More about GVWR

After looking through the California vehicle code for awhile, it appeared that the declared weight is for commercial vehicles (mainly not pickups but rather chassis cabs, flat beds, and big trucks). If you filed a declared weight certificate when you registered, then you cannot drive it (or compel someone else to) over that weight. If you do so you are subject to a fine (if caught). This has as much to do with taxes as safety - maybe more to do with taxes. I have never filed a declared weight certificate for my pickup, and I can find no other statute in California covering the subject, other than one stating that a patrolman can cite you if in his opinion it is overloaded.