firsttruck
Well-known member
I think the determination of what vehicle is personal for insurance purposes depends on the country/state the vehicle is registered in, the specific insurance company, and weight of truck and RV trailer. Some have Freightliner semi tractor towing 5th wheel RV trailer under personal insurance.
In most of the United States, a box truck can be rented by someone without a commercial driver's license (CDL) license if it has a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of 26,000 pounds or less.
In some states even a personal use F-350/3500 pickup needs a CDL but in other states a F450/4500 does not.
Some states and insurance companies do insure F450/4500/F550 pickup trucks, semi tractor and RV trailers as personal use. Some examples might be U.S. states of NY, NJ, CT, MA, LA, MT. Probably Texas too and others. Canadian states.
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RV.Net Open Roads Forum: Tow Vehicles: Mid-Size Truck Insurance?
https://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/18797381/print/true.cfm
Posted By: osbornk on 12/19/06
Get your insurance lined up before you buy the vehicle. I had a friend who failed to do that and it cost him a ton.
Posted By: Komik on 12/10/06
We use Farm and City out of Forest City Iowa, cost us about the same per year we paid when we used a pickup. They classify our Freightliner as a private vehicle for RV use. Saves us a ton. They specialize in RV insurance
2009 NRC 49' on 2009 Freightliner Cascadia 560HP/1865 Torque 13 Speed Automatic. Full Tandem Axle, 12.5 Diesel Generator, 350 Watt Solar, Big Foot, Auto Satellite, 200 gallon fresh water. Being pushed by my Diesel Liberty.
Posted By: Bearman on 12/20/06
There are many people out there that have his conversions. I did my own. I have about $42,000 Canadian dollars tied up in mine with the deck build ect. It has 425 hp and 1550ft/lb tq. I get a little over 10mpg fully loaded with my unit. As far as I am concerned it is the way to go for pulling large trailers. It rides better than a Caddy with triple air ride suspension with lots of room in the cab/sleeper. I have it registered and insured as a private truck (just like a pickup), insurance runs me about $400/year.
2000 Volvo 660 425hp 1550tq
2006 Canadian Sport 385 RLTS triple slide, triple axle
1998 300 Polaris Explorer 4X4
1994 Jeep YJ "TOAD"
Posted By: WindRiverFarms on 12/20/06
Bearman is right on with every point. I,too, did my own conversion with the help of a great local frame shop. I'm titled and registered as a MH and insurance is less than $300/yr. I have about 75% of the original cost of my 2001 Dmax crewcab tied up in it and would never consider a 1-ton again for heavy trailers. Can't complain about 10.7 mpg with a 470 HP, 1650ft/lb light oil burner either. Not an interstate grade in the country that cruise won't maintain the speed limit on.
2008 Jayco Recon ZX F37U
2000 Volvo 610, "Terminator" Detroit 430/470, 10 spd, 32K TrailerSaver air hitch
Posted By: richie_rich on 12/11/06 08:26am
we are through Rv America who is under-written by national interstate. they have our 05 fiver my 1993 Freightliner and our two 4x4 quads. I was asked all of the commercial questions too, but explained that it is for personal use and not work.
1993 Freightliner FL 70 C/C 8.3 cummins, allison auto
2005 KZ 41kx2 NV ( 5th wheel RV Toy Hauler trailer
https://www.flickr.com/photos/xploringaz/sets/
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https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1610200-comercial-insurance-required-for-f350-dually.html
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#20 01-28-2020
drjcw24
Regular noncommercial insurance on my 450. My 450 (limited) was significantly cheaper to insure than my 17 platinum in Kentucky. Go figure lol.
#6 01-16-2020
jimd1050 Location: Plainville, MA
MA changed their law in October of 2018 - I just bought a 2019 F-450 and my Insurance Company insisted I needed to register and therefore insure it Commercial. They set up the policy, I went to the Registry to get my plates and LUCKILY, got a Manager, who was filling in. She said why are you getting Commercial Plates - do you have a Business? I said "No, my wife and I carry a slide-in truck camper, but my insurance company told me that because it had dual rear wheels, I had to register it Commercial!", She looked at the 14,000lb GVWR, turned around and typed some changes into the computer, walked over to the printer, grabbed something off of it and came back with a new Registration and regular car plates. She then explained that as long as I don't have any lettering on the pickup truck or do any sort of business with the pickup truck, it IS NOT COMMERCIAL, no matter the number of wheels or the weight. I asked if she could print out a copy of that law change for me to bring to the insurance company and she did! They took care of my policy as well!!!
