Truck Registration Weight

[srschang]

So - I have a 2020 Ram 3500 that the dealer registered for 8900# when I bought it in March. I'm in NY state. No idea where they came up with that weight. With the camper loaded, I'm at 13,300#. I used the NYS DMV website to calculate the registration cost add if I were to register it for 13,300#, it's only about $40 / year more, so cost isn't an issue. What I'm concerned about:

- If I register it for 13,300#, are there any "Gotcha's" I need to worry about, like I need to have a different driver license or need to have have commercial numbers on the truck, or my insurance will be much higher, or anything else you can think of? Is there a magic weight number that jumps me into any additional "Gotcha's"?

Thanks,
Scott

[Lexx]

My experience when crossing the border from US to Canada is they really care about banned produce and meats. However they do look at your license plates. I had temp tags once since the camper was brand new. They did ask to look at the registration and checked to make sure I really owned it. Luckily I had brought with me, all the paperwork from the sale and registration.

Driving throughout Alberta and BC however, we hardly ever saw RCMP and certainly were never bothered by law enforcement in the thousands of miles I've driven over the years.

I should mention however, that if they do happen to check your weights, unlike here in America, they look at the yellow payload sticker as a reference. And if you're overweight they can impound your rig. I was advised of this by a Canadian, but I have nothing other hearsay.

In the US, what I've heard from forum members, is that if there's a checkpoint they weigh your rear axle and compare that to the load ratings of your rear tires.

That's why you can register a class III 14k lb GVWR truck as a 15k or 16k truck in California.

Grit dog wrote:

Heck, I drove through BC twice the same spring a few years ago, moving to AK. Once with a brand new F250, not in my name, paper tag stuck in the back window, loaded to the gills, rear suspension sagging pulling a trailer with a permanent license plate off of a different trailer I'd owned in the past in a different state. Even chatted with RCMP in the middle of nowhere. Pulled over to take a leak and he stopped to see if I was "ok." The following month, I had a 4500lb camper on the back of a 2500 with expired tags (just expired and didn't renew as I was moving to AK and not about to buy new tags just to buy new tags 2 weeks later) pulling a heavy trailer which I'd just bought and not yet registered, sporting the plate off my boat trailer that was left in the shop in WA.
Neither the CDN or US border cared.
Don't worry about what someone says about a place 3000miles from your home.

[time2roll]

deserteagle56 wrote:
In Nevada at least, that would cost a bundle. If I remember correctly my 17 year old Dodge is registered @ somewhere around 12,000 lbs and I'm still paying ~ $300 a year for registration. Price goes way up for every 1000 lb! A new truck registered for 14k would no doubt cost $1000 a year or more...my 5 year old F150 is $500 a year!

My 20 year old F150 in CA is $240 + smog every other year for another $60.
This includes a weight fee of $80

[Mike134]

This forum, while providing good info alot of the time, incites more false theories and worries and just generally paranoid views on some of the strangest things.

Grit dog wrote:

srschang wrote:


The only reason I'm interested in increasing the weight on the reg is chatter recently on this board that California and BC are requiring non commercial trucks into the weigh stations. Will probably never go to California again, but will pass through BC on the way up and back to Alaska the latter half of this year.

Presuming your truck is fine as is registered in NY, you don't have to worry about other states' or countries registration laws. That would be like saying you cant drive your truck with camper with no license plate in a state that requires one.
Stop over-thinking it from that respect. This forum, while providing good info alot of the time, incites more false theories and worries and just generally paranoid views on some of the strangest things. This forum, while providing good info alot of the time, incites more false theories and worries and just generally paranoid views on some of the strangest things.

Heck, I drove through BC twice the same spring a few years ago, moving to AK. Once with a brand new F250, not in my name, paper tag stuck in the back window, loaded to the gills, rear suspension sagging pulling a trailer with a permanent license plate off of a different trailer I'd owned in the past in a different state. Even chatted with RCMP in the middle of nowhere. Pulled over to take a leak and he stopped to see if I was "ok." The following month, I had a 4500lb camper on the back of a 2500 with expired tags (just expired and didn't renew as I was moving to AK and not about to buy new tags just to buy new tags 2 weeks later) pulling a heavy trailer which I'd just bought and not yet registered, sporting the plate off my boat trailer that was left in the shop in WA.
Neither the CDN or US border cared.
Don't worry about what someone says about a place 3000miles from your home.

Best answer of the entire thread

[Buzzcut1]

srschang wrote:

BurbMan wrote:

srschang wrote:
So - I have a 2020 Ram 3500 that the dealer registered for 8900# when I bought it in March. I'm in NY state. No idea where they came up with that weight.

That's the unladen or curb weight, which means you have commercial plates. The reg form also asks for a "max weight", so that number should also be on the reg. It's really academic because if you're not for hire then you are not required to stop at weight stations, and the state guys won't be looking to pull you over for a safety check unless you look obviously unsafe on the road. The only "gotcha" is you need a CDL for anything over 26k lbs.

I would just leave it alone, why are you thinking you need to re-register the truck?

The current registration runs out end of February, and I need to reregister it for another two years. The only weight number on the reg is WT/Seats that says 008900.

The only reason I'm interested in increasing the weight on the reg is chatter recently on this board that California and BC are requiring non commercial trucks into the weigh stations. Will probably never go to California again, but will pass through BC on the way up and back to Alaska the latter half of this year.

ALL Weigh Stations in California have prominent signage that say NO PICKUPS

[specta]

From what I've been reading I'm glad that I live in Utah.
Registered weight on my registration on my 2500 is blank.

