CA unladen weight fee

[dgr]

Here in California, our trucks are registered commercial and we pay a weight fee based on the unladen weight. I believe this weight is set when the vehicle is first sold but who knows. While at AAA registering my truck, the nice lady showed me the weight ranges. My truck's unladen weight is between 4001 and 5000 lbs as far as the DMV knows Are all of us California owners sticking it to the .gov? I know my truck was sold new here as I bought it from the original owner.

Here's a breakdown of the fees.
0 - 1999 $8
2000 - 2999 $8
3000 - 4000 $24
4001 - 5000 $80
5001 - 6000 $154
6001 - 7000 $204
7001 - 8000 $257
8001 - 9000 $308
9001 - 10000 $360

 

[pickupman]

I know that I pay a $80 fee included in the almost $300 registration fee. I assume this weight is set based on something the manufacture sets that gets relayed when the vehicle is first registered. I actually have a slip of paper that lists among other things the dry weight of the truck. I think it says it's supposedly 4500lbs, maybe more, I can't remember for sure. I know in reality the truck probably weighs somewhere between 5000-5500lbs.

 

[Andertusa]

So,... what kind of little thing is pulling in LESS than ONE TON? I think my little Luv is over that.

 

[drinkypoo]

Are all of us California owners sticking it to the .gov?

I'm in the next range above you (in the more expensive direction that is.) That's where it was when I bought it. So I guess I'm jealous

 

[dgr]

So,... what kind of little thing is pulling in LESS than ONE TON? I think my little Luv is over that.

Funny that. I think you can register anything commercial in CA. Lets you park at white curbs. Useful in the city for deliveries. My brother had his explorer registered commercial. A smart car weighs in at 1600 lbs. Maybe a courier service?!?

 

[FarmerFrank]

I know my rclb 4x4 is 6100 and my sclb 2x4 is 6000. Here in PA it's kinda how you want to register your truck. You can go up all you want but the state won't let you go down.

My 2wd is class 2 and cost $80 a year to register, my 4x4 is class 3 and cost 160.

Class 3 is much closer to legal but double the price. IF you get caught one time every 10 years over weight then the savings should pay for the fine, at least that's my thoughts...

 

[Andertusa]

@ Frank

Yeah, but if you do something for the 'little old lady down the road' and she pays you for it, that legally counts as 'commercial use', and if you get caught doing that without the proper registration, it's NOT worth the trouble.

 

[crashnzuk]

I think pretty much all of the older trucks fall into the $80 category due to mfg weights at that time. All of the 3/4 ton pick-ups that I have owned have been $80. The hitch is cab and chassis trucks with an aftermarket bed. Those are supposed to be weighed and reported to DMV by the builder so your reg is calculated from that. The 98 Chevy in my sig was in the $154 category due to this. Seems ridiculous, but they have to make their money.
Travis..

 

[NO_SPRK]

My crew cab reg slip says 5500... haha more like 6800

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[ToughOldFord]

Are all of us California owners sticking it to the .gov?

More like the other way around, they're sticking it to us by making us register a pickup as a commercial vehicle.

 

[chris142]

i had to weigh mine to register it. it weighed 6500

 

[79jasper]

More like the other way around, they're sticking it to us by making us register a pickup as a commercial vehicle.

Sounds like it.
Here in Oklahoma we don't register like that. Maybe for commercial, but I don't know.


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[Clb]

Nothing I own will register for $80 on any portion or completely in commiefornia!
Heck my harley is over a bill??? Must be my cdl !

 

[The Warden]

I've dealt with commercial registrations for three vehicles in CA. Two were continually registered in CA since they were new; the other was registered in CA from a different state.

One (my old van) was $154 or whatever it was 10 years ago, based on weight declared by the manufacturer. The original owner had done a conversion job on the interior, so I was able to re-register it for private use.

The second vehicle is registered as a commercial vehicle, with the $154 weight fee. Title states that the vehicle weighs 5560 lbs; I think that was transmitted from the manufacturer when the vehicle was sold new; with a full toolbox and full fuel tanks, the weight is closer to 6800 lbs.

I applied for a new title for the third vehicle; before the DMV would register it, I was required to have the truck weighed at a certified scale and brought tthe report to the DMV with me. That truck weighs 6480 lbs per the title, which at the moment is close to accurate.

It could be worse...once the unladen weight passes 10,000 lbs, they start charging you by GVWR, not unladen weight

And...I used to be upset about the weight fee, but considering that the fees are at least supposed to go towards road maintenance, and given that a 7K lbs truck's putting more wear on the road than a 3500 lb passenger car (let alone an 80K lbs rig), I've gotten more understanding of it over the years.

 

[ToughOldFord]

Sounds like it.
Here in Oklahoma we don't register like that. Maybe for commercial, but I don't know.


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So far I've only heard of California doing commercial fees on a pickup, there may be another state doing it, but I haven't heard of it yet. Just another scam to extract monies from its citizens.

For clarification, the weight fee is not the registration fee, it is added to the registration and all the other phoney fees they tack on. When I had my '92 F350 it was close to $300 a year to tag it, now with all the recent increases it'd be well past that.
In Oregon it would cost $54 for 2 years for the same truck. (+/-, it's been a while since I looked at Oregon, I'm sure you guys up there can update that info.)