#25 02-03-2020
jimd1050 Location: Plainville, MA
As "eryoung" already stated and this should fortify: My 2019 F-450 (14,000 lb dually) is registered Passenger and was done so based on the instructions of a Registry Manager at the Milford, MA RMV Office. I was expecting Commercial and she told me no and handed me that piece of paper with my plates, to bring to my Insurance Company!
#27 02-04-2020
digz Location: Texas
class A is a CDL licence and Texas will also make you get a medical card. I have 2 F350's over 26k. I also have 2 setups under 26k that pull smaller backhoes. One thing Texas will let you do is register the truck at any weight below the 14k gvwr. For example if the truck is 14k and trailer is 18k I went and weighed my truck and trailer fully loaded and truck was just under 12000 and trailer 13500. So I registered them to that to keep them under the 26k gross. So my employees dont have to have the cdl licence on them.
#28 02-04-2020
406f150 I
In MT with my F450. Anything F350 (1 ton) and below license is based on model year and value. MT considers F450 1-1/2 ton and licenses base on GVW. I stayed below the 26K limit to avoid CDL. I can increase it at any time if I ever need to. License fees were several hundred dollars less this way than if it was a F350 which I was totally ok with!
State Farm non-commercial insurance.
#26 02-04-2020
westracing01 w Location: Northwest CT
CT does require commercial plates due to the weight, but you do not need anything else special. No commercial insurance, no hitting the scales, none of that. As long as you're towing a camper (5'ver, travel trailer, etc.) you can run right up to the max and not be commercial since RV's are exempt. Asked the DMV several times on that to be sure.
Also, fun fact... In CT, anything over 10K GVWR is emissions exempt.
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#7 01-16-2020
Sarge261 Location: The Land Of Time
In NY im required to have commercial plates but not commercial insurance. Its actually insured as a pleasure vehicle, all I use it for is to tow my trailers, its stored in a climate controlled garage all winter.
#8 01-16-2020
speakerfritz
for NY, my insurance will insure non commercial up to 15K GVWR. Plates dont seem to be a factor. intended use is . funny thing is that I was going to buy an M2-106 and no one would insure it because I was not using it for commercial purpose and it was over the 15K GVWR limit for non commercial insurance
#9 01-16-2020
First Dually
Same with me. F-450, NY commercial plates, pleasure use insurance. Totally legit as long as it is truly for pleasure use.
#14 01-17-2020
jimd1050 Location: Plainville, MA
> ts Quote: Originally Posted by Pinky Demon
> Just because you drive a vehicle to a site to provide an estimate, doesn’t mean
> you should register it commercial. I’d skip the hassle and cost unless you’re
> loading tools and equipment on it with company graphics or lettering on it.
DITTO - that's what MA DMV said, as well! As long as there was no Company Name, Lettering or Business Graphics on it, and I did NOT use it for work, I was good! Transportation for to/from a couple of quotes, I don't call FOR WORK! You're not hauling stuff to/from a job site, etc.!
#15 01-17-2020
Paw's 150 Lariat Location: Raceland, La.
Bought mine to tow our 5th wheel and not for commercial use. Low miles per year and I use it for my daily driver even though I'm retired and only use it when I need to. Insurance is about the same as it was on the F150 I had before that didn't pull a 5th wheel. Louisiana is high enough on the insurance rates anyway.
#17 01-17-2020
KCJackson1 Location: Mount Arlington, NJ
NJ has what they designated "Code 15", which allows normally "commercial-type" vehicles to be registered the same as a passenger car if the vehicle is not used for business and doesn't have commercial lettering or plates. My trucks have all been registered that way, and my current Ram dually is insured as a pleasure-only passenger vehicle since I work full time from home and don't commute.
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Do You Need A CDL To Drive A Ford F350 Truck?