[Kayteg1]

deserteagle56 wrote:

Old-Biscuit wrote:
Register it for 14K then go camping and enjoy the new truck

In Nevada at least, that would cost a bundle. If I remember correctly my 17 year old Dodge is registered @ somewhere around 12,000 lbs and I'm still paying ~ $300 a year for registration. Price goes way up for every 1000 lb! A new truck registered for 14k would no doubt cost $1000 a year or more...my 5 year old F150 is $500 a year!

What County?
I am in Clark county and dmv doesn't ask about truck weight (they probably take whatever manufacturer list)
There is no commercial registration on trucks and I can't register truck as RV. Truck in CC is truck - end of the story.
Back in 2017 I paid about $800 for new F350 registration.
About $200 more than I would pay for truck alone in California, but again, in CA you also have to declare trailer weight
And again, other people experience, when they live in different state, or even different county has no bearing on what OP will face.

[K_Mac]

I reg. a past truck @ my GCVWR thinking I was doing the right thing, turned out all I was doing was giving my hard earned $$$ to NY DMV for free. Register your truck @ what reg. says it weighs. You can also reg. your 250-2500, 350-3500's as a passenger vehicle because you put a T.C. in it, insurance, reg.,tolls.... are all alot cheaper. Tolls alone will fill your tank 4-5 times a year. Inquire @ N.Y. DMV for the proper form. They'll tell you, you can't do it because of the weight, have a pic. of truck w/ T.C. loaded when you go there. DO NOT take "no you can't do it" for an answer it is 100% legal. No offense to anyone out there but DMV does not have all the brightest stars.

[Grit_dog]

srschang wrote:


The only reason I'm interested in increasing the weight on the reg is chatter recently on this board that California and BC are requiring non commercial trucks into the weigh stations. Will probably never go to California again, but will pass through BC on the way up and back to Alaska the latter half of this year.

Presuming your truck is fine as is registered in NY, you don't have to worry about other states' or countries registration laws. That would be like saying you cant drive your truck with camper with no license plate in a state that requires one.
Stop over-thinking it from that respect. This forum, while providing good info alot of the time, incites more false theories and worries and just generally paranoid views on some of the strangest things.

Heck, I drove through BC twice the same spring a few years ago, moving to AK. Once with a brand new F250, not in my name, paper tag stuck in the back window, loaded to the gills, rear suspension sagging pulling a trailer with a permanent license plate off of a different trailer I'd owned in the past in a different state. Even chatted with RCMP in the middle of nowhere. Pulled over to take a leak and he stopped to see if I was "ok." The following month, I had a 4500lb camper on the back of a 2500 with expired tags (just expired and didn't renew as I was moving to AK and not about to buy new tags just to buy new tags 2 weeks later) pulling a heavy trailer which I'd just bought and not yet registered, sporting the plate off my boat trailer that was left in the shop in WA.
Neither the CDN or US border cared.
Don't worry about what someone says about a place 3000miles from your home.

[srschang]

deserteagle56 wrote:

Old-Biscuit wrote:
Register it for 14K then go camping and enjoy the new truck

In Nevada at least, that would cost a bundle. If I remember correctly my 17 year old Dodge is registered @ somewhere around 12,000 lbs and I'm still paying ~ $300 a year for registration. Price goes way up for every 1000 lb! A new truck registered for 14k would no doubt cost $1000 a year or more...my 5 year old F150 is $500 a year!

One of the very few things reasonably priced in New York State. A 13,500# 2 year registration for my $70,000 Ram would be $280.

Scott

[srschang]

BurbMan wrote:

srschang wrote:
So - I have a 2020 Ram 3500 that the dealer registered for 8900# when I bought it in March. I'm in NY state. No idea where they came up with that weight.

That's the unladen or curb weight, which means you have commercial plates. The reg form also asks for a "max weight", so that number should also be on the reg. It's really academic because if you're not for hire then you are not required to stop at weight stations, and the state guys won't be looking to pull you over for a safety check unless you look obviously unsafe on the road. The only "gotcha" is you need a CDL for anything over 26k lbs.

I would just leave it alone, why are you thinking you need to re-register the truck?

The current registration runs out end of February, and I need to reregister it for another two years. The only weight number on the reg is WT/Seats that says 008900.

The only reason I'm interested in increasing the weight on the reg is chatter recently on this board that California and BC are requiring non commercial trucks into the weigh stations. Will probably never go to California again, but will pass through BC on the way up and back to Alaska the latter half of this year.

[deserteagle56]

Old-Biscuit wrote:
Register it for 14K then go camping and enjoy the new truck

In Nevada at least, that would cost a bundle. If I remember correctly my 17 year old Dodge is registered @ somewhere around 12,000 lbs and I'm still paying ~ $300 a year for registration. Price goes way up for every 1000 lb! A new truck registered for 14k would no doubt cost $1000 a year or more...my 5 year old F150 is $500 a year!

[time2roll]

Old-Biscuit wrote:
Register it for 14K then go camping and enjoy the new truck

+1
Either way better to be a bit long than short.

[Kayteg1]

What is door sticker listing for GVWR ?
When this is still taxable number, in the past I had my F450 registered in CA at its curb weigh and seems that was common procedure, till CA changed the rules and now owner of truck has to declare GCWR and pay adequate weight fee. Just overnight my fee went up by $460
I know in some jurisdiction you can register the truck at its actual capacities, meaning above listed GVW, as long as you have axles for it.
Either way, this is not question the forum can give you legal advise.
You need to call your local DMV

[Old-Biscuit]

Register it for 14K then go camping and enjoy the new truck

[Mike134]

Illinois here so take it for what it's worth.
Likely gives you lower licensing costs. The dealer is the expert pay the fees based on his expert knowledge and enjoy.

Unless you look like Sanford driving a pickup overloaded with junk nobody will ever stop you even though you'll have a few "keyboard warriors" tell you otherwise.