Driving a just purchased truck across state lines?

Happy New Year, ladies and gentlemen!

I'm in Louisiana, and am in the process of buying a 33000 gwvr truck in North Carolina. Hoping to fly up and drive it back within a week or two.

I'll have the Bill of Sale, a copy of the title, and insurance card with me on my trip home. Maybe a registration if dealer even has one (yet?)

When I get back to LA, I'll take those things to DMV to get a registration and plate.

Should I okay to drive from NC to LA with no plates?

Truck will have no decals on it either.

It will look just like a 26000 gwvr truck... wonder even to stop at scales? Might be dangerous not to...

Who has done such?

It should be OK if you don't get stopped, or go through a weigh station or a DOT roadside inspection checkpoint, or ..........

It used to be you slap on a set of plates from another truck and go on your way. Now with all the States bankrupt, they are looking for revenue. With a long trip across State lines you'll have to get your insurance card and have the dealer put temp tags on it. You could just tape a hand written sign on the door with your name, city & state as well as the GVW until you get home.

Don't forget to have the dealer slap a DOT inspection on it as well. Better to be safe than sorry. The impounding & towing fees add up in a hurry.

Get a “trip permit” or a “trip tag” from the DMV. You should be able to one online for Louisiana. You might need insurance, but you can get it with a phone call to your agent and get it emailed to you with in a few hours.


I'm in VA and I have bought 7 dump trucks and 7 pups out of state and drove them about 2,000 miles back. We had copies of all the paperwork sent to us before hand and went to the DMV and got “trip permits”. To get trip permits we had to have insurance or a bond, but our insurance company gave us a “driver only policy”. I had magnetic sings made with the DOT lettering.

We got held up in one state at a weight station because the DOT lettering was not permanent and not readable from 50'. After they went thorough the stack of paper work and seeing we bought them 2 days ago they were fine with it and let us go with no issues.

At both of the VA truck stops we went though they stopped us for no VA inspection sticker, but we have a 30 window for inspection stickers. The one had no issues and the other one did full inspections on trucks that rolled off the assembly line 20 days before hand.

Thanks OBPM and GravelWasher...

I'll look into both of those avenues.

I've never even had DOT numbers, as my DMV told me that if I don't cross state lines I don't need it... which I never do, but obviously to get this truck home I wll. Might look into trying to get a number between now and then.

Because the truck is commercial and going across state lines, I think you will have to have:
1) Name of owner on side of truck
2) DOT numbers
3) Driver log
4) DOT medical card
5) Safety items as required by US DOT ( triangles, fire extinguisher and others)

Back in '06 I drove a new Hino 26K cab and chassis from Alabama to South Carolina to get a hook lift mounted on it, via Atlanta. Went through the weigh station on I-20 around 5 PM or so. No markings, no DOT, etc - green light and went straight through. The SC weigh station was closed when I went through it.

In '07 I drove a Mack tandem with a recently fitted roll-off from Ohio back to Alabama. Again no markings, DOT #'s ect. When through a few weigh stations along the way - no problem green light straight through.

Now I am not promoting this or saying you should do it - just my experiences. A lot of things can change in 6-7 years.:cool2

At a minimum I would have all the sales paperwork, current vehicle inspection sticker, DOT safety items and insurance on the truck. Also I assume you have a CDL and current medical card?

I think you have 10 days after purchase to letter a truck atleast that is how it is in MD. I think you still need to have some sort of tag a paper or dealer. It does not matter what anyone says but the cop telling you are wrong because if he wants trouble he will make it with a brand new truck with all paper work in order.

Im in NC and have bought several trucks, from Va.
One way, is to get the title and take it to your DMV and get a trip permit, of course you need proof of ins. I always have extra lettering for the doors, so I would take them with you and at least put on the drivers door (should be on both doors) take a inspection sticker and form with you and install a completed sticker
Next
If you are buying from a dealer, he will give you a temp tag, bill of sale, he should inspect it for you (of course you need proof of ins) all this should get you across state lines. I hate stopping at weigh stations, but its better to stop than get stopped.
Drive the speed limit, dont speed and ask to be stopped
I have never done this, but I was told you could buy a truckers GPS and it shows you weigh stations and the way around them, if you wanted to go around

I have sold several trucks, in the past years and most of them drove them home without tags, one even drove it to Michigan (in a snow storm, hummm)
You are taking a big chance driving a truck without tags on it, that are assigned to that truck.
Being from NC, just wondered what town the truck is located?
What kind of truck is it?
Good Luck

A few years ago I bought a used tandem Mack from a huge truck dealership in Tennessee. The dealership put a new inspection sticker on it and taped a form inside the windshield which they said would cover me in interstate travel for a few days as long as I had no load. I went through 4 or 5 weigh stations on the way w/ no issues.

BTW, you mentioned blowing past the weigh stations as the truck would look like a 26,000 pounder, but all trucks over 10,001 lbs gvwr used for in a for profit business are subject to all fmcsa regulations, including logbooks, inspections, and weigh stations. The 26,000 cut off is just for whether or not you need a cdl.

Good Luck,
Mitch

Thanks guys...

The truck is in New London, NC. It's a 2005 International 4300.

CM, planning to pick up my CDL today... passed the practical stuff this past Saturday.

I'm checking to see if the dealer can supply temp tags and inspection stickers... will go from there...

Also check on DOT #.

Stevenbrla said:

CM, planning to pick up my CDL today... passed the practical stuff this past Saturday.

Click to expand...

LOL!

I passed my road test for my Class A on a Wed and left the next morning to pick the Mack up in Ohio...

