CA form 4008

HMS Beagle wrote:
I hope you get away with it. The only problem I see is the weight declaration. I was offered that choice too, but wanted to at least be able to carry a load up to 11,500 gross. Here is section 471 from the CVC:

471. A "pickup truck" is a motor truck with a manufacturer's gross
vehicle weight rating of less than 11,500 pounds, an unladen weight
of less than 8,001 pounds, and which is equipped with an open
box-type bed not exceeding 9 feet in length. "Pickup truck" does not
include a motor vehicle otherwise meeting the above definition, that
is equipped with a bed-mounted storage compartment unit commonly
called a "utility body."

Unfortunately it says "manufacturer's gross vehicle weight rating" which one might argue cannot be changed by an owner signed form.

Another nuance is that there are conflicting laws in California: the DMV says a camper is a load in a pickup, elsewhere an RV is defined as having bath, sleeping, cooking facilities etc. So when I get stopped for not moving the plate to the camper (the "load") I am going to argue that I am a pickup truck, but when stopped for overweight or not stopping at scales I will argue I am an RV. One advantage of having it registered as a commercial other is that the month and year stickers are supposed to be applied to the front plate, not the back. I have never seen this on a pickup, even one with weight stickers, but the law is clear. Then moving the plate to the camper is unnecessary.

Yea, it's overly complicated and confusing. We should be offered a declaration of non-commercial use and be able to haul or tow anything we want that is not for compensation. If we are caught hauling for hire than throw the book at us. I am fine with that.