Looking For: Someone who registered their coach as an RV in FL

[Luckystrike]

Hello,
I'm looking for someone.. anyone.. who has personally registered their coach bus as an RV recently in Florida, and wanted to know the DMV you used. I have all the appropriate documents (listed below) but when i went to the DMV their was alot of questions, calls to Tallahassee, more questions, more calls, and ultimately was told the registration i have (which was listed as body:BU chassis:BS) on my bus, would not be changed to an RV nor would they change it to a Private motor coach (which would be the more appropriate definition). I pressed them about this, and showed the TL-13 05 process, and he said again that they would not change the registration.

Im hoping to go to a DMV, and even possibly use the same clerk to limit questions and calls and hopefully end up with the registration being changed to a RV or private motor coach with the least amount of hassle.

I have filled out, printed, and provided the following:
TL-13 certificate of change affidavit
TL-13-05 rv change of registration process
Title
Bill of Sale
Vin Verification Form
Proof of insurance - (Thanks to Kelly!)

If this doesn't go well i will try the VT process, but hoping to avoid that if possible.

Threads i have referenced for this process:
http://www.skoolie.net/forums/f18/fl...ons-25855.html

http://www.skoolie.net/forums/f18/fl...sion-8975.html

http://www.skoolie.net/forums/f18/gr...ses-25029.html

http://www.skoolie.net/forums/f18/fl...ons-21010.html

[Luckystrike]

After looking through the threads again, I found a Florida DHSMV change of body type form #82100, which will require a weight slip, and a signature but hopefully that will be the ticket I need to get the body type swapped over to an RV - private motor coach. I will post updates as things progress.

https://www.flhsmv.gov/pdf/forms/82100.pdf

[Luckystrike]

Another day another visit another road block. According to the DMV body types can't be changed unless you go to a regional office and have the vehicle inspected. She gave me another form that is suspiciously similar to the TL-13 document .. which isn't suppose to require an inspection ..

If anyone has converted a title in FL can you post the DMV you used ?

[john61ct]

Seems easier to just go the VT route, then just "import" it into the FL system

[Luckystrike]

UPDATE:

TLDR:
I went to a different tax office, with TL-13 in hand, and all other associated papers, came out the with my coach bus tagged, titled, and registered as a motor home in 30 minutes. I couldn't be happier at this point.

Long version just for future searches:
After two separate visits to my local dmv - I was advised to go to a regional office to have the vehicle registered from a chassis (bu) and body (bs) to a motor home / private motor coach because only regional offices are allowed to make that change. There are 10 or 11 regional offices in FL. Also, my out of state title specifically stated the chassis and body were BU, and BS, and they said it was not possible to change these items and multiple calls to Tallahassee confirmed this. I needed to go to a regional office to have my vehicle inspected.

OK - so I went to regional office. Essentially I was immediately escorted out and told I'm in the wrong office, no inspection was ever needed, and I needed to go to any tax office and submit this form ( a TL-13 - stating one of the three items have been added - plumbing, electric, gas ) and I'm all set. I left with the guys number and name and with the sinking feeling of ill be back.

Sigh - ok ill try a third time at the closest dmv to the regional office. Walk in meet with the lady behind the counter, plaster her with all my papers, and she opens with oh I've never done this before. I sit expecting to be told again to go to a regional office but I was pleasantly surprised when within 30 minutes I had my plate, title, and registration in hand, and body type listed as MH.

[o1marc]

Originally Posted by Luckystrike

UPDATE:

TLDR:
I went to a different tax office, with TL-13 in hand, and all other associated papers, came out the with my coach bus tagged, titled, and registered as a motor home in 30 minutes. I couldn't be happier at this point.

Long version just for future searches:
After two separate visits to my local dmv - I was advised to go to a regional office to have the vehicle registered from a chassis (bu) and body (bs) to a motor home / private motor coach because only regional offices are allowed to make that change. There are 10 or 11 regional offices in FL. Also, my out of state title specifically stated the chassis and body were BU, and BS, and they said it was not possible to change these items and multiple calls to Tallahassee confirmed this. I needed to go to a regional office to have my vehicle inspected.

OK - so I went to regional office. Essentially I was immediately escorted out and told I'm in the wrong office, no inspection was ever needed, and I needed to go to any tax office and submit this form ( a TL-13 - stating one of the three items have been added - plumbing, electric, gas ) and I'm all set. I left with the guys number and name and with the sinking feeling of ill be back.

Sigh - ok ill try a third time at the closest dmv to the regional office. Walk in meet with the lady behind the counter, plaster her with all my papers, and she opens with oh I've never done this before. I sit expecting to be told again to go to a regional office but I was pleasantly surprised when within 30 minutes I had my plate, title, and registration in hand, and body type listed as MH.

