Attention: TDR Forum Junkies 
After being involved with the thread about CDL and 17k tripple axle, I have contacted NCDOT directly today and got info directly from them with NC statutes info.
This is for pickup trucks with fifth wheel or bumper tow RVs. With this rig you are considered a recreational vehicle IF it is not used for commercial use.
ALL trucks with GVW over 10,000 are required to go thru NC weigh stations.
If your towed vehicle is over 10,000 GVW you need an NC class A drivers license. (not CDL)
Your recreational vehicle (pickup/RV) has no restriction as to weight. It may weigh more than 26,000#s all you need is enough tag on your truck to cover both truck axles and pin/ball weight. You still need NC class A license.
When you pull thru NC scales most will motion you on thru the scale site without weighing. They can also by NC statute motion you to pull onto scales and be weighed and inspected. They are only looking at the total weight on the ground of your truck axles. You must have enough license (on tag of truck) to cover the weight of this applied load. If your truck weighs empty 9,000#s and your kinpin or ball weight of the TT is 3,000#s your truck tag must be 9k + 3k = 12,000#s. You also add for fire wood, persons, fuel, etc. and lets say that is another 2,000#s. You need a tag for 14,000#s. The axle weights of the TT or 5er are exempt. Per statue below:
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Definition of recreational vehicle:
GS_20-401 (32a) Recreational Vehicle. – A vehicular type unit primarily designed as temporary living quarters for recreational, camping, or travel use that either has its own motive power or is mounted on, or towed by, another vehicle. The basic entities are camping trailer, fifth‑wheel travel trailer, motor home, travel trailer, and truck camper.
a. Motor home. – As defined in G. S. 20‑4. 01(27)d2.
b. Travel trailer. – A vehicular unit mounted on wheels, designed to provide temporary living quarters for recreational, camping, or travel use, and of a size or weight that does not require a special highway movement permit when towed by a motorized vehicle.
c. Fifth‑wheel trailer. – A vehicular unit mounted on wheels designed to provide temporary living quarters for recreational, camping, or travel use, of a size and weight that does not require a special highway movement permit and designed to be towed by a motorized vehicle that contains a towing mechanism that is mounted above or forward of the tow vehicle's rear axle.
d. Camping trailer. – A vehicular portable unit mounted on wheels and constructed with collapsible partial side walls that fold for towing by another vehicle and unfold at the campsite to provide temporary living quarters for recreational, camping, or travel use.
e. Truck camper. – A portable unit that is constructed to provide temporary living quarters for recreational, camping, or travel use, consisting of a roof, floor, and sides and is designed to be loaded onto and unloaded from the bed of a pickup truck.
GS_20-4. 01 (31) Property‑Hauling Vehicles. –
a. Vehicles used for the transportation of property.
b. , c. Repealed by Session Laws 1995 (Regular Session, 1996), c. 756, s. 4.
d. Semitrailers. – Vehicles without motive power designed for carrying property or persons and for being drawn by a motor vehicle, and so constructed that part of their weight or their load rests upon or is carried by the pulling vehicle.
e. Trailers. – Vehicles without motive power designed for carrying property or persons wholly on their own structure and to be drawn by a motor vehicle, including "pole trailers" or a pair of wheels used primarily to balance a load rather than for purposes of transportation.
f. Repealed by Session Laws 1995 (Regular Session, 1996), c. 756, s. 4.
If you are hauling a trailer of any kind with a load (not RV) your truck tag must be enough to cover total weight of truck and all axles of trailer. And if your trailers GVW is greater than 10,000 pounds you must have a drivers license class A. (Not CDL)
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No exemptions in NC for trucks over 10,000#s including recreational vehicles not to travel thru weigh stations.
§ 20‑118. 1. Officers may weigh vehicles and require overloads to be removed.
A law enforcement officer may stop and weigh a vehicle to determine if the vehicle's weight is in compliance with the vehicle's declared gross weight and the weight limits set in this Part. The officer may require the driver of the vehicle to drive to a scale located within five miles of where the officer stopped the vehicle.
Any person operating a vehicle or a combination of vehicles having a GVWR of 10,001 pounds or more or any vehicle transporting hazardous materials that is required to be placarded under 49 C. F. R. § 171‑180 must enter a permanent weigh station or temporary inspection or weigh site as directed by duly erected signs or an electronic transponder for the purpose of being electronically screened for compliance, or weighed, or inspected.
If the vehicle's weight exceeds the amount allowable, the officer may detain the vehicle until the overload has been removed. Any property removed from a vehicle because the vehicle was overloaded is the responsibility of the owner or operator of the vehicle. The State is not liable for damage to or loss of the removed property.
Failure to permit a vehicle to be weighed or to remove an overload is a misdemeanor of the Class set in G. S. 20‑176. An officer must weigh a vehicle with a scale that has been approved by the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
A privately owned noncommercial horse trailer constructed to transport four or fewer horses shall not be required to stop at any permanent weigh station in the State while transporting horses, unless the driver of the vehicle hauling the trailer is directed to stop by a law enforcement officer. A "privately owned noncommercial horse trailer" means a trailer used solely for the occasional transportation of horses and not for compensation or in furtherance of a commercial enterprise. (1927, c. 148, s. 37; 1949, c. 1207, s. 3; 1951, c. 1013, s. 4; 1979, c. 436, ss. 1, 2; 1981 (Reg. Sess. , 1982), c. 1259, s. 2; 1993, c. 539, s. 356; 1994, Ex. Sess. , c. 24, s. 14(c); 1995, c. 109, s. 4; 1997‑261, s. 109; 2001‑487, s. 50(f); 2003‑338, s. 1. )
If you have signage on your rig (camping rig) you can be considered a commercial hauler and all the rules change.
