I bought a new (to me) 2014 RAM 3500 4x4 dually in Texas and drove it home to California. The TX dealer has a service they use for the DMV paperwork. They called me yesterday and told me I need a VIN inspection, a smog cert, and a weight certificate since it's such a heavy truck. They say that the weight cert is needed because the tag fees are calculated based on weight.Does that sound right?Should I drive around and run the fuel tank dry?

A lot of states base the tags on weight, but only some of them actually bother to weight versus just use a generic weight-class, I know my truck's tags cost more because its heavy despite having a lower retail price than my station wagon.Sounds like a headache, glad Michigan hasn't gotten around to making the DMV complicated yet.Good luck!

Hi. It's true! A vehicle coming to cal will be required to prove the title is clear, and a smog check is also required. The military was caught off guard some time back with this requirement, and a smog check was required for all vehicles requesting access to there facilities. All of this is a legal way of increasing the "TAX" requirements on vehicles.

Drain the the tank, pull the outside rear tires, and drop the spare. If all that saves any money, let me know ;)Forgot the hitch, tailgate and rear seats...........

When we had our rig weighed for the first time in CA, I came in as light as possible.Don't know the rates per weight, but it can't hurt not having a full tank of fuel and a cab full of Sumo wrestlers.

And you will have to SMOG every 2 years

Weight certificate needed in CA? | Good Sam Community

RelaxDave
Explorer
Mar 17, 2016
I just bought a 2016 GMC 3500 dually. The truck weighs about 7000 lbs and my loaded AF 990 camper about 4800 lbs. The GVWR is 13025 lbs.

I specified on the "Declaration of Gross Vehicle Weight..." (form 4800) that I will operate under 10001 lbs (no fee). The dealer asked me to fill out this form.

I think this means that I can only legally haul about 3000 pounds of bricks but from my research below I can still haul my camper legally.

Here is a link to the relevant information on the DMV site. The red highlighting is mine.

www.dmv.ca.gov

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Vehicles NOT Affected

Light-weight trucks and vans, if the declared GVW or CGW is 10,000 lbs. or less.
Pickups with an unladen weight of 8,000 lbs. (even if the operating weight is over 10,000 lbs.)
Taxis/rental limousines/charter-party carriers operating limousines if the declared GVW is 10,000 lbs. or less.
Park trailers/trailer coaches.

Weight fees for the above vehicles (except trailers) are based on the unladen weight.

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Weight fees for commercial vehicles (trucks/pickups) operating at a GVW of 10,000 lbs. or less are based on the unladen weight and number of axles. When a camper (or shell) is temporarily attached to a motor vehicle designed to transport property (or the camper/area under it does not contain facilities designed for human habitation), the camper is a load and fees are based on the unladen weight of the vehicle without the camper.

For registration fee information, see the Registration Related Fees (FFVR 34) Fast Facts brochure, available at,www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/detail/pubs/brochures/fast_facts/ffvr34/.

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Here's some information about the specific vehicle code:

www.leginfo.ca.gov

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9400. Except as provided in Section 9400.1, and in addition to any
other registration fee, there shall be paid the fees set forth in
this section for the registration of any commercial motor vehicle
that operates with unladen weight. Weight fees for pickup trucks are
calculated under this section. Whenever a camper is temporarily
attached to a motor vehicle designed to transport property, the motor
vehicle shall be subject to the fees imposed by this section. The
camper shall be deemed to be a load, and fees imposed by this section
upon the motor vehicle shall be based upon the unladen weight of the
motor vehicle, exclusive of the camper.

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Bedlam
Moderator
Mar 17, 2016
Weight is part of the equation and fuel usage addresses the other part. They have been suggesting using odometer or GPS tracker readings to dole out usage fees, but no one wants that much government tracking on personal use vehicles in my area. GPS was suggested because not all your miles may be driven in the state that wants to tax your usage.

