MN License plate question

[Phil_314]

I'm in MN and just got a 1 ton pickup with non-commercial Y plates.
They came with an 'E' 10,000 plate. I was expecting an 'F' 12,000 plate (like my old 1 ton).

My truck has a gvwr of 11,300.
I will be getting a truck camper this summer.
I'm guessing I'll probably be close to the 11,300 gvwr when loaded.
Certainly over 10,000 lbs.

My question, will the 'E' plate be a problem. Should I get an 'F' plate.
What does that rating really mean anyway? The plate cost the same.

 

[Skookum]

My experience is the plates are issued based on gross vehicle weight and you pay accordingly for heavier vehicles / vehicles capable of carrying more weight.

I incorrectly mis-stated (and subsequently overpaid) when I listed our last RV's GVWR at 26,000 which caused us to have an "H" plate. It should have been a "G" plate at 22,500.

 

[Phil_314]

yeah, this is what is confusing.
E (10k), F (12k) & G (15k) ratings are available.
They are all the same price. So why have 3.

Last time I asked what the difference was at the DMV and the response was 'Which one do you want'.
I said I wasn't sure, and repeated my question asking what the difference was.
DMV clerk then responded with 'just get the biggest one'.
But 15k + a 14k trailer = 29k and that's over the 26k class a license. But that's a different problem

 

[Phil_314]

ok, follow up to this. Another trip to the DMV and I've got a partial answer.

E, F, G weight ratings are all the same price for trucks older than 10 years. This was the case on my old truck.

E, F, G ratings have a slightly different pricing on trucks newer than 10 years. For a small fee, they gave me an 'F' 12k sticker to apply to my plates. Which I don't think I'll be over.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

But 15k + a 14k trailer = 29k and that's over the 26k class a license. But that's a different problem

You seem to be conflating GVWR & GCWR. And maybe tags vs driving license. The tags are for each vehicle and based on the individual vehicle GVWR. Many states require an driver license upgrade if the total weight of the rig exceeds 26,000 lbs when on the road. For truck & trailer, that's the Gross Combined Weight, so typically the sum of the two GVWRs.

 

[Phil_314]

You seem to be conflating GVWR & GCWR. And maybe tags vs driving license. The tags are for each vehicle and based on the individual vehicle GVWR. Many states require an driver license upgrade if the total weight of the rig exceeds 26,000 lbs when on the road. For truck & trailer, that's the Gross Combined Weight, so typically the sum of the two GVWRs.

My thinking was to get 'F' 12k rated plates for the truck.
That way when I have a camper on back, I'm not over the trucks rating.
And when I tow a 14k trailer, I'm at 26k GCWR and don't violate my license (not a class A).

If my truck was rated at 15k pulling, I'd still be fine with a camper.
But I'd be illegal towing a 14k trailer - 29k GCWR.

Am I wrong on any of this?

 

[Ex-Calif]

>>
If my truck was rated at 15k pulling, I'd still be fine with a camper.
But I'd be illegal towing a 14k trailer - 29k GCWR.

Am I wrong on any of this?<<

It took me a while to understand this but I get your thinking now. Kind of a jailhouse lawyer thing.

The letter of the rule is "Weight Rating" not actual weights. So if the truck is "rated" at 15k and the trailer is rated at 14k you are over the class D license "rating" for weights.

Your actuals are gonna be more like 11.3k# + 14k# for an actual combined weight of 25.3k# - that is if you could ever load both up to their max.

Makes sense to me - I've never experienced a state where they rate & license private vehicle weights.

 

[Phil_314]

Makes sense to me - I've never experienced a state where they rate & license private vehicle weights.

It does have one advantage.
Registration/tabs for a new 3/4 ton truck would be close to $800.
Registration/tabs for a new 1 ton with non commercial Y plates is a flat fee just over $100 each year.
That adds up over the years.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

It appears that MN requires their Class A Commercial driver license for rigs that exceed 26,000 lb rating (not actual weight). I found the quote below on the MN.goc DVS site and it appears to state what you said above.

Commercial Driver - Class A​

A Class A License is required to drive any vehicle towing a unit of more than 10,000 pounds Gross Vehicle Weight Rating with a gross combination weight rating (truck plus trailer) over 26,000 pounds.