Get-R-Done!:drinkup

No matter how much paperwork you have with you NEVER cross a weigh station. Even if you have to drive an extra 20 miles. Why drive in there and put yourself at their mercy?

mitch504 said:

... all trucks over 10,001 lbs gvwr used for in a for profit business are subject to all fmcsa regulations, including logbooks, inspections, and weigh stations. The 26,000 cut off is just for whether or not you need a cdl.

Click to expand...

Mitch, any chance you can cite the regulations on your statement. I've looked over the regs with a fine tooth comb and can find no such wording that states trucks NOT defined as a CMV in Part 383 are subject to those requirements. It's true that in § 383.3 under Applicability it states..."(a) The rules in this part apply to every person who operates a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) in interstate, foreign, or intrastate commerce, to all employers of such persons, and to all States", but the wording limits what a CMV is by the following criteria:

Commercial motor vehicle (CMV) means a motor vehicle or combination of motor vehicles used in commerce to transport passengers or property if the motor vehicle—

(1) Has a gross combination weight rating or gross combination weight of 11,794 kilograms or more (26,001 pounds or more), whichever is greater, inclusive of a towed unit(s) with a gross vehicle weight rating or gross vehicle weight of more than 4,536 kilograms (10,000 pounds), whichever is greater; or

(2) Has a gross vehicle weight rating or gross vehicle weight of 11,794 or more kilograms (26,001 pounds or more), whichever is greater; or

(3) Is designed to transport 16 or more passengers, including the driver; or

(4) Is of any size and is used in the transportation of hazardous materials as defined in this section.

So if you can cite the reg I'd be much obliged as I can't find it and as I'm truck shopping at the moment that would be handy information. Thanks.

Well, here's what I'm told so far...

1. Dealer says he will have a temp tag and inspection sticker.

2. The FMCSA site says that I do not need a DOT registration (number) for intrastate commerce in LA. (but I would need it if I were in NC, and most of the states that I will drive through to get to LA).

3. The truck I'm buying has a single rear axle, so it definitely looks like a 26,000 gwvr truck. It happens to be yellow, but will have an 18' black flatbed on it. I wonder if they'd notice if I just drove by... (am I right, less than 26,001, no stop at scales?... Ryder rental folks surely don't roll through scales, huh?)

Driving around weigh stations for that many miles seems way... well a pain. (there's about 9 of them)

I'm not convinced that I'm illegal at all... but they are The Law.

I haven't checked into getting a permit from LA DMV.

Just because you own a commercial vehicle does not mean that it is applicable to all USDOT regulations. If he purchases the vehicle and drives it to his home state he does not need a DOT sticker on it. The vehicle is in transit, not for hire and not being used for commerce. As soon as you put a load on it, better have everything in order. You have 24 hours to insure a vehicle, after purchase but it's better to have a copy of the insurance card with you. As far as an inspection, I am not 100% sure on that but for $20 you can get one.

BK....

I like your answers... hope you're right. What would you do about weigh stations on the way home?

I think I'm going to stop by a local station and ask them, as well.

It is the same as seeing new trucks being delivered to dealerships. One is towing two more, all three are new and nothing lettered, etc. As far as weight stations go, it's your call. You could go around them, drive right past them(not recommended) or stop at them. All 50 states are concurrent on DOT regulations with the exception of limits of overweight permits. Illinois was the last state to come in compliance with DOT/MCSA on certain issues such as 73280 roads ect. If you do cross the scales you are going to get the bypass lane unless they are weighing every truck. States make money on the overweight tickets, that's what they are looking for 99.9% of the time. As long as you have all of your documentation, you will be fine.

Shenandoah said:

Mitch, any chance you can cite the regulations on your statement. I've looked over the regs with a fine tooth comb and can find no such wording that states trucks NOT defined as a CMV in Part 383 are subject to those requirements.

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Shenandoah, the definition you cite is only for Part 383, which covers a Commercial Drivers Licenses only. The definition at 390.5 covers Parts 390 through 399.

390 Federal motor carrier safety regulations; general
391 Qualifications of drivers and longer combination vehicle (LCV) driver instructors
392 Driving of commercial motor vehicles
393 Parts and accessories necessary for safe operation
394 [RESERVED]
395 Hours of service of drivers
396 Inspection, repair, and maintenance
397 Transportation of hazardous materials; driving and parking rules
398 Transportation of migrant workers
399 Employee safety and health standards

That definition is:

Commercial motor vehicle means 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 or gross combination weight rating, or gross vehicle weight or gross combination weight, of 4,536 kg (10,001 pounds) or more, whichever is greater; or

(2) Is designed or used to transport more than 8 passengers (including the driver) for compensation; or

(3) Is designed or used to transport more than 15 passengers, including the driver, and is not used to transport passengers for compensation; or

(4) Is used in transporting material found by the Secretary of Transportation to be hazardous under 49 U.S.C. 5103 and transported in a quantity requiring placarding under regulations prescribed by the Secretary under 49 CFR, subtitle B, chapter I, subchapter C.

All this can be found at:
http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/rules-regulations/administration/fmcsr/fmcsrguide.aspx

Good Luck,
Mitch

Mitch, many thanks for the above clarification. Reading the regs it appears that 10K# vehicles involved in Interstate Commerce (as opposed to service trucks and the like, as examples, and vehicles involved in Intrastate Commerce) do indeed need to meet many of the same regs as their 26K# cousins. As early stated that is some handy information to be aware of from my perspective.

One of the reasons I've been narrowing my focus to trucks like the Ford F650 was due to their 'user friendliness' regarding rules and regs. Now I'm also going to need to factor in crossing State lines for my intended purposes.

Again, thanks for taking the time to point that out, and Steven sorry for the sidetracks in your thread...

No problem Shenandoah...

I've been driving a 26000# truck for three years, within about a 40 mile radius, and I haven't maintained a driver's log, a maintenance log, and have never crossed a scale (although I think I've only driven by one).