Is a Ford f350 considered a commercial vehicle in Texas?
Under most circumstances, the Ford F-350 is not considered a commercial vehicle.
However, if you are using this truck for business, it might be legally considered commercially used. If so, you will have different insurance requirements.
30 ago 2021
https://vehq.com/do-you-need-cdl-to-drive-f350/
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Any F-450 license or insurance hassles?
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/616651-any-f-450-license-or-insurance-hassles-2.html
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#20 05-29-2007
utwo229
The messages here just scratch the surface as it applies to truck registration and driver licensing. First of all, each state can be different. But at the federal level, it reads like this.
For our purposes, they define (partial text) a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) is any self-propelled or towed motor vehicle used on a highway in interstate commerce to transport passengers or property when the vehicle: (1) has a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) or gross combination weight rating (GCWR)or a gross vehicle weight (GVW) or gross combination weight (GCW)of 4,536 kilograms (10,001 pounds) or more, whichever is greater.
Now I am sure you, like I, was confused by the term interstate commerce. It is further defined; Interstate commerce is trade, traffic or transportation across a State line, including international boundaries, or wholly within one State as part of a through movement that originates or terminates in another State or country.
So for the most part, if you tow a heavy trailer (RV's are exempt from all this mess) other than an RV, and you legally register your truck, you are probably a CMV. Some states allow you to register based on stated weight (max you intend to weigh) and others require you to register the vehicles rated maximum GVW or GCW.
I drive the interstates all the time and I know that almost all weigh stations require any truck (ie.. CMV) over 5T or 10001 lbs, to go over the scales. However, I have NEVER gone over the scales towing with my Ford. But I always go over the scales with my big truck which is just under 26000 lbs. I know a few people in states like Pennsylvania (discussed elsewhere in the forum) who are getting stopped and ticked for not being properly registered, not crossing the scales, and not having the proper drivers privileges.
As for your driver's license... unless your rig and trailer combined weigh over 26001 lbs, then you don't need a commercial drivers license (CDL).
But, if you do fall into the over 10,001 lb category, technically you are supposed to:
a) register your motor powered vehicle with the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), then display on that vehicle the assigned USDOT number and the legal name (as registered) rule FMCSA 390.21, form MCS-150,
b) you are required to be at least 21 years of age, read/speak English, possess a current medical examiners certificate rule FMCSA 391.11, 391.43,
c) abide by the Hours of Service regulations and logbook requirements as appropriate rule FMCSA 395.
It took me a lot of research to figure this all out and I find new things all the time. Just be prepared to be surprised when you try to register one of the new 2008 super duty trucks that tow heavy. But be sure to keep your registration under 26,001 lbs or all this gets three times as complicated and can be very expensive.
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Do You Need A CDL To Drive A Ford F350 Truck?
Posted on August 30, 2021
https://vehq.com/do-you-need-cdl-to-drive-f350/
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In Closing
The durable Ford F-350 has remained a popular Class 3 pickup truck among consumers. Under most circumstances, you shouldn't need a CDL to operate it for personal use. However, if you are a driver for hire, or are hauling a trailer with heavy cargo, then a CDL would be required for driving it. Before loading your F-350 and getting on the road, learn all state and federal regulations to avoid costly fines and legal penalties.
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Do You Need A CDL To Drive A Semi For Personal Use, With Trailer or Commercial?
https://www.miramarspeedcircuit.com/drive-semi-without-cdl/
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Do You Need A CDL to Drive A Semi for Personal Use? Do you need a CDL to drive a personal semi? You do not need a CDL to drive a personal semi-truck. However, you should make sure you know what personal means under the law so that you are on the right side of the law regarding exceptions from CDL licenses. The situations where you are allowed to drive a personal semi-truck without a CDL are known as the exceptions. Make sure you qualify for an exception before driving a semi on a public road without a trucking license.
What are DOT regulations for driving semi truck for personal use? The DOT requires semi-truck drivers to have a valid license (non-commercial license). To drive across state lines, a semi-truck driver must be at least 18 years old or at least 21 years old. The driver must have one to two years of driving experience and no active suspensions. Finally, a semi-truck driver must possess a medical examiner’s certificate.
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