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

[Brewerbob]

Originally Posted by DamnitAddie

Also for loaded weight, should I put the GVWR? The bus (unconverted, without seats or vinyl floor) weighs 19200, GVWR is 36200.

26,000 or less would be good. Some states require a non-commercial Class B over 26,000.

[Georgia the bus]

Vermont sent back our title and a small piece of paper saying our bus has to be 15 years old or newer to get RV registration. Also did not send back our check or bill of sale. We followed the instructions and did exactly what was posted here but it didn't work. Dose anyone know about this or know what we can do?

[Robin97396]

Go to another DMV in a nearby town and try again.

I thought VT was supposed to be the easy state for registration and licensing. Maybe they're cracking down on out of state registrations. You were unable to register it it GA?

[Georgia the bus]

We are not in GA it's just the name of of our bus. Do you know if GA is a easy state to register in? I heard South Dakota is an easier state as wel. Thanks for the reply.

[Robin97396]

Someone from the east coast should chime in. I'm in Oregon. It's pretty straight forward over here.

There's usually more responses during the day, but lately it's been quieter than normal. Must be the weather.

Good luck. You'll get done. You should have more responses by tomorrow.

[Georgia the bus]

We we're completely wrong! We just got our plates in the mail today! Sticker's coming soon! Apparently we didn't need to send our title due to it being older than 15 years . Thank you all for your help!

[45acp]

Originally Posted by Georgia the bus

We we're completely wrong! We just got our plates in the mail today! Sticker's coming soon! Apparently we didn't need to send our title due to it being older than 15 years . Thank you all for your help!

That is great. I think I will try this.

[TwoShoes]

Hi all.. I live in Central Florida looking to convert a bus that I have not bought yet as I was looking for a place to get insurance to drive the bus I want home..

OK so getting insurance on a bus to drive it from the place you purchased to the place to be converted has to be insured but no one in the state of Florida or any state that I've called will insure a "bus" unless I get commercial insurance where I would have to pay for the 1st year total of $35,000 (needing only for 1 day or 60 miles from point A to point B) once converted I can get the title re-titled to a motor home but to have this done I have to show proof of insurance... I'm not spending $35,000 for 1 day's worth of driving..

Progressive: no insurance
Geico: no insurance
All local Insurance companies : no insurance
Called the states insurance and title: no insurance
MBA: no insurance
aisinsurance: no insurance

How do you get insurance to drive it from point A to point B and then have insurance for the re-title?
If I missed the response to the answer in this forum my apologies.. I missed it..

Please.. Any and all help is appreciated I know the bus I want wont be there long.. Thanks

[Brewerbob]

You may have already sunk yourself. Insurance companies record phone calls and keep notes.

I did the same as you. Even had a VIN for a quote. I didn't buy that bus, just wanted a quote of what it would cost. At the end of the call I mentioned turning it into an RV. Mistake 1. Unbeknownst to me.

When I finally bought a bus, I called back (Progressive) and gave the VIN and mentioned RV. No insurance, we don't do RV conversions. I got a quote before. Well, we aren't insuring it now. Fine whatever. Mistake 2.

Called everyone listed damn near in the phone book. No one would insure it. Called back Progressive. Different operator. No mention of RV. Declined. We have a note that you mentioned RV 4 months ago. PHUCK!!


Finally got AIS to agree to insure it as a commercial vehicle for private use. You must specify private use. You must NOT mention RV conversion. $800 for 6 months. Fine I'll take it. The paperwork shows up a week later in the mail. It's from Progressive. If I didn't need insurance I would have canceled it then and there.

As for your $35,000, you might have to pay it up front. Yeah I wouldn't either but let me finish. Once paid and the bus is home, call back and tell them the bus is in storage. Mine went from $800 for 6 months to $80 for the year. If I need to drive it to Home Depot next Tues, I call them that morning, tell them I want road insurance again, do my thing, and then call them back that same night to put it back on storage rates. One day's driving insurance is about $3. Just don't forget to call them back. They won't let you insure it for x days and have it revert automatically. It was two weeks and $30 later when I remember to call them again.

If they ask you what you're doing with it, just answer with box truck answers. Using it to haul building materials to and from the dump/house for a project. Non-commercial project. You're building a shed in the back yard or something.

[Robin97396]

Go to an independent insurance agent. The mom and pop insurance agency that's frequently in a little old house as an office.

