I have a question, This year I purchased a 24' enclosed trailer, I will be towing it to the Keewenaw to go snowmobiling in mid February, I know I have to plate the trailer however I do not have a D.O.T number on my shop truck that I use to haul the trailer. The truck is decaled so it is pretty clear that it is a business vehicle, I was told I did not need D.O.T # since I wasn't hauling or conducting business out of state. My question is... I will be hauling out of state with my shop truck however it will be for recreational/personal use not business, I am sufficiently plated on the truck and will have a plate on the trailer, do I need a D.O.T # on my truck as I go into Michigan, was told no but just want to be sure. Thanks!
D.O.T question
- Thread starter euphoric1
- Start date
Yes it does, was hoping someone with similar experience would chime in, as I just wanted to be sure and be safe about it, as I know they have really been buckling down on towing and trailers. Thank You oldguy! I appreciate it
EXCESSIVE FORCE
New member
I thought they passed something that if it was over a certain weight you needed one. There is no charge for a DOT number...
I had my own lawn and landscape business and pulling my trailer with my truck with my business name on it for recreation I did not need a DOT # on it. If I was pulling a trailer for business I did. I had to go to court pulling the trailer for recreation and got pulled over by a city cop and he wrote me up, went to court and they threw it out since I was pulling it with sleds in it and not mowers. You will be good.
maximumpsi
Member
I've asked the DOT these same questions. Here's what I spent lots of time and $ learning when I started my dock manufacturing business. Hopefully this will help lots of self-employed people on this site.
As oldguy said, when using for personal trips you aren't subject to the DOT regulations or need the DOT number. However, since you have your business name on the truck, you still risk being pulled over just for not displaying a DOT number because you have a gvw clearly over 10,000 lbs. (capacity of truck and trailer) and then you can explain you are on a personal trip. (When you are out of state they will also look for the annual inspection sticker on the trailer too, which you don't need to have.)
If you don't ever pull the trailer for business use, you don't need a DOT registration on your truck. This saves you a lot of hassle, annual DOT physical, etc. With a DOT registration you also need to carry a few things -- triangles, fire extinguisher, DOT medial card, etc.
If you do pull a trailer on business, and your vehicle and trailer combined capacity is over 10,000 lbs., you need a DOT number on your truck when you are on business in state or out of state (and you need to keep a log book and follow the 42 page instruction manual). You can get a magnet (unless alum body Ford truck) and take it off when you are using the truck and trailer for personal use in or out of state, but you still might get pulled over and questioned since your business name is on the truck.
There are 2 types of DOT registrations: Intrastate is for operating only within your state. Interstate registration allows you to haul outside your home state, but adds another level of regulation and cost, annual truck and trailer inspections, etc.
So the bottom line is -- avoid the 10,000 gvw capacity limit when you use your truck on business in state or out of state so you don't need a DOT number. You'll save yourself lots of time and $ every year.
As oldguy said, when using for personal trips you aren't subject to the DOT regulations or need the DOT number. However, since you have your business name on the truck, you still risk being pulled over just for not displaying a DOT number because you have a gvw clearly over 10,000 lbs. (capacity of truck and trailer) and then you can explain you are on a personal trip. (When you are out of state they will also look for the annual inspection sticker on the trailer too, which you don't need to have.)
If you don't ever pull the trailer for business use, you don't need a DOT registration on your truck. This saves you a lot of hassle, annual DOT physical, etc. With a DOT registration you also need to carry a few things -- triangles, fire extinguisher, DOT medial card, etc.
If you do pull a trailer on business, and your vehicle and trailer combined capacity is over 10,000 lbs., you need a DOT number on your truck when you are on business in state or out of state (and you need to keep a log book and follow the 42 page instruction manual). You can get a magnet (unless alum body Ford truck) and take it off when you are using the truck and trailer for personal use in or out of state, but you still might get pulled over and questioned since your business name is on the truck.
There are 2 types of DOT registrations: Intrastate is for operating only within your state. Interstate registration allows you to haul outside your home state, but adds another level of regulation and cost, annual truck and trailer inspections, etc.
So the bottom line is -- avoid the 10,000 gvw capacity limit when you use your truck on business in state or out of state so you don't need a DOT number. You'll save yourself lots of time and $ every year.
not that this matters to anyone LOL
BUT here in PA, things go by weight, once your truck/trailer CGWV hit a certain weight, you start to need a different class of driver licence credential
if trailer and truck are RATED over "X" lbs, and your hauling LESS< it STILL does NOT matter, you still need to have certain classification on your drivers license
and this would cause our rules to roll over when traveling into other states, even if other states have different rules!
we would be stuck by PA"s regs on things and fined accordingly
and this is a crazy topic, here too,a s if you ask one DOT worker and then another, most times you will get two totally different answers
pretty much ANY 3/4 ton truck towing anything over 9999 lbs, the added drivers lic upgrade to commercial lic is required here, yet almost NO one does it, DOT and police tend to TARGET trucks that have business advertising on there vehicles and will stop them 100% more often than a like vehicle/trailer with NO advertising on it!
sorry if unneeded info here, but thought I would share the last part at least, due to, I think NOT having numbers displayed will increase your risk of being stopped and hassled, and pending HOW smart or NOT the ?? who is that stops you, you may get a fine (even if not a valid fine)
Cop's are NOT lawyers, its NOT uncommon for one to write a ticket and be WRONG in doing so! yet burden falls on YOU who got it! to prove its wrong!
