Which GVWR on a New Pickup in California???

christopherglenn
CumminsDriver
Golden_HVAC

THANK YOU!!!!!!

Chris, I think that you have nailed it with exactly what I was looking for!

The DMV classifications!!!

It is very clear.. It is LESS than 11500Ib!!!! LESS THAN meaning I need the 11400Ib limiting option!

THANK You Again!

Steve

In California, you can park a "Pickup truck" that is less than 10,000 GVWR on a non-commercial street. If over 10,000 GVWR, then it shall not be parked on a residential street overnight. My buddy with a F-250 and 8,800 GVWR and 6,050 unladen weight found this out the hard way, she had to park it in her 8' long driveway (or 12' long garage - small lot in Long Beach CA). Long Beach passed a law requiring no on street parking of vehicles over 6,000 pounds unladen on any city street (except commercial marked truck routes).

She can park legally for 20 minutes in any yellow zone!

My guess is that you will want the 11,400 GVWR option! The 10,000 GVWR is to low for any great use as a trailer hauler.

You would be required to have commercial plates, but not a commercial license. If you tow a fifth wheel over 10,000 pounds, seek advice on the weight limit that you can not exceed without a special endorsement.

Good luck,

Fred.

The 11,500 GVWR of a pickup does not require a Commercial Drivers License. What will affect which type of license you need for RV use will be what the trailers GVWR is. A 5th wheel trailer between 10,001 and 15,000 GVWR will require an RV endorsement on your Class C license. 15,001 and higher GVWR 5th Wheel Trailers, and 10,001 and higher GVWR travel trailers requires a Non Commercial Class A. The endorsement is only a written test, and then the endorsement is added to your license. The Non Commercial Class A requires you to take the class C and Non Commercial Class A RV written test, submit a medical questionaire, and take a driving test with your RV trailer that you must pass before being given the Non Commercial Class A License.

Rich

11,400 is what you want.

California DMV page

Pickup (CVC §471)

A motor truck with a manufacturer's GVWR of less than 11,500 pounds and an unladen weight of less than 8,001 pounds, which is equipped with an open box-type bed less than nine feet in length.
•Pickup truck does not include a motor vehicle, otherwise meeting the above definition, which is equipped with a bed-mounted storage compartment commonly called a utility body.
•California Code of Regulations (CCR) §150.04(a) further defines pickup trucks:
"Pursuant to California Vehicle Code §471, any motor vehicle, except a motorcycle, motorized bicycle, or motorized quadricycle, with an open box-type bed not exceeding nine (9) feet in length is by definition a pickup."
•Examples: Ford Explorer Sport Trac, Nissan Frontier, and other similarly designed vehicles.


Pickup Exclusions

The following trucks are not pickups:
•Trucks with an open box-type bed that weigh more than 8,000 pounds unladen or exceed the manufacturer's GVWR of 11,500 pounds ("varied" BTM)
•Trucks equipped with a bed-mounted storage compartment unit commonly called a "utility body" ("utility" BTM)
•Trucks with a body type other than an open box bed (stake, flatbed, dump, etc. BTM).

A pickup with a camper:
•Temporarily-attached is a commercial vehicle and the camper is a load.
•Permanently-attached meets the definition of a housecar (CVC §362) and may be registered as a passenger vehicle.

I have NEVER heard of someone having issues, but the possibility is there, and in this cash strapped state...

Download this from DMV for starters:

https://apps.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/dl648/dl648.pdf