#ad
This is for pickup trucks with fifth wheel or bumper tow RVs. With this rig you are considered a recreational vehicle IF it is not used for commercial use.
ALL trucks with GVW over 10,000 are required to go thru NC weigh stations.
If your towed vehicle is over 10,000 GVW you need an NC class A drivers license. (not CDL)
Your recreational vehicle (pickup/RV) has no restriction as to weight. It may weigh more than 26,000#s all you need is enough tag on your truck to cover both truck axles and pin/ball weight. You still need NC class A license.
When you pull thru NC scales most will motion you on thru the scale site without weighing. They can also by NC statute motion you to pull onto scales and be weighed and inspected. They are only looking at the total weight on the ground of your truck axles. You must have enough license (on tag of truck) to cover the weight of this applied load. If your truck weighs empty 9,000#s and your kinpin or ball weight of the TT is 3,000#s your truck tag must be 9k + 3k = 12,000#s. You also add for fire wood, persons, fuel, etc. and lets say that is another 2,000#s. You need a tag for 14,000#s. The axle weights of the TT or 5er are exempt. Per statue below:
#adDefinition of recreational vehicle:
GS_20-401 (32a) Recreational Vehicle. – A vehicular type unit primarily designed as temporary living quarters for recreational, camping, or travel use that either has its own motive power or is mounted on, or towed by, another vehicle. The basic entities are camping trailer, fifth‑wheel travel trailer, motor home, travel trailer, and truck camper.
a. Motor home. – As defined in G. S. 20‑4. 01(27)d2.
b. Travel trailer. – A vehicular unit mounted on wheels, designed to provide temporary living quarters for recreational, camping, or travel use, and of a size or weight that does not require a special highway movement permit when towed by a motorized vehicle.
c. Fifth‑wheel trailer. – A vehicular unit mounted on wheels designed to provide temporary living quarters for recreational, camping, or travel use, of a size and weight that does not require a special highway movement permit and designed to be towed by a motorized vehicle that contains a towing mechanism that is mounted above or forward of the tow vehicle's rear axle.
d. Camping trailer. – A vehicular portable unit mounted on wheels and constructed with collapsible partial side walls that fold for towing by another vehicle and unfold at the campsite to provide temporary living quarters for recreational, camping, or travel use.
e. Truck camper. – A portable unit that is constructed to provide temporary living quarters for recreational, camping, or travel use, consisting of a roof, floor, and sides and is designed to be loaded onto and unloaded from the bed of a pickup truck.
GS_20-4. 01 (31) Property‑Hauling Vehicles. –
a. Vehicles used for the transportation of property.
b. , c. Repealed by Session Laws 1995 (Regular Session, 1996), c. 756, s. 4.
d. Semitrailers. – Vehicles without motive power designed for carrying property or persons and for being drawn by a motor vehicle, and so constructed that part of their weight or their load rests upon or is carried by the pulling vehicle.
e. Trailers. – Vehicles without motive power designed for carrying property or persons wholly on their own structure and to be drawn by a motor vehicle, including "pole trailers" or a pair of wheels used primarily to balance a load rather than for purposes of transportation.
f. Repealed by Session Laws 1995 (Regular Session, 1996), c. 756, s. 4.
If you are hauling a trailer of any kind with a load (not RV) your truck tag must be enough to cover total weight of truck and all axles of trailer. And if your trailers GVW is greater than 10,000 pounds you must have a drivers license class A. (Not CDL)
#adNo exemptions in NC for trucks over 10,000#s including recreational vehicles not to travel thru weigh stations.
§ 20‑118. 1. Officers may weigh vehicles and require overloads to be removed.
A law enforcement officer may stop and weigh a vehicle to determine if the vehicle's weight is in compliance with the vehicle's declared gross weight and the weight limits set in this Part. The officer may require the driver of the vehicle to drive to a scale located within five miles of where the officer stopped the vehicle.
Any person operating a vehicle or a combination of vehicles having a GVWR of 10,001 pounds or more or any vehicle transporting hazardous materials that is required to be placarded under 49 C. F. R. § 171‑180 must enter a permanent weigh station or temporary inspection or weigh site as directed by duly erected signs or an electronic transponder for the purpose of being electronically screened for compliance, or weighed, or inspected.
If the vehicle's weight exceeds the amount allowable, the officer may detain the vehicle until the overload has been removed. Any property removed from a vehicle because the vehicle was overloaded is the responsibility of the owner or operator of the vehicle. The State is not liable for damage to or loss of the removed property.
Failure to permit a vehicle to be weighed or to remove an overload is a misdemeanor of the Class set in G. S. 20‑176. An officer must weigh a vehicle with a scale that has been approved by the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
A privately owned noncommercial horse trailer constructed to transport four or fewer horses shall not be required to stop at any permanent weigh station in the State while transporting horses, unless the driver of the vehicle hauling the trailer is directed to stop by a law enforcement officer. A "privately owned noncommercial horse trailer" means a trailer used solely for the occasional transportation of horses and not for compensation or in furtherance of a commercial enterprise. (1927, c. 148, s. 37; 1949, c. 1207, s. 3; 1951, c. 1013, s. 4; 1979, c. 436, ss. 1, 2; 1981 (Reg. Sess. , 1982), c. 1259, s. 2; 1993, c. 539, s. 356; 1994, Ex. Sess. , c. 24, s. 14(c); 1995, c. 109, s. 4; 1997‑261, s. 109; 2001‑487, s. 50(f); 2003‑338, s. 1. )
If you have signage on your rig (camping rig) you can be considered a commercial hauler and all the rules change.
#ad