Just saying!
you can TRY emailing DOT there and asking and then printing out the answer to have on hand if stopped that shows you DON"T need to display numbers
can maybe speed things up and save a hassle later on!
BUT here in PA, things go by weight, once your truck/trailer CGWV hit a certain weight, you start to need a different class of driver licence credential
if trailer and truck are RATED over "X" lbs, and your hauling LESS< it STILL does NOT matter, you still need to have certain classification on your drivers license
and this would cause our rules to roll over when traveling into other states, even if other states have different rules!
we would be stuck by PA"s regs on things and fined accordingly
and this is a crazy topic, here too,a s if you ask one DOT worker and then another, most times you will get two totally different answers
pretty much ANY 3/4 ton truck towing anything over 9999 lbs, the added drivers lic upgrade to commercial lic is required here, yet almost NO one does it, DOT and police tend to TARGET trucks that have business advertising on there vehicles and will stop them 100% more often than a like vehicle/trailer with NO advertising on it!
sorry if unneeded info here, but thought I would share the last part at least, due to, I think NOT having numbers displayed will increase your risk of being stopped and hassled, and pending HOW smart or NOT the ?? who is that stops you, you may get a fine (even if not a valid fine)
Cop's are NOT lawyers, its NOT uncommon for one to write a ticket and be WRONG in doing so! yet burden falls on YOU who got it! to prove its wrong!
Just saying!
you can TRY emailing DOT there and asking and then printing out the answer to have on hand if stopped that shows you DON"T need to display numbers
can maybe speed things up and save a hassle later on!
mrbb, you pretty nailed my thoughts on this issue... the number is free...do I do it just to have it, instead of driving my traveling billboard down the road with a large trailer behind me, its a 1 ton diesel truck pulling a 24' trailer with sleds and gear probably combined weight of 15,000 - 16,000 lbs and you are too right what happens if I get some buckaroo bonzai that pulls me over. I have been on phone with DOT a couple times and have kind of gotten the same answer along with responses on here but still thinking I "should" just to be safe, if it wasn't my shop truck I wouldn't worry about it, uuugh
BUT here in PA, things go by weight, once your truck/trailer CGWV hit a certain weight, you start to need a different class of driver licence credential
if trailer and truck are RATED over "X" lbs, and your hauling LESS< it STILL does NOT matter, you still need to have certain classification on your drivers license
and this would cause our rules to roll over when traveling into other states, even if other states have different rules!
we would be stuck by PA"s regs on things and fined accordingly
and this is a crazy topic, here too,a s if you ask one DOT worker and then another, most times you will get two totally different answers
pretty much ANY 3/4 ton truck towing anything over 9999 lbs, the added drivers lic upgrade to commercial lic is required here, yet almost NO one does it, DOT and police tend to TARGET trucks that have business advertising on there vehicles and will stop them 100% more often than a like vehicle/trailer with NO advertising on it!
sorry if unneeded info here, but thought I would share the last part at least, due to, I think NOT having numbers displayed will increase your risk of being stopped and hassled, and pending HOW smart or NOT the ?? who is that stops you, you may get a fine (even if not a valid fine)
Cop's are NOT lawyers, its NOT uncommon for one to write a ticket and be WRONG in doing so! yet burden falls on YOU who got it! to prove its wrong!
Just saying!
you can TRY emailing DOT there and asking and then printing out the answer to have on hand if stopped that shows you DON"T need to display numbers
can maybe speed things up and save a hassle later on![/QUOTE]
BUT here in PA, things go by weight, once your truck/trailer CGWV hit a certain weight, you start to need a different class of driver licence credential
if trailer and truck are RATED over "X" lbs, and your hauling LESS< it STILL does NOT matter, you still need to have certain classification on your drivers license
and this would cause our rules to roll over when traveling into other states, even if other states have different rules!
we would be stuck by PA"s regs on things and fined accordingly
and this is a crazy topic, here too,a s if you ask one DOT worker and then another, most times you will get two totally different answers
pretty much ANY 3/4 ton truck towing anything over 9999 lbs, the added drivers lic upgrade to commercial lic is required here, yet almost NO one does it, DOT and police tend to TARGET trucks that have business advertising on there vehicles and will stop them 100% more often than a like vehicle/trailer with NO advertising on it!
sorry if unneeded info here, but thought I would share the last part at least, due to, I think NOT having numbers displayed will increase your risk of being stopped and hassled, and pending HOW smart or NOT the ?? who is that stops you, you may get a fine (even if not a valid fine)
Cop's are NOT lawyers, its NOT uncommon for one to write a ticket and be WRONG in doing so! yet burden falls on YOU who got it! to prove its wrong!
