Max length vehicle + trailer

DogFather

DogFather

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For non commercial use is there a max length for vehicle + trailer in NC?

On the RV forums I hear fed limit is 70 feet but never enforced for non commercial plates. Also, supposedly only box is measured not trailer tongue to rear bumper. That sounds crazy.

My scenario is 45 foot Motorhome + car hauler trailer. Not sure yet how big of a trailer I want. Would a 24 foot V nose hauler be the max with NC Po Po?

The Bus (motorhome) is rated to pull 15,000 / 1,500 tongue. Trailers are like a garage, they always become too small.
 
Not sure, but years ago, I had a 36 ft motorhome and a 28 ft enclosed, and traveled all over from NC, SC, Alabama, Mississippi, etc with never a problem.
 
There is a limit to non-permitted length, not sure what it is. Used to have a motor carrier atlas that had most those obnoxious limits handy. FYI NC has license classes A, B, C for non-commercial DLs, by weight.
 
I would be more concerned about gross weight than length since SHP has scales.
I saw NC SHP putting scales under a Chevy 2500 pulling a trencher.
Weighted plate on vehicle must include trailer weight as well.
 
Driver's License class? Hah, I asked at two different DMV offices they both said if not commercial it don't matter.

The written rules don't indicate that though.
 
WellCC said:
I would be more concerned about gross weight than length since SHP has scales.
I saw NC SHP putting scales under a Chevy 2500 pulling a trencher.
Weighted plate on vehicle must include trailer weight as well.
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I don't believe there is a weight limit for RV/Camping trailer in statue. I believe it's got an exception in the statue. Pulling any kind of utility trailer needs to have a weighted tag. But I've never heard of a horse trailer unless it's commercial needing to go to scales.
 
Best I can tell is interpretation varies depending on the officer based on their presentations they've given.
 
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Cowboy said:
I don't believe there is a weight limit for RV/Camping trailer in statue. I believe it's got an exception in the statue. Pulling any kind of utility trailer needs to have a weighted tag. But I've never heard of a horse trailer unless it's commercial needing to go to scales.
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That would explain why our 31’ travel trailer ~7,000 lbs and 4Runner tow vehicle, ~6,500 lbs is fine with regular plates, with a combo that I am pretty sure is in weighted class.
 
Cowboy said:
Pulling any kind of utility trailer needs to have a weighted tag
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I was told I didn't need a weighted tag to pull my utility trailer as long as the truck itself wasn't carrying anything.

Regular hitch fine

Gooseneck - weighted
 
1075tech said:
I was told I didn't need a weighted tag to pull my utility trailer as long as the truck itself wasn't carrying anything.

Regular hitch fine

Gooseneck - weighted
Click to expand...
That's not at all correct. The base plate in NC is 4k. Most full-size trucks weigh more than that alone.
 
LeeMajors said:
That's not at all correct. The base plate in NC is 4k. Most full-size trucks weigh more than that alone.
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Base plate is 6k.

EDIT: I’m sort of wrong. Base looks to indeed be 4k and you buy more weight as needed. Looks like you can go to 9k on a regular tag (buying in 1k increments). Then you must switch to a weighted rage. The ugly blue and white ones.
 
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WellCC said:
SHP in Greensboro said if pulling a horse trailer, ok to bypass DMV scales.
SHP officer in Buncombe said if pulling horse trailer you must go over their scales.
I'm like WTH which one is correct
No consistency
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If they don’t know, no not only know but grok, the law, how can they be expected to “enforce” it correctly? Yet you, the subject are not only expected to know it, but follow it. Yeah, big inconsistency.
 
9outof10mms said:
Base plate is 6k.

EDIT: I’m sort of wrong. Base looks to indeed be 4k and you buy more weight as needed. Looks like you can go to 9k on a regular tag (buying in 1k increments). Then you must switch to a weighted rage. The ugly blue and white ones.
Click to expand...

When did a regular tags start going to 9k? I swear weighted started at 6500 or 7k. 🤔

My weighted tags have always been for 7500.
 
WellCC said:
SHP in Greensboro said if pulling a horse trailer, ok to bypass DMV scales.
SHP officer in Buncombe said if pulling horse trailer you must go over their scales.
I'm like WTH which one is correct
No consistency
Click to expand...
I get the same dual answer for a non-commercial, weighted tag, any trailer.
 
1075tech said:
I was told I didn't need a weighted tag to pull my utility trailer as long as the truck itself wasn't carrying anything.

Regular hitch fine

Gooseneck - weighted
Click to expand...
Big sign in the DMV office here says the tag weight must cover the weight of the vehicle and anything being towed.
 
Hmmm, well it's clear no one including those who enforce the law really know it. Gotta love the gumm't

For what it is worth, past month we have been at the NC State Fair Campground while wife is working at Wake Med, the only weighted plates I see are on pickups.
 
9outof10mms said:
Base plate is 6k.

