How many of you haul with a vehicle that's got a GVWR of 10000# or above? You haul your own horses, nothing commercial even though you have commercial plates. You cross state line with your own horses and bring them back home. No buying or selling involved, example: Just ride down to Florida from North Carolina for a trail ride. I get a letter today suggesting that I get a D.O.T. number for my dually!!! I just renewed my North Carolina Drivers License back in September..... Must have tripped the trigger on something when it went through the computer.

The letter states: This request only applies to those vehicles crossing state lines in trade, traffic, or transportation of goods, property and passengers. This also includes vehicles transporting hazardous materials within this state.

Here's a link.  http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/   click on "registration and licensing" and follow the instructions.

Now, Do I do, or, Do I don't need a USDOT number?

Motto: Don't start nothing, won't be nothing!!

 You can call three different times and get four different answers..

Terri... Looks like they would just say.. "If the vehicle has a GVWR of 10000#, you must have a D.O.T. number". That would be too easy. Go to the website I posted and  click on "registration and licensing" and follow the instructions. It's all kind of crazy.... Next thing we'll be getting that micro-chip in the back of our neck, so we can be scanned by the DOT officers or the guys and gals at the scales!!

Better be 100%  positive what is ON that microchip before you agree to have it implanted! Know what I mean,Vern?

Better yet,just say no.

(Quote)... They can also make you pay a yearly fee for every truck and trailer you own once you get DOT number.

On their website when you are applying online, one of the first things they ask for is a.... Credit Card number!!! LOL! When I got to that part I just stopped and said to hell with it.

The DOT site is confusing but I did find the exemption below.

"Companies that operate commercial vehicles transporting passengers or hauling cargo in interstate commerce must be registered with the FMCSA and must have a USDOT Number. Also, commercial intrastate hazardous materials carriers who haul quantities requiring a safety permit must register for a USDOT Number. The USDOT Number serves as a unique identifier when collecting and monitoring a company’s safety information acquired during audits, compliance reviews, crash investigations, and inspections."

For what you are describing, you are not operating a commercial motor vehicle. Now, if you were transporting horses for hire, it could be a different situation.

Now I just re-read your original post- it says you have commercial plates- that could change things. Why the commercial plates?

One of my customers, an ex-state patrolman, bought a truck(semi tractor) from me to pull his race car trailer. This is what he did, and I think it's a good idea. He researched whether or not , under Colorado law, he was required to have a commercial driver's license or special plates or registration for his truck. Under Colorado law, he doesn't need a CDL, and his truck is licensed as a recreational vehicle. He also is not required to stop at the weigh stations or ports of entry in Colorado. He documented all of this, and some of it was letters from state officials on letterhead. He made copies of all this and carries it all in the truck with him in a folder. His reasoning was, if he gets stopped out of state, he can show that he is abiding by the law in the state in which he resides and his vehicle is registered. It shows what he is doing and why, and that he is not just "trying to slide by".

I personally think that is a good way to aproach this when you have one of these vehicles that depending on interpretation, can seem to fall under different regulations. Most (I can't say for sure all) states have reciprocity regarding the vehicle registration and drivers license requirements from other states.

Sorry, I said Commercial when it's actually a "weighted plate". I got 25000# plates on the truck. I used to run Farm Truck plates but that go beyond 150 miles from home base comes into play, so I bought the regular "weighted tag".

I just looked at the license and titling manual on North Carolina's web site- Holy cow! Talk about confusing- let's see- I don't need to license my pig roaster unless I pull it with cargo in it- including the pig! LMAO!!  I'd still say you don't need a US DOT number- that's just my opinion!

Bill

It is the gvwr (and purpose) that controls whether one must have a cdl and so forth.....this has been discussed at length before.  There is no reason to use "weight" plates on a private not for hire vehicle.  The plate is probably what triggered the dot letter.  If you do not want to use farm plates, then get a regular private vehicle plate.  The 150 mile radius is for commercial hauling of agricultural products (commercial purpose) like hauling cows to auction.  It is not necessary to comply with commerical vehicle requirements under that circumstance.  I have a 12K gvwr dually.  It does not have nor does it need to have anything other than a regular private vehicle plate.  Once a "weighted" plate is put on a vehicle, it creates an inference that the vehicle is being used for a commercial purpose.  So the question is:  Why did you choose to put a "weight rating" plate on your vehicle?

And the gvwr for inference of commercial purpose is 26,001 pounds.....

And the word "traffic" is a term of art in the legal context;  means commercial transactions

And if a smaller vehicle is used in a commercial enterprise, such as a half ton truck that has business graphics on it, then it must comply with commercial vehicle laws.

Why did you choose to put a "weight rating" plate on your vehicle?  Because that's what the man at the DMV license plate place said I should run.

I had always run farm truck plates... We go to Fl., Pa., Tn, etc. My understanding was I could/should not go beyond 150 miles from home with the farm truck plate. Now you are telling me that I don't need a plate with any type of weight on it? You are saying I can get away with a plate like the one thats on my car? Truck and trailer all loaded up weighs 23000# and I don't have to have a farm truck/weighted/commercial tag to cover that weight? Confusing, too many rules that can be twisted and turned around. The truck is my personal vehicle, I don't haul "for hire"  I think they are just sending letters out, shooting in the dark if you will, to see how many folks respond and send in those fees..... Mo' money is Mo' betta for the state, like "genebob" said in his post!!    Here's a number I call a while ago, 1-919-861-3582.  They are overwhelmed with calls, so you'll get a recording as to what you should do!!! 

Buffy You are correct.  Retento should contact a lawyer in NC who has knowledge of commercial and non-commercial hauling. 

Retento  So long as you are using your truck and trailer for your own personal recreation and fun, you do not need a "weight" tag.  Do you see "weight" tags on those RV buses?  There is a fuzzy area in the law about what consitutes an RV;  but do not take my word for it.

It used to be 150 miles, but now they say as long as you are doing soemthing related to your "farm" it does not matter.  We have been to KS, Ok, Ark hauling hay and (knock on wood) have never had any problems.  Been to KS and Ok with horses (in a 4 horse LQ trailer with farm tags) and have only been asked for health papers.

They are trying to chance the deale on the LQ trailers, but I'm not sure if they can get it done or not.

Here is the link to the North Carolina DOT Division of Motor Vehicles Title and License Manual.

http://www.ncdot.org/dmv/vehicle_services/registrationtitling/titlemanual/

Section 2 deals with license plates, body descriptions, and your rules regarding weights. We can all give you our best advice, but here are the rules for your state. By the way, it's a 391 page pdf document if you want to download and print it! If you move to Colorado, the laws are much simpler here!

Good luck!   

I'm with you on that!

HA HA HA! Yep,love those 2 sinks that I can:brush my teeth and wash my face in one,and,wash dishes,ect in the other!! That's really roughing it,isn't it!!!!!(my idea of it.)Around here,in Arkansas,you'd be lucky to even SEE tags on trailers,friend of ours got stopped one PM hauling something on an old utility trailer w/out tags,the cop gave him a warning for the lights being out,said NOTTA about no tags! I see stuff that you can't imagine,homemade,ect just junk,no tags of any kind,much less weight rated tags.Big farm trucks seasonally used I mean,18 wheelers and tandem axle things to haul rice,no tags,ect.But if I tried to go w/out tags on any of my horse trailers (folks are fond of just swapping them around depending on which one they want to pull that day) I'd get pulled over and a ticket,myself.So,I registered and assessed on all 3 of the things,plus the utility trailer.My luck  is such that I'd be the one that got in trouble if I didn't.