Michigan registration - IL resdient

vikingalex · 06-12-2007, 04:34 PM

Hi everyone,

I have a 1991 Ford Thomas 67 passanger bus converted to run SVO. currently I'm registered with a J license but renewing that is going to cost me $728. I don't want to convert fully to an RV as I don't have the budget for that.

I keep the bus in SW Michigan, and it stays there pretty much all year. Basically, I was wondering if anyone here knows what I need to relicense in Michigan (I have an IL license and am an IL resident, but the bus is kept on a friend's property in MI) as i heard it's much cheaper.

I have the title, but do I need an MI license or can I just go to the nearest SOS office and tell them I want to relicense the bus. Also, what should I relicense it as? What proof of anything will I need?

Any help would be greatly appreciated, I am on a really limited budget here.

Thanks!
Alex

lapeer20m · 06-27-2007, 02:56 PM

i live in michigan and don't have an exact answer for ya, but i think you can have an il liscense and register a vehicle in michigan. My buddy had a mi liscense and registered his truck in ohio when he was in college.

i find people at the sos don't really havea clue about buses. it took me a while to register my first bus. for my 2nd bus, i just asked them to register the new bus just like the old one....that really sped up the process.

my bus is registered as a non-commercial bus. all it takes is a form from the sos to make it an official RV, no inspections or anything. You are required to have valid insurance to register a vehicle in michigan.

vikingalex · 07-09-2007, 03:33 PM

So the way I understand it is that I should be able to walk in to a Michigan state license facility with my proof of insurance and title and get a MI license plate as an RV.
Is that correct? Anyone else have any experience with this?

Thanks bunches!
viking alex

schpenxel · 07-09-2007, 11:14 PM

Hell, in that case, what state is easiest to register in around North Carolina?? Last time I spoke to an inspector it was a two week wait before they could get out here and now they aren't answering the phone.. Did I read this right that I could possibly register in another state? I mean I'm sure I could open a mailbox at the post office so I'd have an address in that state and just have them send the title there or something then transfer it to NC after it's already an RV

ROAD TRIP!!

vikingalex · 07-19-2007, 12:50 PM

I spoke with the MI - SOS office and they said it was no problem for me to relicense in MI. Especially since I keep the bus there. I only need the title, proof of MI insurance and an address in MI where the License plates should be sent.

the question now is... What license should I get? I've heard RV or Non-Commercial Bus? Which is better? Which has cheaper insurance?

Thanks!

viking alex

vikingalex · 07-27-2007, 01:18 PM

Trying to send a PM to LaPeer but having trouble. PM me.

Thanks
a

vikingalex · 07-30-2007, 04:13 PM

OK, so who are you using for MI insurance? I'm having trouble finding an agent that will do it. What are you insuring the bus as? Do you insure as an RV or a non-commercial bus?

Lapeer20m could you PM me with all your info (Insurance Company and Type of insurance, License and Registration type, License plate number) and anything else you think might help me when I talk to an insurance agent and then step through the doors of an MI SOS office.

Thanks!

viking alex

phillbus914 · 07-30-2007, 05:34 PM

I live in Michigan as well.

My bus is titled as a Motor Home (lapeer's is titled as a non - commercial bus) I pay about $80/year for registration and he pays less than 1/2 that. If I ever got another bus I'd title it the way he did.

I have progressive insurance for my bus - it's some variant of regular progressive, called Dive insurance. You can't call the national number you have to go through a local progressive agent. I pay $300/year but they require payment in full up front, for some reason I couldn't do monthly payments. I guess if you figured it monthly it'd be 25/month - for comparison purposes.

There's an agent near my house here in Grand Rapids but I'm sure a quick internet search will help you find one close to where ever you are.

Ask Lapeer what he has for insurance, mine is insured as a motor home, his must be insured as a bus? I've never asked him.

Good Luck...

Oh and apparently you DON'T need a valid drivers license to title or register a car in Michigan. My sister just bought a car about 6 months ago and has a suspended license. Go figure.

vikingalex · 08-02-2007, 12:28 PM

Got Insurance from a local MI agent - Insured my skoolie as a motorhome ($262)

Then went to Benton Harbor "Plus" SOS (secretary of state) office yesterday.
Brought my IL title and certificate of No-Fault MI insurance. Signed a piece of paper saying I'd converted the Bus into a motor home. Paid $15 to re-title in michigan and the $25 for new plates and sticker. Got the plate and sticker on spot! All this in about 20 minutes.
I have to say that the MI secretary of state really makes it's IL counterpart look like a bunch of inefficient, overpriced chumps.

viking alex

hoser · 08-03-2007, 10:52 PM

I live in Illinois when I bought my bus I went to the local currency exchange to do the title and plates, I told them its a bus but I was going to convert to RV so wanted RV plates for over 10,500 lbs, they did the paper work and sent me RV plates no questions asked no inspection, I did how ever convert mine to a RV so I guess if I was stopped it would qualify as a RV, its all electric but is self contained like an RV.

smdesch · 11-21-2008, 11:04 AM

I know this topic has been dead for a while, but I need to bump it back to the top since I'm having the exact same problem with the same state. The insurance agent I talked to in MI said I would need a valid MI license to get insurance there. She also said that Progressive doesn't do skoolie conversions. I assume I could just omit that fact and call it a motorhome, but I bet if I actually needed the insurance and they found out it was a skoolie they would not cover anything.

So how can I go about getting MI insurance with an NC drivers license?

paul iossi · 11-23-2008, 08:59 AM

convert it to a motorhome. it's a motorhome like a bluebird wonderlodge, not a skoolie conversion, it's all in what you tell people, they will think and believe conversion if that is what you tell them to think, if you tell them that it is a motorhome they will think motorhome.

just like the politicians and advertising people, tell them what you want them to think often enough and they will believe you.

sell it as a motorhome, title it as a motorhome, insure it as a motorhome, license it as a motorhome, use it like a motorhome, it becomes a motorhome.

Wogboy · 02-03-2020, 07:57 PM

I could use the same help

Theflowerchildgr · 06-02-2020, 05:34 PM

I’m picking up a 2009 bluebird bus tomorrow from a bus dealership in Indiana, I’m going to convert it but it will take me more than 2-3 days....should I switch the bus title as is into my name and once the conversion is done request paperwork to change it into an rv!? It seems so much easier to just have it retitled as an rv right when I buy it, I will be getting a DOT inspection.... if they helps! Any help!?

NfiniteMile · 07-14-2020, 05:20 PM

How Long Did It Take To Get Your Plates And Title?

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