the MVD people. I'm just envisioning "we can't give you numbers on registering as an RV, as your vehicle is NOT an RV..."

    Of course, if registering as an RV costs more than commercial tags, then it all becomes moot anyways :P

    As for keeping it at 8K - I expect to weigh in at considerably more than 8K once it's fully loaded up. My heavy 4x4 is 5K+ by itself, and I'm sure this truck weighs more than 3K. Going by rough guesstimates, I'm expecting to be in the area of 10K-12K total weight. Which if I get caught at that weight, I'd be looking at a fine of around $300-$1000. That's pretty darn steep.

    I'm really beginning to understand why there are so many grossly over loaded 3/4 ton pickups out there now....


    Once it is registered, like I said, you won't have to weigh it or get an inspection again.

    Call, or go see these guys. Their CS is top notch, and they won't have any problems answering your q's. They are at Deer Valley and I-17... Az Tile And Registration..
    623-582-1443
    301 W Deer Valley Rd Suite 10 Phoenix.

    We haven't stepped foot in an mvd office in 10 plus years, since we found these guys. Might be worth a drive over there so you can sit down with them and ask all your questions. They have helped us many, many times when registering, and will give you your least expensive options.
  • urbex's avatar
    urbex
    Explorer
    Jul 25, 2016
    Nutinelse2do wrote:
    It is more to register an rv, than is is to pay the commercial truck fee.

    Talk to the mvd, and they will be able to give you exact numbers.

    Why don't you just keep it registered at the 8k? MVD in Az does not require inspections after your 1st registration.


    In my experience, talking to the MVD about swaps and major conversions is like talking quantum physics to a 5 year old, lol. I went through major pains when I was converting ATVs into street legal vehicles years back, and it felt like I had to explain every last law bit to the MVD people. I'm just envisioning "we can't give you numbers on registering as an RV, as your vehicle is NOT an RV..."

    Of course, if registering as an RV costs more than commercial tags, then it all becomes moot anyways :P

    As for keeping it at 8K - I expect to weigh in at considerably more than 8K once it's fully loaded up. My heavy 4x4 is 5K+ by itself, and I'm sure this truck weighs more than 3K. Going by rough guesstimates, I'm expecting to be in the area of 10K-12K total weight. Which if I get caught at that weight, I'd be looking at a fine of around $300-$1000. That's pretty darn steep.

    I'm really beginning to understand why there are so many grossly over loaded 3/4 ton pickups out there now....
  • Nutinelse2do's avatar
    Nutinelse2do
    Explorer
    Jul 25, 2016
    It is more to register an rv, than is is to pay the commercial truck fee.

    Talk to the mvd, and they will be able to give you exact numbers.

    Why don't you just keep it registered at the 8k? MVD in Az does not require inspections after your 1st registration.
  • DrewE's avatar
    DrewE
    Explorer II
    Jul 25, 2016
    Only the Arizona DMV can answer your question with absolute accuracy.

    Having said that, RVs registered as such are generally not considered to be commercial vehicles and as such do not have a registered gross vehicle weight. I don't think there are any states that charge a fee for RV weight. I haven't actually verified this myself for 49 out of the 50 states (and Arizona is not the one I have checked--that would be Vermont).

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