PA Registration & Towing

[BFritz]

I have to renew my registration this month, and tryin to decide if I should move up from 4B. I was told my the local cops and PennDOT, that the class is based on unladen weight (unloaded), but yet, they say I cant go over the 11,000 lbs for my class 4B when towing. Makes no sense to me... Anyhow, what class are the PA people that tow registering their truck?? Are you staying low to save some $$ and risking a fine, or registering for the total you tow?



Thanks guys...

 

[DF5152]

Although im not from PA here in NY you register you vehicle according to the max GVWR, not combined. this has nothing to do with how much you can tow. It only has to do with how much your vehicle can carry. If you are stopped by the local police they will not weigh your vehicle and trailer initially but they are looking to see how much weight you have over each axle. So lets say your rear axle is rated at 5200lbs and you load up ur truck with stone get stopped and weighed and you have 6000lbs on the rear axle you are over loaded. trailers affect axle weight differently. a TT may place more weight on a rear axle than a 5th wheel due to "balance" and the way the trailer is loaded. this may not have been the answer you were looking for but... .

 

[rd3]

In Pa if your gross trailer weight is over 10,000 lbs you need to register the truck in combination. This is for any trailer including RV's. The reg. fee also goes up alot.

 

[ShaneBoone]

I like to know the answer

Never really could figure this out, reg. my 1ton at 12,000. reg an smaller 1/2 ton chevy at 14,000 since I was going to pull a trailer through WV for jobs. Either way both were exspensive.

Was in NC picking up a tractor with the 1 ton. The guy down there looked at my reg. for the 1 ton and said I was crap out luck if I got stoped. I had a 9,000# tractor on a 3,000 trailer, trailer gross is 10,000. 1ton truck is titled at 12,000. He said since my PA reg. does not have GCVRW rating I need to up the truck to cover both. Still trying to figure out if I can run over 10,000 trailer if I had a trailer that was rated for it. say 10ton goose. Only have class B lic.

 

[EZeis]

Registration weight class on trucks in PA is based on the amount of weight between unladen and max GVW. Then they have a range for each class.



On a PA class C drivers license, you can single/combine, up to 26,001 (no air brakes). When towing a trailer, only a small part of the trailers weight (tongue 10% king pin 10% +) is on the truck.



My 5th wheel is 10,050 GVW and 7070 unladen registered at 10,050 uses a standard trailer tag @ $28. 00.



The cops and Penn Dot meant your truck can not gross over 11,000 lbs itself at anytime as weighed at its axles. Your 11,000 lb limit is not GCW, it's the trucks GVW only. So you can gross your truck to 11,000 lbs (including tongue/king pin weight) and be able to hitch to a 15,001 lb trailer (if truck is rated for it) and be legal as far as Penn Dot is concerned. That's if you have a class C drivers License good for up to 26,001 lbs single or combined. Your combine weights are only limited by your drivers license class and your trucks ratings.



My new 07 dodge is 6709 unladen and 9000 GVW, which is class three and I kept it that way when I registered it. Truck is rated 20,000 lbs GCW.



My 93 D250 is 5580 unladen and 8510 GVW and its a class 3. But I let the notary talk me into going with 7000 GVW to get cheaper tags as class 2. When I hitch to my 5th wheel, I'm over weight as far as my registration is concerned. If I'd had to do it over again, I'd of went class 3. But luckily I hardly tow with my old truck anymore. Truck is rated 16,000 lbs GCW.



Earl

 

[TowPro]

My 06 has a class 3a on it. Its registered under 10K lbs (So I can keep my custom tags, over 10K and custom tags are not allowed). Plus for me to move up to the next level was like $300. 00 per year registration!

When your Trailer is over 10K lbs, your trailer tags cost more to cover the weight.

Every cop you ask will have a different answer, I called Harrisburg several times and figured out your tags match your trucks gross weight, not your combination weight.
They like to confuse comercial regulations with private truck regulations.

 

[KennethS]

My Dodge Diesel is a half ton now

When I bought the truck I had it reduce to a half ton. I pull a rar trailer with a Antique car in the trailer to car shows and tours. I have been doing this for 30 years and have never been stop yet. I drive the speed that posted.

 

[mlandis2]

I'm a 4A for a 3500 SRW and I don't remember anyone ever questioning what weight trailer I towed.



My fiver only has a GVWR of 8500 so I guess I am good either way but it would be interesting to know the correct answer when it comes time for an upgrade.



I don't even think the truck's GCWR is on the door sticker or your registration so I wonder how they would determine if you were over weight??

 

[rd3]

Here is the response that I got.



Thank you for contacting Driver and Vehicle Services.



I apologize that you have received several different answers to this

question.



You are required to have a combination weight if you are towing a trailer

over 10,000 lbs. Your trailer is registered separately from your vehicle.

However, it must be recorded on the title that there is a combination

weight. If you need more information on the process, please respond with

that information.

You are required to record a GCWR for any trailer over

10,000 lbs. This is not restricted to commercial trailers only.





Thank you for your inquiry,

Margaret Black

PA Department of Transportation