Towing laws and enforcement in the southeast

[newbury]

Are you looking at new or used F-150s? My 2017 is rated over 11K and I believe all the current ones are rated over 10K except the non-turbo V6 and the "hot rod" high horsepower versions.

used
Pre-Owned 2021 Ford F-150 XLT Truck V8, looked up the rating by VIN.

 

[newbury]

DMV Law Enforcement may be contacted by phone at (804) 367-1678 and (804) 367-1997, by email at enforcement@dmv.virginia.gov, or by submitting a completed DMV Law Enforcement Investigation Request (LE-22). The fastest and easiest way to have your request reviewed is by submitting it online..

That seems to be the phone# and email I tried in 2019.

 

[KennyG]

used
Pre-Owned 2021 Ford F-150 XLT Truck V8, looked up the rating by VIN.

The one you are looking at must not have the tow package or be a 2WD short bed. Per this page, it would have up to a 13K tow capacity in some configurations.

https://www.ford.com/cmslibs/conten...eneral/pdf/guides/21Towing_Ford_F150_Dec3.pdf

 

[newbury]

looked up the rating by VIN.
What can I say.

 

[Alan W.]

In KY if you have an enforcement question you would call the scales where the officers work out of. Calling the main office only connects you with office staff who will tell you to call the scales in your area.
Have a family member that is a supervisor at one of the scales and he says to call them for questions.

 

[Topzide]

The reason it's an issue is that the towing GVWR is lower than the GVWR of the trailer. They go by what max of trailer vs. what you have loaded, as long as not overloaded. In my crazy state of MD, they jump from 5k to 10k for registrations on trailers! For my 7k, I have to have 10k registration or be overloaded! They also had my 3500 RAM DRW tagged at 7k. The truck is 8250# off the line! It's when you cross a state line when things get sticky!

 

[D&D]

The reason it's an issue is that the towing GVWR is lower than the GVWR of the trailer. They go by what max of trailer vs. what you have loaded, as long as not overloaded. In my crazy state of MD, they jump from 5k to 10k for registrations on trailers! For my 7k, I have to have 10k registration or be overloaded! They also had my 3500 RAM DRW tagged at 7k. The truck is 8250# off the line! It's when you cross a state line when things get sticky!

Not exactly how it works. Two different classes for truck, my 3500 is tagged for up to 40000. MVA Fee Listing - Pages

Trucks
E	Trucks (3,500 lbs or less GVW)	$123.75
E	Trucks (3,501 – 5,000 lbs GVW)	$133.75
E	Trucks (5,001 - 7,000 lbs GVW)	$148.75
E	Construction Vehicle (below 10,000 lbs GVW)	$123.75
Trailers
G	Trailer (3,000 lbs. or less)	$45.50*
G	Trailer (3,001 - 5,000 lbs.)	$71.00*
G	Trailer (5,001 - 10,000 lbs.)	$100.00*
G	Trailer (10,001 - 20,000 lbs.)	$144.00*
G	Freight trailer or semi-trailer	$58.25*
Class E Trucks (GVW or GCW in lbs. - Fee is shown per 1,000 lbs. A registration increase of $45.00 and an additional $40.00 surcharge per year for the EMS system will be added.)
E	10,000 - 18,000 lbs.	$9.00
E	18,001 - 26,000 lbs.	$11.75
E	26,001 - 40,000 lbs.	$12.75
E	40,001 - 60,000 lbs.	$14.75
E	60,001 - 80,000 lbs.	$16.00

 

[LittleBittyBigJohn]

All this licensing mumbo jumbo is crazy to me. Firstly because Arkansas is all I have ever known and we must have super lax laws that I'm just spoiled to. Secondly, I don't understand the benefit of the rules being so convoluted that it almost requires tribal knowledge from a guy at the scales to know the legalities of how to register and how much weight you can haul. It seems like there should be an easy to understand from where you by the dang tags so you know what to get if they are going to be that detailed.

And lastly, I've become rather disgruntled at the general breadth of involvement of our government. It would seem to me that I pay taxes on the road to be built, built well enough for fully laden big trucks I might add. I also pay for and pay taxes on a vehicle with a sticker from the manufacturer of the safe hauling weight - which by the way, was regulated by the government on how to calculate that weight. I also pay for a trailer with the same sticker calculated with the same rules. Then why in the heck should I then have to pay an additional tax for a registration that will only allow a certain percentage usage of all the equipment I just bought and paid taxes on to use on the road that I also paid taxes to build and continue to pay taxes for use of the road every time I buy fuel. I even pay that same usage tax for my dang lawnmower gas!

Then after all that to still not be sure if what you are hauling is legal even if you are inside all the ratings. Heck you might even need a CDL, which now you are required to complete a school to get the opportunity to even test for.

 

[lostcause]

so many variations by location. in my corner of the world, my trailers don't register for any specific weight, just number of axles. The tow vehicle carries that burden for both tow vehicle and trailer. i currently have a half ton / 1500 series, assume +/- 7k weight with me, fuel, gear, give or take. truck rated tow capacity is 9300lbs if i remember correctly, so i register for 16k. rare chance i ever haul past 14k total, but went the extra 2k just for good measure. if i were to get weighed, who knows where each axle would come in, but i'm willing to gamble. you really need to look suspicious to get the scales called in on a standard pickup towing a trailer, but i can guarantee it has happened...

Many people / businesses from other states register their trailers here due to the low cost. there are a handful of privately run statutory agents here that you can register through. also allows you to register for longer terms. i usually do 5 years at a pop, but you can do more.

 

[4570Man]

The one and only time I got stopped by the highway patrol their only concern was axle weights. He didn’t even mention towing capacity although my equipment was within spec. If you can keep every axle at rated capacity which might be hard with the limited payload of an F-150 the chances of getting a ticket are pretty slim.