How to immediatEly register your bus as an RV without conversion:

[Ace Wilder]

Originally Posted by Zork

So does VT. Just have any local police officer come over, look at the bus' VIN tag and sign the verification. I thought about trading them for donuts but instead I gave them some of my homemade hot sauce and they loved it.

Noice maneuver!

[Zork]

Originally Posted by Ace Wilder

Noice maneuver!

The other officers gave me a 9.5 out of 10.

[HamSkoolie]

Because we had full chain of ownership paperwork and the "pandemic" we did not have to do a VIN verification when we submitted our VT paperwork and it came back good to go.

[Zork]

Originally Posted by HamSkoolie

Because we had full chain of ownership paperwork and the "pandemic" we did not have to do a VIN verification when we submitted our VT paperwork and it came back good to go.

That is correct, if they accept it. But most people don't have full chain to day one and are required to do the verification. The thing is, people can do the verification anyway and send it in or take a risk of having it sent back and wasting a few weeks. That's why it's better to do the verification from the gitgo. Trying to argue that you didn't have to do it won't get anyone anywhere with them...

[Tcbitt_PNW]

i went thru the process, got my transferrable title from Vermont easily.
Then went to the DOL here in WA state, and they told me I needed the bus weighed, (weight is on the orig title, but she said it has to be the current exact weight with the conversion - Im in the middle of the conversion!) and to have the seller fill out/sign another form. Ended up leaving with no new title.
Might just try a different location and see what happens.
If anyone else is in WA state and has some advice, I'm all ears.

[HamSkoolie]

Originally Posted by Zork

That is correct, if they accept it. But most people don't have full chain to day one and are required to do the verification. The thing is, people can do the verification anyway and send it in or take a risk of having it sent back and wasting a few weeks. That's why it's better to do the verification from the gitgo. Trying to argue that you didn't have to do it won't get anyone anywhere with them...

You don't need chain from "day one", just from the last titled owner.
In our case The title was in the name of a bus company that was purchased by First Student.
We had the title, signed by First student
We had the court document showing that First Student bought to company in which the bus was titled.
We had the Bill of Sale from First Student to the guy we bought it from
We had the Bill of Sale from that guy to us.

[john61ct]

Originally Posted by Tcbitt_PNW

i went thru the process, got my transferrable title from Vermont easily.
Then went to the DOL here in WA state, and they told me I needed the bus weighed, (weight is on the orig title, but she said it has to be the current exact weight with the conversion - Im in the middle of the conversion!)

Why not just keep it with VT until complete?

You have a valid title already

[Tcbitt_PNW]

Originally Posted by john61ct

Why not just keep it with VT until complete?

You have a valid title already

Yeah, valid point I guess. I think I just wanted it to be all tidied up asap to ease my anxiety about the whole process.
But you're right, I could just leave it as VT registration/title, complete the conversion, then get it weighed and head back.

[zack&dad]

Do you need a NM address to register a bus converted to a motorhome?
I am also from Canada. I have a US social security number but no NM domicile as I plan to live in the bus for the months that I am down there.
I have a British Columbia DL, Canadian Passport and all that stuff but I need a starting point to acquire documents legally.

[zack&dad]

I forgot to say that mu bus is titled in Texas and professionally converted in Texas as well.

[john61ct]

Just sign up with Escapees TX and use their provided address to "garage" it there,for insurance or rego purposes.

But this thread is for the VT option, please start a new one for your case

[Daley]

Hi folks,

I just got my plates and registration back from Vermont and am a little concerned.

I filled in all the paperwork as the original post in here suggests.

They sent back plates and registration and a stamped copy of my application, however, despite me filling in Motorhome on the vehicle type, they have put it down as ' Passenger Vehicle or School bus' and on the registration card it says Body type 'BU' and Brake type 'H'.

Am I overthinking this? Will the title come back as 'Motorhome' as per my whole reason for taking this route and the body type is listed as 'BU' because that is what it is?

If not, and it is still registered as a bus, any ideas on how to change it now it is registered that way in Vermont?

