ItsyRV wrote:
Unfortunately, it doesn't look good. You need to actually read the exact wording of the regulations as it gives a lot more clarification as to exactly what they say. The generic version makes it sound like you have a choice of one of the three while the actual written law sounds like it;s all. This is the actual written law for that section:
A pickup truck which is used exclusively for non-commercial purposes with an unladen weight over 5,000 pounds, with no business advertising, with the bed completely enclosed by a camper top, with at least one side window in the camper top, and with seats, seat fittings or camping equipment mounted in the bed, may receive a passenger registration, at the registrant's option. These modifications must be permanent. Camping equipment means that a bed, stove or refrigerator must always be in the vehicle. Any use of the truck without these modifications requires the vehicle to be registered as a commercial vehicle.
15 CRR-NY 106.6
NY-CRR
Current 2018
So it sounds like you must have no commercial advertising, AND a cap with two windows on the sides, AND a sleeping bed, refrigerator or stove in the pickup AND those items must be permanently mounted. So it appears a fifth wheel hitch in an open bed will not be sufficient to make it a passenger registration.
I finally got through to the DMV and they confirmed that CRR-NY 106.6 has a typo error in the second paragraph. The "5000 lbs" should be changed to "6000 lbs". They issued a this pdf document (https://dmv.ny.gov/forms/mv114.pdf) to clarify it. They didn't know why the original text wasn't changed. They did say that I'd have to permanently mount seats in the bed and that 5th wheel hitch didn't classify as "camping equipment".
It used to be that ALL pickup trucks had to be registered as commercial vehicles in NY and that made driving around Long Island a nightmare because commercial plates are very restrictive. Frankly I don't know if I want to relive all that, so I may be forced to go with a 150/1500 instead of a 250/2500. Which means we'll have to go with a smaller trailer.
Thanks for your input.
