Vehicle Industry Registration Procedures Manual

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Section 14 of 38

Chapter 13: Commercial Vehicles

13.150 Weight Exceptions

A weight certificate is not required or may be waived for:

  • New commercial vehicles weighing 8,000 pounds or less, which are sold by California-licensed dealers. The dealer must certify to the unladen weight on the Application For Registration Of New Vehicle (REG 397) form.
  • Trailers or semi-trailers registered under the Permanent Trailer Identification (PTI) program. The estimated unladen weight is required.
  • Two-or three-axle motor vehicles weighing 10,001 pounds or more. The estimated unladen weight is required.
  • Vehicles previously registered in California when the prior California commercial registration shows the unladen weight and number of axles and the application includes a REG 256 stating no changes or alterations have been made to the vehicle.
  • Nonresident commercial vehicles with an unladen weight of 6,000 pounds or less, if the nonresident title or registration shows the empty, unladen, shipping, scale, tare, or WT/Wheels weight.

“Weight” as shown on the Texas title is the empty weight. “Weight with wheels” (Wt/Wheels) as shown on the New Mexico title and vehicle registration is the empty or unladen weight.