Community Forums

GT Griess · 06-07-2021, 07:57 PM

Do you need a special type of license to drive a type A motorhome?

barmcd · 06-07-2021, 07:58 PM

Depends on the state and the weight of your home. If over 26,000 lbs in Texas you do,

Old-Biscuit · 06-07-2021, 08:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by barmcd

Depends on the state and the weight of your home. If over 26,000 lbs in Texas you do,

^^^^^^^this

Where do you live?

Your local DMV would have that specific info

Some states even require a special license to tow 5th wheels over 15K GVWR (CA)
So it depends...........

theroc · 06-07-2021, 08:32 PM

To be more specific, it depends on state in which you RESIDE (the state where you call your domicile and in which you possess your driver's license). Some states will require a NON-commercial license (not a CDL) to operate a heavier motorhome (usually a diesel pusher but could be a heavier Class A gas-engined motorhome).

As long as you are licensed properly in the state you RESIDE, you are allowed to operate your motorhome in any state even if a state you are traveling through requires a special license for its RESIDENTS to operate a heavier vehicle (usually 26,001 lbs. GVWR or greater --GVWR is a weight "rating" and not necessarily the actual weight of the vehicle as you are driving it down the road).

So yes, what state do you call your RESIDENCE? They may or may not require a special non-commecial drivers license for a heavier Class A motorhome. If they don't require a special license, then you don't have to worry about acquiring anything other than what you have now to operate any recreational vehicle, i.e. any Class A gas or diesel, in the U.S.

Kid Gloves · 06-07-2021, 08:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by barmcd

Depends on the state and the weight of your home. If over 26,000 lbs in Texas you do,

I’m pretty sure my home weighs more than 26,000lbs, but it isn’t in Texas.

Please advise.

theroc · 06-07-2021, 08:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kid Gloves

I’m pretty sure my home weighs more than 26,000lbs, but it isn’t in Texas.

Please advise.

It's not how much your motorhome actually weighs, it is determined by its WEIGHT RATING or GVWR.

GVWR is a static figure and won't change. Its determined by the manufacturer.

First, what state do you consider your residence? Second, if you don't know the GVWR of your motorhome, give us the exact description ...year, make, model (floorplan, etc.) and maybe we can look up the GVWR for you but your documentation or the ID plate posted should list the GVWR.

Kid Gloves · 06-07-2021, 09:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theroc

It's not how much your motorhome actually weighs, it is determined by its WEIGHT RATING or GVWR.

GVWR is a static figure and won't change. Its determined by the manufacturer.

First, what state do you consider your residence? Second, if you don't know the GVWR of your motorhome, give us the exact description ...year, make, model (floorplan, etc.) and maybe we can look up the GVWR for you but your documentation or the ID plate posted should list the GVWR.

So, it’s not the weight of my home?

theroc · 06-07-2021, 10:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kid Gloves

So, it’s not the weight of my home?

No, not the "actual" weight but the WEIGHT RATING or the GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating).

You will have a GVWR "assigned" to your motorhome by the manufacturer. It is the weight that the vehicle should not exceed.

The actual weight of your motorhome will vary depending on the weight of the stuff you put into it for travel purposes ...the people, the food, the supplies, the holding tanks, fuel, etc., etc, etc. will vary. Therefore, the actual traveling weight of your motorhome will likely be less than the GVWR or you'll want to make absolutely sure that it's under the GVWR as it will be unsafe for you to operate it if you load it so it's over the GVWR.

But the GVWR will always be the same ...it's the maximum weight that the manufacturer has determined that the motorhome should not exceed.

Your state will use the GVWR to determine whether you need a special non-commercial license. That is if your state requires it at all. Some states do not require its residents to acquire a special non-commercial license to operate any recreational vehicle. Some states do.

ETA: For Kid Gloves (not for the OP as we do not yet know the home state of GT Griess) Your profile says you're in Michigan. If you are a resident of Michigan and have a MI driver's license, I believe you can operate any Class A motorhome regardless of weight rating without a special non-commercial license or additional endorsement unless you plan to tow two trailers behind your Class A motorhome (most Class A owners do not pull two trailers however) but check with you DMV to confirm requirements for sure.

GT Griess · 06-08-2021, 06:03 AM

Thanks I am in Nebraska and will check the weight and contact DMV.
2004 Winnebago Adventurer
Gt

neub · 06-08-2021, 06:22 AM

No special license needed in Nebraska for an rv regardless of it's weight.

Nwcid · 06-08-2021, 09:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theroc

It's not how much your motorhome actually weighs, it is determined by its WEIGHT RATING or GVWR.

GVWR is a static figure and won't change. Its determined by the manufacturer.

This also varies by state. In WA motorhomes do not have a GVRW listed on the title or registration. They go by scale weight.

In my case I would cry if they went by GVRW since mine would be at least 80,000 lbs

Kid Gloves · 06-08-2021, 10:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nwcid

This also varies by state. In WA motorhomes do not have a GVRW listed on the title or registration. They go by scale weight.

In my case I would cry if they went by GVRW since mine would be at least 80,000 lbs

That scale weight in WA, is the UVW provided by the manufacturer, correct? We bought ours from a private party in WA.

If I’m following along here, it’s either the GVWR (as opposed to GVRW) or the scale weight (UVW) of the coach, in states where applicable, that is used to determine license requirements, and has nothing to do with the weight of my home, as suggested previously.

Nwcid · 06-08-2021, 10:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kid Gloves

That scale weight in WA, is the UVW provided by the manufacturer, correct? We bought ours from a private party in WA.

If I’m following along here, it’s either the GVWR (as opposed to GVRW) or the scale weight (UVW) in states where applicable, that is used to determine license requirements, and has nothing to do with the weight of my home, as suggested previously.

Nope, the scale weight is the weight you get, going over a scale and taking that scale ticket into the DOL.

https://www.dol.wa.gov/vehicleregist...otorhomes.html
Scale Weight: Motor homes with a Washington record do not require a scale weight when transferring ownership. To title a motorhome that doesn't already have a Washington record, use the scale weight from the ownership document. If there is no scale weight listed, you may provide it on a Certificate of Fact, a factory invoice, or a weight slip from a certified scale.

In WA there is a flat fee for motorhome licensing so there is no GVWR. My motor home has 2x20,000lb rear axle and 13,200lb front axle

Again licensing rules vary by state.

Kid Gloves · 06-08-2021, 11:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nwcid

Nope, the scale weight is the weight you get, going over a scale and taking that scale ticket into the DOL.

https://www.dol.wa.gov/vehicleregist...otorhomes.html
Scale Weight: Motor homes with a Washington record do not require a scale weight when transferring ownership. To title a motorhome that doesn't already have a Washington record, use the scale weight from the ownership document. If there is no scale weight listed, you may provide it on a Certificate of Fact, a factory invoice, or a weight slip from a certified scale.

In WA there is a flat fee for motorhome licensing so there is no GVWR. My motor home has 2x20,000lb rear axle and 13,200lb front axle

Again licensing rules vary by state.

The information that you’ve included indicates that the “Scale Weight” could be derived from a source other than an actual weight slip from a certified scale. In our case, the scale weight on the previous owners title matched the UVW provided by the manufacturer, exactly.

Are you suggesting that every owner of a Class A coach in WA, needs to have a weight slip from a certified scale in order to register their vehicle? We did not register the coach in WA, so I am not familiar with the process.