Tell them you want "a commercial policy for private use." Let them do the hunting. They'll likely come up with a policy from one of the insurance companies that just turned you down.

Do not call it a bus. Do not talk about converting it to a motorhome. For now it's a private vehicle for tailgating or whatever it is you like to do. Fishing trips, garage sales or any non-commercial type of use.

You apparently talked about your conversion plans. Don't go there. Keep your mouth shut unless they ask for information. Don't lie. Just don't tell everything.

[Brewerbob]

P.S. The All State lady says it makes a difference if you already have a policy with them as well. I mentioned everyone saying use company XYZ, I had zero problems. She flat out admitted that the companies will refuse new policies whereas current policy holders will get the nod. How that gets past or makes a difference to the stats guys I've no idea.

[Robin97396]

I think the insurance companies are afraid of what some people will do in their first year of driving a bus. It was hard getting to that first policy. There seemed to be scrutiny that went beyond the policy.

[TwoShoes]

Thank you both for your help. I have a burner phone I can use if they recorded my call and phone number as I also didn't give them my real name nor zip code .. I tried a few insurance companies and asked for a commercial policy for private use and they immediately asked is this a bus or school bus? Do I lie and say no?. I did mention it was a empty storage truck and they said they want a picture of it and the vin .... well that wont help as the vin will show "BUS"

[TwoShoes]

OK I'm just going to eat the storage fees and begged for a refund on the down payment... They agreed.. I found a dealership that will convert the title to "Motorhome" when I buy it...

It's nice to run across dealers that understand insurance companies suck..

[Robin97396]

Yeah, the photo might have given it away too. No, you can't lie. That won't go well for you.

It's pretty much a waste of time calling insurance companies directly. Use an INDEPENDENT INSURANCE AGENT. Answer all questions truthfully, but avoid adding information they did not ask for.

I'm titled as a van, but I still have to use the commercial policy for private use because of the size of the vehicle. At my location this policy is only about $40 more than insuring my Impala annually. In FL insurance rates seem to be considerably higher.

Stop calling the insurance companies directly. Find an independent insurance agent.

[PNW_Steve]

First off, do not lie to the insurance company. False information on an application will give them grounds to deny future claims.

When I picked up the buses that I am working on currently I simply contacted my insurance agent and asked "will my existing coverage extend to my new rig when I go to pick it up?"

My agent told me "yes, for two weeks".

I followed up with a confirming email so that I had it in writing.

I drove the buses home and pulled the seats out. Then I took pictures showing that it would not seat over 15 people and sent them to my agent. She insured them as commercial vehicles for personal use. Cost is about $360 a year for each bus.

[PNW_Steve]

Originally Posted by TwoShoes

OK I'm just going to eat the storage fees and begged for a refund on the down payment... They agreed.. I found a dealership that will convert the title to "Motorhome" when I buy it...

It's nice to run across dealers that understand insurance companies suck..

As far as I know, the insurance company won't care what the title says. They care what their VIN decoder tells them.

I bought my first bus in 1993 and my latest in 2016 and have never shown my title to my insurance company or been asked how it is titled.

[Twigg]

This is all a bit weird.

I went online to Progressive Commercial. Got a quote for the bus, by VIN# and specified 100 miles commercial use (the minimum on the web tool). Specified that it was for private use, not commercial and the $260 quote popped up.

You then have to call the number they give you. Took 10 minutes to confirm all the details and I was able to download an insurance card the next day.

When I talked to the guy on the phone he asked for details of my use. I told him I needed to drive the vehicle from the auction site home, then it was going to be off the road while I removed the seats and made improvements.

They never batted an eyelid.

[Brewerbob]

Originally Posted by Twigg

This is all a bit weird.

I went online to Progressive Commercial. Got a quote for the bus, by VIN# and specified 100 miles commercial use (the minimum on the web tool). Specified that it was for private use, not commercial and the $260 quote popped up.

...

They never batted an eyelid.

What size bus? I don't think the Progressive site was able to figure out my Blue Bird VIN (40 footer). Maybe it barfs over a certain length or GVWR (33,600).

[Twigg]

Originally Posted by Brewerbob

What size bus? I don't think the Progressive site was able to figure out my Blue Bird VIN (40 footer). Maybe it barfs over a certain length or GVWR (33,600).

Bus is a 40' Thomas Saf-T-Liner MVP RE, GCVW 33000 lbs