[Daley]

Ok looks like I found my answer here in the Vermont DMV motorhome questions section.

https://dmv.vermont.gov/faq#t387n2367

Vermont Law 32 VSA §8902(11) defines a “Motor Home,” it states:

“means a new or used pleasure car designed to provide temporary living quarters, built into the integral part of, or permanently attached to, a self-propelled motor vehicle chassis or van. The vehicle must contain at least four of the following facilities; cooking, refrigeration or icebox, self-contained toilet, heating and/or air conditioning, a portable water supply system including a sink and faucet, separate 110-125 volt electrical power supply, and/or an LP gas supply.”

[HamSkoolie]

Originally Posted by Daley

Hi folks,

I just got my plates and registration back from Vermont and am a little concerned.

I filled in all the paperwork as the original post in here suggests.

They sent back plates and registration and a stamped copy of my application, however, despite me filling in Motorhome on the vehicle type, they have put it down as ' Passenger Vehicle or School bus' and on the registration card it says Body type 'BU' and Brake type 'H'.

Am I overthinking this? Will the title come back as 'Motorhome' as per my whole reason for taking this route and the body type is listed as 'BU' because that is what it is?

If not, and it is still registered as a bus, any ideas on how to change it now it is registered that way in Vermont?

YOU NEED TO CALL THEM
You are still a BUS per the paperwork. Others have had this issue and been able to get it corrected after a phone call and perhaps a bit of correspondence.

[Daley]

Yes I plan on calling them, it was already past 4.30 by the time I got to it so will call them in the morning, I sent an email.

Hopefully it won't take much to resolve, I can send them pictures of the four things they need.

[HamSkoolie]

We have a youtube video up with step by step, block by block instructions on how to fill out the paperwork (as of 11 months ago) and had no problem with getting our docs and plates.
It's also on our dot com page.
You would think it would be getting better as the Wuhan virus scheme wanes but maybe they're still training people.

[Daley]

I did exactly as you have laid out on your site, and as per original post here.


Here is a direct quote from Vermont DMV website regarding motorhomes.


How do I Title & Register a converted school bus to a motor home in Vermont?

There is a lot of confusion regarding the titles and registration of Skoolie, Shuttle, and Box Van Conversions. The laws vary from state to state, in order to convert an old school bus into an RV/Motor Home you must meet the following requirement:

Vermont Law 32 VSA §8902(11) defines a “Motor Home,” it states:

“means a new or used pleasure car designed to provide temporary living quarters, built into the integral part of, or permanently attached to, a self-propelled motor vehicle chassis or van. The vehicle must contain at least four of the following facilities; cooking, refrigeration or icebox, self-contained toilet, heating and/or air conditioning, a portable water supply system including a sink and faucet, separate 110-125 volt electrical power supply, and/or an LP gas supply.”

If it does not have four of these items the use of the vehicle cannot be changed from a bus/school bus to an RV. Just taking out a “few seats” and adding “some beds” does not in itself change the purpose of the vehicle. You would still need to install at least four more of the above items. If you fail to do that the vehicle’s purpose would remain a school bus which would require the operator to have the appropriate license and endorsements.

Additionally; the vehicle must be painted a color different than school bus yellow and the eight-way light system must be removed.

[Oldyeller]

Originally Posted by Daley

Hi folks,

I just got my plates and registration back from Vermont and am a little concerned.

I filled in all the paperwork as the original post in here suggests.

They sent back plates and registration and a stamped copy of my application, however, despite me filling in Motorhome on the vehicle type, they have put it down as ' Passenger Vehicle or School bus' and on the registration card it says Body type 'BU' and Brake type 'H'.

Am I overthinking this? Will the title come back as 'Motorhome' as per my whole reason for taking this route and the body type is listed as 'BU' because that is what it is?

If not, and it is still registered as a bus, any ideas on how to change it now it is registered that way in Vermont?

On the form I submitted applying for the registration I filled in MH for motorhome in section 5 and that's the way it got registered. I remember sweating it out, wondering if the registration would actual show it as motorhome which was what I wanted.

[Daley]

Yes that is exactly what I did and it came back with bus still on it. I am not too worried but definitely want it changing. I will call tomorrow and keep you all posted.

[Oldyeller]

Originally Posted by Daley

Yes that is exactly what I did and it came back with bus still on it. I am not too worried but definitely want it changing. I will call tomorrow and keep you all posted.

It's possible that different DMV folks make for different strokes on individual applications. I know on my form, when I got it back, someone at the DMV hand made changes to what I typed on the form I submitted. Nothing substantive, just small changes.