13.010 Commercial Vehicle Definitions

Commercial Vehicle (VC §260)—A commercial vehicle is a vehicle required to be registered which is used or maintained for the transportation of persons for hire, compensation, or profit or designed, used, or maintained primarily for the transportation of property. The following vehicles may be registered as passenger or commercial:

• Multipurpose vehicles.
• Passenger-type vehicles transporting persons for hire.
• Pickup trucks with a camper permanently attached.
• Station wagons.

A bus (VC §233) is a commercial vehicle when it is used to transport persons for hire, compensation, or profit or when bus transportation is supplied by a profit-making entity and a customer pays for the bus service as part of the overall consideration for the primary service.

Motor Truck (VC §410)—A motor truck is a motor vehicle designed, used, or maintained primarily for the transporation of property.

Pickup (VC §471)—A pickup is a motor truck with a manufacturer’s gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of less than 11,500 pounds, an unladen weight of less than 8,001 pounds, and equipped with an open box-type bed less than nine feet in length. California Code of Regulations, Title 13 §150.04 further defines pickup trucks:

(a) Pursuant to VC §471, any motor vehicle, except a motorcycle, motorized bicycle, or motorized quadricycle, with an open box-type bed not exceeding 9 feet in length is by definition a pickup. Examples of this type of motor vehicle include the Ford Explorer Sport Trac, Nissan Frontier, and similarly designed vehicles.

(b) Pursuant to VC §471, any motor vehicle, except a motorcycle, motorized bicycle, or motorized quadricycle, that may be configured or reconfigured to provide an open box-type bed not exceeding 9 feet in length is by definition a pickup. Examples of this type of motor vehicle include the Chevrolet Avalanche and similarly designed vehicles.

The GVWR is required for all pickup trucks when the application includes any of the following forms:

• A Verification of Vehicle (REG 31, REV 1/2102 or later) form.
• Application for Registration of a New Vehicle (REG 397, REV 2/2102 or later). Report of Sale—Used Vehicle (REG 51, REV 11/2011 or later).

Registration applications for vehicles with the body type model (BTM) of pickup (PK), club cab pickup (PC), 3-door extended cab pickup (3C), or 4-door extended cab pickup (4C), with a REG 31, REG 397, or REG 51 must include the GVWR.

Table for determining of a registration application is acceptable.

If the Form Submitted Is a	Completed on July 1, 2012, or Later	And the Vehicle Has a GVWR of
REG 31 REG 397 REG 51	The GVWR should be written in the GVWR box or the REMARKS section of the REG 31 by the vehicle verifier. The dealer must indicate the GVWR in the GVWR box on the REG 397 or REG 51. Return the application if the GVWR is not indicated on the REG 31, REG 397, or REG 51.	11,499 pounds or less: —Process the application following current procedures. —Do not key the GVWR the GVWR is only used to determine if the vehicle falls within the CVC definition of a pickup truck. 11,500 pounds or more and modifications have not been made (utility box added, etc.): —The form must indicate varied (VA) or other applicable BTM. —Process the application following current procedures. —Do not key the GVWR. Important: Return applications completed after July 1, 2012, if the correct BTM is not identified on the form.

If the Vehicle Identification Number Analysis (VINA) program generates a BTM that is not recognized by the DMVA system and the GVWR is 11,499 pounds or less, change the BTM to match the REG 31, REG 397, or REG 51. For a vehicle with a GVWR of 11,500 pounds or more, change the BTM to VA or other applicable BTM. If the REG 31, REG 397, or REG 51 does not indicate the appropriate BTM, return the application for correction.

Pickup Exclusions—The following trucks are not pickups:

• Trucks with an open box-type bed that weigh more than 8,000 pounds unladen or exceeding the manufacturer’s GVWR of 11,500 pounds body type model (BTM) VA.
• Trucks equipped with a bed-mounted storage compartment unit commonly called a “utility body” (Utility—BTM UT ).
• Trucks with a BTM other than an open box bed (stake, flatbed, dump, etc.).

Tow Truck (VC §615)—A tow truck is a motor vehicle which has been altered or designed and equipped for, and primarily used in the business of, transporting vehicles by means of a crane, hoist, tow bars, tow line, or dolly or is otherwise primarily used to render assistance to other vehicles. A “roll-back carrier” designed to carry up to two vehicles is also a tow truck. An auto dismantler’s tow vehicle is not a “tow truck.”

Truck Tractor (VC §655)—A truck tractor is a motor vehicle designed and used primarily for drawing other vehicles and not constructed to carry a load other than a part of the vehicle weight and load drawn. As used in this section, “load” does not include items carried on the truck tractor in conjunction with the vehicle operation if the load carrying space for these items does not exceed 34 square feet.

Truck tractors must always be registered as commercial vehicles, even if they have living quarters. The living quarters are secondary or incidental to the primary function of the vehicle, which is still drawing other vehicles. Do not register truck tractors with living quarters as housecars.

Water-Well Drilling Rigs—There are three types of water-well drilling rigs:

• Agricultural—Exempt from weight fees and issued auto license plates (VC §9405).
• Oversize—Moved occasionally over the highways, used primarily off highways for construction purposes, and require a permit issued by California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), are special construction equipment and may be issued Special Equipment (SE) license plates (VC §565). Refer to Chapter 16 for additional information.
• All Others—Are commercial vehicles and subject to the weight fees set forth in VC §§9400 or 9400.1.
  • The weight of the well-drilling machinery is excluded from the vehicle weight for purposes of calculating weight fees under VC §9400 (vehicles with an unladen weight of 10,000 pounds or less). Refer to this chapter, Farm Labor Vehicles for exclusions from unladen weight information.
  • The weight of the well-drilling machinery shall be considered part of the load when calculating weight range fees under VC §9400.1 Commercial Vehicle Registration Act of 2001 (CVRA).

Water-well drilling rigs were previously defined as “cranes.” A new BTM of well driller (WD) is assigned to commercial water-well drilling rigs.

Yard Trucks (VC §§4751d, 38010, and 38012)—Yard trucks, which are similar in appearance to a diesel tractor, and known in the industry as yard goats, trailer spotters, terminal tractors, or jockeys, are vehicles specifically designed to move trailers within or about freight operation yards in preparation for storage or loading.

Do not accept a registration application for a yard truck that does not have a complying 17-digit vehicle identification number (VIN). Yard trucks that do not have a complying 17-digit VIN do not meet federal safety standards and cannot be titled, registered, or operated on public roadways in California. In addition, these vehicles do not meet the criteria for off-highway registration or special equipment identification. A yard truck that does not have a complying 17-digit VIN can be used only on private property and cannot be operated on public roadways for any reason.