Just saying!
you can TRY emailing DOT there and asking and then printing out the answer to have on hand if stopped that shows you DON"T need to display numbers
can maybe speed things up and save a hassle later on![/QUOTE]
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that;'s why I said, maybe email DOTY and ask the question and get a answer from them, HOPEFULLY saying its FINE as is NO need to display #'s
and then print it out and take with you to show anyone that stops you
just make sure they have NAME on things of WHO at DOT answers things, and not a general info deal!
maybe never need it, but I would carry it
here in PA
they STOPPED issuing sticker /tags for licenplates, yet MOST all sates surrounding us require a current sticker on the plate
I NOW carry a letter from DOT stating, we DON"T get new stickers, so my expired one on playte now doesn't lead me to being stopped out of state and if so, I have PROOF as to why I have an expired tag sticker on things
sucks you have to do things above and beyond what we should, but laws and fine print ca be tricky and most COPS< , again are NOT lawyers they go by many times what they THINK is right and be wrong more often than you might think
and I am NOT bashing cops at all
I support them, they have to make far too many hard calls daily at times and get little for doing so but grief most times ! LOL and like all workers, some are just WAY better to deal with than others too!
all cops ain't created equal LOL
and then print it out and take with you to show anyone that stops you
just make sure they have NAME on things of WHO at DOT answers things, and not a general info deal!
maybe never need it, but I would carry it
here in PA
they STOPPED issuing sticker /tags for licenplates, yet MOST all sates surrounding us require a current sticker on the plate
I NOW carry a letter from DOT stating, we DON"T get new stickers, so my expired one on playte now doesn't lead me to being stopped out of state and if so, I have PROOF as to why I have an expired tag sticker on things
sucks you have to do things above and beyond what we should, but laws and fine print ca be tricky and most COPS< , again are NOT lawyers they go by many times what they THINK is right and be wrong more often than you might think
and I am NOT bashing cops at all
I support them, they have to make far too many hard calls daily at times and get little for doing so but grief most times ! LOL and like all workers, some are just WAY better to deal with than others too!
all cops ain't created equal LOL
oldguy
Member
I think getting a DOT number and putting on your truck is a big mistake. Once you get a DOT number within a year or so the DOT are required to stop by your business or in your case your home and do a new entrant safety review. In your case you will be telling you got the DOT number so you can drive your truck for personal use. That will sound a bit suspect.
Next your tooling along the freeway sporting your newly minted DOT number when a DOT commercial enforcement officer runs your DOT number. He notices you are a new entrant. He decides to pull you over to check for your current DOT physical card, your log book and makes sure your drivers license is rated for what your pulling. Now you have to explain your exempt because you are driving a commercial vehicle for what the trucking industry calls personal conveyance, non revenue miles.
I am not sure that you would be better off with the DOT number on your truck, you could get pulled over either way and not having the DOT number is much less hassle.
Next your tooling along the freeway sporting your newly minted DOT number when a DOT commercial enforcement officer runs your DOT number. He notices you are a new entrant. He decides to pull you over to check for your current DOT physical card, your log book and makes sure your drivers license is rated for what your pulling. Now you have to explain your exempt because you are driving a commercial vehicle for what the trucking industry calls personal conveyance, non revenue miles.
I am not sure that you would be better off with the DOT number on your truck, you could get pulled over either way and not having the DOT number is much less hassle.
Any Vehicle used for Personal Recreational use is exempt. Racers are not exempt from DOT Regs.
Simple test is if your spending Money you are exempt, If you are making Money or have a chance of making Money.
DOT#, Name on Vehicle, Safety EQ, Log Book 10-26k. everything over 26k.
Magnetic Placards work if use your Truck occasionally for Business.
Simple test is if your spending Money you are exempt, If you are making Money or have a chance of making Money.
DOT#, Name on Vehicle, Safety EQ, Log Book 10-26k. everything over 26k.
Magnetic Placards work if use your Truck occasionally for Business.
Thanks to everyone, I am going to try e-mailing as suggested and carry the printed response stating that using the vehicle for personal use does not require DOT tags, Unfortunately the truck is decaled so I cannot remove name, The truck is my daily driver in the winter once I put my mustang in storage, and it is the only vehicle I have to pull my trailer. I think I will be safe but just wanted to be sure. Thank you once again for your responses, I appreciate it!
srt20
Active member
I have had a DOT number for many years and never had anyone ever come to me from DOT or anyone else.
I do get ALL KINDS of telemarkers, emails, etc from whoever the DOT sold my name, number, and email to....
oldguy
Member
SRT20
I guess you have been lucky so far. My brother in law’s transport company , my other brother in law’s pallet company and my company has had a DOT new entrant review.
Maybe you have had it so long you missed out on the new reviews. I do not believe we had one either. Been close to twenty years ago that we got one.
My Dad always had a decal that said Private - Not For Hire on his enclosed gooseneck. He was just going to tractor shows all over the country, but he had been stopped several times (twice in Iowa). That’s why he added the stickers. I don’t recall him ever having trouble after that.