Has your bus been converted yet? I just got off the phone with my insurance agent talking about the the RV conversions. He said they, like DMV, will believe the customers declaration of what it is and write a policy. In the event of a claim and they find the conversion was not completed they will deny the claim

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by Luckystrike

Another day another visit another road block. According to the DMV body types can't be changed unless you go to a regional office and have the vehicle inspected. She gave me another form that is suspiciously similar to the TL-13 document .. which isn't suppose to require an inspection ..

If anyone has converted a title in FL can you post the DMV you used ?

I've "converted" 3 buses at the Lake County tax collectors office.
Just did one last week. No inspection.
All I have to tell em is TL-13

[Luckystrike]

Has your bus been converted yet? I just got off the phone with my insurance agent talking about the the RV conversions. He said they, like DMV, will believe the customers declaration of what it is and write a policy. In the event of a claim and they find the conversion was not completed they will deny the claim

I'm currently working on the conversion. The TL-13 only asks you to have one item out of three, plumbing, 110v electric, or an LP gas system. The gentleman at the regional office said if you get pulled over and you havent done what is stated in certification affidavit then you get a double whammy. Every day my conversion gets closer to being inline with an rv, and 110v electric is as easy as a wired outlet from an inverter off a 12v house battery. As long as your not commercially transporting people, i.e. the seats are gone, and you meet your certification affidavit - i think you've done what you can - and "sworn" to. If you don't feel comfortable with that, i think you can have a candid talk with an insurance agent about what you are doing, where you are in the conversion process, and the best way to proceed.

[Luckystrike]

Originally Posted by EastCoastCB

I've "converted" 3 buses at the Lake County tax collectors office.
Just did one last week. No inspection.
All I have to tell em is TL-13

I went to another DMV and it was squared away in short order with a TL-13

I thought since my bus is a coach and had the chassis and body shown as a bus, along with information given to me by my local dmv - it wasnt going to be possible using "just" a TL-13. But the second DMV changed it on the first try.

There is no difference between a coach bus and school bus as far as i can tell with registering the vehicle as a RV. This is something i thought was an issue and causing me problems.

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by Luckystrike

I'm currently working on the conversion. The TL-13 only asks you to have one item out of three, plumbing, 110v electric, or an LP gas system. The gentleman at the regional office said if you get pulled over and you havent done what is stated in certification affidavit then you get a double whammy. Every day my conversion gets closer to being inline with an rv, and 110v electric is as easy as a wired outlet and from an inverter off a 12v house battery. As long as your not commercially transporting people, i.e. the seats are gone, and you meet your certification affidavit - i think you've done what you can - and "sworn" to. If you don't feel comfortable with that, i think you can have a candid talk with an insurance agent about what you are doing, where you are in the conversion process, and the best way to proceed.

I'm legal and my ins agent is satisfied. She goes to skoolie events.

[john61ct]

I thought coach is just UK / commonwealth vocabulary for bus.

Why would it be handled differently from a school bus?

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by john61ct

I thought coach is just UK / commonwealth vocabulary for bus.

Why would it be handled differently from a school bus?

I shouldn't be, the clerks at the tag office simply don't know how this all works and its a pretty uncommon procedure.

[PNW_Steve]

Originally Posted by john61ct

I thought coach is just UK / commonwealth vocabulary for bus.

Why would it be handled differently from a school bus?

Generally coach refers to an different class of bus. Typical examples are MCI, Eagle, Prevost or Vanhool.

[john61ct]

Yes, but should not be a separate class of vehicle for purpose of this thread topic.

[Luckystrike]

Originally Posted by john61ct

Yes, but should not be a separate class of vehicle for purpose of this thread topic.

since I was having trouble registering my bus, and at the time I thought it pertained specifically to the coach aspect of my bus & how the title is worded, is why I made a thread asking about coaches. This didn't turn out to be the case though.

[PNW_Steve]

Originally Posted by john61ct

Yes, but should not be a separate class of vehicle for purpose of this thread topic.

It's pretty much up to the states licensing authority to determine vehicle classes.

Here in WA, a 1997 Chevy is in a different class than a 1957 Chevy. They are both 2 door Chevy passenger vehicles.

A school bus is constructed and used in a fairly different manner than a coach.

[2po2watch]

Looks like this is a “right place, right person” situation. I had a similar experience when I bought an antique truck with no available title. Easy peasy, get a bonded title, right? So I go to the insurance office and the lady says head over to the tag office and make sure there are no liens on the vehicle. I get there and walk up to the counter and explain the situation. This lady flat refuses to help in any way. She says what I am trying to do is illegal and basically threatens me. I’m standing there with my mouth hanging open when another woman comes over and asks if there’s a problem. I explain it all again. She says come right with me and prints out the entire title history of the truck and hands it over. When I get back to the insurance place, the agent is just like “Wow!”