Raiding these accounts to pay for other programs is what really riles me. The funds are never restored and we pay for items we would otherwise reject with dedicated funding. The same has happened in my state with off-road funds - There was money to improve off-road vehicle access paid by off-road user registrations which was siphoned off for unrelated use and never restored.
N-Trouble
Explorer
Mar 17, 2016
Bedlam wrote:
I object to paying tabs based on vehicle value, but I support paying tabs based on actual vehicle weight to support the infrastructure these vehicles are wearing out. Fuel tax is something I pay begrudgingly because when a surplus appears, it is skimmed off for other political foolishness instead the designated infrastructure improvements and maintenance...

What if its a dedicated TV and you only drive it say 3K mi a year? Do you feel you should be paying the same as someone driving 12-15K a year? Weight is only one part of the equation when it comes to wearing out of our infrastructure. Mileage should also be factored in IMO, not just weight.

I don't mind paying the money IF we had decent roads in this state, BUT we DON'T. Roads suck... That is my biggest gripe about paying all this money as it gets funneled to other BS social programs, not our roads.
N-Trouble
Explorer
Mar 17, 2016
skyhammer wrote:
dedmiston wrote:
skyhammer wrote:
N-Trouble wrote:
And you will have to SMOG every 2 years

We don't have to have a smog check in my part of Northern CA.

That's surprising. I have to smog mine every other year. All they do is peek under the hood and verify that the stock engine hasn't been modified. We still have to pay full price for the check though. I wish I were on the other end of that money.

34 of our 58 counties require the 2 year inspection. Another 6 counties require inspection depending upon your zip code.
That leaves 18 counties with no 2 year inspection requirement.

https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/?1dmy&urile=wcm:path:/dmv_content_en/dmv/vr/smogfaq
blt2ski
Moderator
Mar 17, 2016
dodge guy wrote:
Don't you register the truck based on its GVWR and not its actual weight?! If you just registered it by its curb weight and then towed a trailer you would be over your registered weight!

We do not register here in wa st based on tare, but overall wt. As noted tho, since the formula is tare x 1.5 to the next higher ton. getting the tare as low as possible may save you from buying the next higher ton. Good to do if you do not use or will load to that ton. Granted not a lot of money, around $10-15 per ton.....but for most of us, why pay the tax if you are not needing too.

On the other hand, if you ARE going to use that ton or then some, better to pay up front and not have to worry about the fine if and when pulled over. Or in an accident and the notes say "overweight" from a potential civil suit down the road if the accident was your fault.

From a legal standpoint, being overweight at a scale is not a big deal. You will not go to jail etc, the fine is NOT on your driving record, nor is it supposed to be. Been there did that done that. Got a 10 day increase tonneage on license by the amount I was short, sent on my way down the road!

Marty
dodge_guy
Explorer II
Mar 17, 2016
Don't you register the truck based on its GVWR and not its actual weight?! If you just registered it by its curb weight and then towed a trailer you would be over your registered weight!
Old-Biscuit
Explorer III
Mar 17, 2016
CA Declaration of Gross Weight......here's your sign :B
Your DRW is going to have UVW of 8000# PLUS and GVWR of 14,000#

LINK to Form
skyhammer
Explorer
Mar 17, 2016
dedmiston wrote:
skyhammer wrote:
N-Trouble wrote:
And you will have to SMOG every 2 years

We don't have to have a smog check in my part of Northern CA.

That's surprising. I have to smog mine every other year. All they do is peek under the hood and verify that the stock engine hasn't been modified. We still have to pay full price for the check though. I wish I were on the other end of that money.

34 of our 58 counties require the 2 year inspection. Another 6 counties require inspection depending upon your zip code.
That leaves 18 counties with no 2 year inspection requirement.
W5CI
Explorer
Mar 17, 2016
You shouldnt have to do anything for texas, Just whatever Ca requires you to do, Here in Arkansas we have no Inspection and for sure no Smog checks
dedmiston
Moderator
Mar 16, 2016
skyhammer wrote:
N-Trouble wrote:
And you will have to SMOG every 2 years

We don't have to have a smog check in my part of Northern CA.

That's surprising. I have to smog mine every other year. All they do is peek under the hood and verify that the stock engine hasn't been modified. We still have to pay full price for the check though. I wish I were on the other end of that money.