[Bob86ZZ4]

Wow Hotrod, that's too bad. You made a very informative post though. Thank you for it. I have a buddy that is a Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Officer. He has drilled all that stuff into me that you posted about. He said their criteria is if the vehicle or trailer is operated "in furtherance of a commercial venture" that makes it commercial. He said they don't have to prove anybody is paid. Put some commercial venture signage or stickering on either the truck or trailer and boom, it's commercial. 10k lbs. combined weight all the laws come into play. In other words, if you're driving a Prius down the road with a wrap full of company names on it and you're fine without any d.o.t. registration, log books, weigh stations, medical card, cdl, etc... Now, jump in your F150 (what are those rated for on the sticker inside the drivers door frame? 6400 lbs. or so?) and hook your tandem axle enclosed trailer to it with a sticker/ident tag on the frame that says it's rated for 4000 lbs. (enforcement officers don't just look at the license plate weight sticker, they check the frames/door frames, etc...and they don't have to weigh it, unless they want to do that too to see if you're over the rated capacity). Now you're over 10k total combined weight (even if the truck and trailer are empty, they're rated over the 10k). Hang a piece of paper in one window that says, "John's Muffler Shop." Now everything kicks in. Now, how about that toter home? Is it rated 26,001 lbs. or greater? Or is the trailer 10,001 lbs. or greater? Hang a piece of paper in the window "John's Muffler Shop." Boom Boom! You've now crossed into the big boy territory and more regulation than you can imagine. No wait. Don't hang any sign. Just carry your own parts, tools, and race car. No company names on anything. Race car belongs to you personally (titled to you if it's got a plate on it), tools and parts are just for your own use, you just drive the car as a hobby in events that have no money, trophy, plaques, ribbons, etc.... The toter home and trailer list to you, not a company. You drive it (don't pay some guy to drive it). RV plates on the toter. You should be good to go with nothing other than the same d.l. it takes to drive a Prius.

Dave, your client might get away without anything and not get stopped. But, he might get stopped. It might cost a ton of money and he might get his rig impounded or put out of service. He'll have to decide if he wants to risk it, or get it all done to the letter of the law. Most state driver and vehicle services offices have lots of publications and such to help you with this. Might have to go higher than just a license renewal office to get the best stuff though.