EDIT: I’m sort of wrong. Base looks to indeed be 4k and you buy more weight as needed. Looks like you can go to 9k on a regular tag (buying in 1k increments). Then you must switch to a weighted rage. The ugly blue and white ones.
Click to expand...
I have a base plate for 5k.

Plate agency told me travel trailers don't count.

Utility trailer ok as long as nothing carried on the truck.

But I frequently deal with FMCSA and PHMSA. Seems like any regulation is subject to interpretation.

When we first moved here, we tried to get driver's licenses. We had a PO Box for an address. Nope, can't put it on the license. Closest thing I had for proof of address was a receipt from the campground we were staying at.

One lady says yeah, that's fine. Come back tomorrow. Go back next day and get a different lady. Nope. Seems as though we were considered "transients". If we lived at a homeless shelter or in a hotel - ok. Camper - nope.

Left there and went to a different DMV. No problem and got the "Real ID". In and out in 15 minutes.
 
1075tech said:
I have a base plate for 5k.

Plate agency told me travel trailers don't count.

Utility trailer ok as long as nothing carried on the truck.

But I frequently deal with FMCSA and PHMSA. Seems like any regulation is subject to interpretation.

When we first moved here, we tried to get driver's licenses. We had a PO Box for an address. Nope, can't put it on the license. Closest thing I had for proof of address was a receipt from the campground we were staying at.

One lady says yeah, that's fine. Come back tomorrow. Go back next day and get a different lady. Nope. Seems as though we were considered "transients". If we lived at a homeless shelter or in a hotel - ok. Camper - nope.

Left there and went to a different DMV. No problem and got the "Real ID". In and out in 15 minutes.
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She was totally wrong. Plate has to cover truck and trailer. Even if you are just carrying air.

If you went to Mt airy tag office , no wonder they told you several different things.

I lived in pilot mountain for many years. Got my tags in Mt airy. The lady put the weight she wanted on the tag. I got an overweight ticket. My lawyer made them pay it. The tag weight wasn't even enough to cover the truck dry weight.

Truck was an f250. She tagged it for 5k
 
This is from the NC DMV:
I have a non-CDL class B to drive out ambulance bus and our mobile command post at work.


Class A: Required to operate a combination of vehicles that is exempt from CDL requirements when the towed unit has a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,001 pounds or more. Class B: Required to operate any single vehicle that is exempt from CDL requirements with a GVWR of 26,001 pounds or more and any such vehicle towing a vehicle with a GVWR not in excess of 10,000 lbs. Class C: Required to operate any noncommercial single vehicle with a GVWR of less than 26,001 lbs.; and a vehicle towing a vehicle which has a combined GVWR of less than 26,001 lbs. operated by a driver 18 years old or older. Most drivers need only a regular class C license to operate personal automobiles and small trucks.
 
1075tech said:
I have a base plate for 5k.

Plate agency told me travel trailers don't count.

Utility trailer ok as long as nothing carried on the truck.
Click to expand...
As LeeMajors stated, you were told wrong. Vehicle plate must include the weight of the combined gross weight for truck, trailer and payload or you will get a very expensive ticket.
 
DogFather said:
I'm considering South Dakota. From what I've read all it takes is 24 hours of residency which can be validated with a campground receipt.
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Well that helps explain why a neighbor down the road "moved" to SD when he sold everything off and bought a RV/tow car. I thought it was a tax thing until I looked up Montana and SD taxes and thought "Nope that's not it".
Figured it might have been because he was ex-AF and was stationed out there for a while but the residency thing was probably the kicker.
 
Scsmith42 said:
As LeeMajors stated, you were told wrong. Vehicle plate must include the weight of the combined gross weight for truck, trailer and payload or you will get a very expensive ticket.
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Let me guess, you get to pay twice for a theoretical weight.

Once for truck/trailer combined and again for the gvw of the trailer.

I haven't plated the utility trailer yet.

So a gvw ~3000 on the trailer (I actually have to look at what the mfg tag says)

PLUS

The gvw of the truck AND trailer combined.

Is that correct?
 
1075tech said:
Let me guess, you get to pay twice for a theoretical weight.

Once for truck/trailer combined and again for the gvw of the trailer.

I haven't plated the utility trailer yet.

So a gvw ~3000 on the trailer (I actually have to look at what the mfg tag says)

PLUS

The gvw of the truck AND trailer combined.

Is that correct?
Click to expand...
Nope. Just a trailer tag. If you are staying in NC. Get a perm tag. Right around $100 and good forever. Or iirc $27 per year.
 
What Lee said above.

All of my titled trailers have permanent tags on them. Much cheaper in the long run. Be advised though that if you have a business, your county will charge you an annual business personal property tax on the trailers.
 
If you don’t have a business the county will charge you personal property tax on a permanently tagged trailer as well..... or they will as soon as they “discover” it, along with back taxes. 🙄

@Scsmith42 is the “business” personal prop tax a higher rate than a normal personal prop tax?
 
Holy thread drift Batman. OP asked about non commercial / RV towing. But it's what we do, I guess.

.
 
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