13.160 Weight Fee Exemptions

The following commercially-designed vehicles are exempt from weight fees:

• Three-axle motor vehicles weighing less than 2,000 pounds unladen (VC §9400c).
• Agricultural water-well boring rigs (VC §9405).
• Vehicles operated in accordance with a permit issued by DMV.
• Nonresident vehicles operated in accordance with reciprocity agreements.
• Forklift trucks that are moved unladen over the highways (VC §9409).
• Commercial-type motor vehicles manufactured in 1936 or prior (VC §9401(a)). A weight fee is due if commercial plates are requested for the vehicle (VC §9401(b)).
• Vehicles operated or moved over the highway exclusively for the purpose of historical exhibition or other similar noncommercial purpose (VC §9400).
• One commercial vehicle with an unladen weight of 8,000 pounds or less which is registered to a disabled person and displays Disabled Person (DP) License Plates (VC §9410).

The following vehicles are exempt from weight fees and are issued passenger license plates (VC §9107). A Statement of Facts (REG 256) form describing the use of the vehicle must be included with applications for original registration and renewal.

• Vanpool vehicles as defined in VC §668.
• Vehicles operated by a passenger stage corporation as defined in the California Public Utilities Code (CPUC) §226, when all of the following conditions exist:
  • The vehicle is operated exclusively on any line(s) having a one-way route mileage not exceeding 15 miles in either urban or suburban areas or between cities in close proximity or between nonadjacent urban or suburban areas or cities.
  • The area between which is substantially residential, commercial, or industrial as distinguished from rural.
  • The principal business of the corporation is the operation of vehicles on a route or routes as defined in the previous bullets.

• Vehicles operated exclusively on any line or lines within the limits of a single city by a person engaged as a common carrier of passengers between a fixed terminus or over a regular route, 98 percent of whose operations are exclusively within the limits of a single city, and who by reason thereof is not a passenger stage corporation subject to the jurisdiction of the PUC.
• Vehicles purchased with federal funds, under the authority of Section 1612 of Title 49 of the United States Code (USC) or Chapter 35 (commencing with §3001) of Title 42 of the USC, for the purpose of providing specialized transportation services to senior citizens and handicapped persons by public and private nonprofit operators of specialized transportation service agencies.