Registration worries in Georgia - Page 5

Yuuyia_Takahashi · 02-15-2018, 01:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GaryTheRock

Can you tell me if it's the, "body style" that changed, and if so, what exactly does it say instead of, "bus"?

(Noticed by your info you right up the road from me, but anyway)

I'm not sure if its necessarily the body-style designation that gets changed, because technically its still a bus body...

I would suspect that the classification/designation would be what is changed.

o1marc · 02-15-2018, 02:35 PM

Like checking on insurance, check with an independent agent and not the home company. Rules are different depending on which county you live in. Here in Dawson county we don't have emission inspections on any vehicle. Rules are much more slack here than the rest of the state. So I would start at the local county office before checking with Atl.

Yuuyia_Takahashi · 02-15-2018, 02:53 PM

very true, but being in White, It's most likely Bartow County. and we don't have emissions here either.

o1marc · 02-15-2018, 03:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yuuyia_Takahashi

very true, but being in White, It's most likely Bartow County. and we don't have emissions here either.

I thought you were in the Chattanooga area, you're near Cleveland? Not what I consider North West Ga., you're further east than I am.

GaryTheRock · 02-15-2018, 03:05 PM

https://dor.georgia.gov/sites/dor.ge...AVT_Manual.pdf

Georgia does have a, "body style" for a motor home, page 14 of the above Georgia government site.
Next stop: see if the T22B will get me there. I need a Sheriff's department signature on a T22B that says the body style is a "Motor Home HC".
Still don't know if they will just sign it or require me to do something besides most of the seats are gone and it has a futon and refrigerator. I plan on a sink and bathroom with shower but would like to get it redesignated before then if I can.
As far as it still being a bus body there is no difference between a motor home and a bus body except the use and things in the vehicle. Most of the laws apply by use, not by looks.

Yuuyia_Takahashi · 02-15-2018, 04:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by o1marc

I thought you were in the Chattanooga area, you're near Cleveland? Not what I consider North West Ga., you're further east than I am.

Well I’m just a hair east of Rome. And usually as far as all internet based searches and junk it’s considered north west GA

o1marc · 02-15-2018, 04:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yuuyia_Takahashi

Well I’m just a hair east of Rome. And usually as far as all internet based searches and junk it’s considered north west GA

Yes, but then you're not anywhere near White County. Oops, I see now you are in the city of White, not the county. Never mind

aniwack · 08-26-2019, 08:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brad_SwiftFur

Having done a little checking ... According to the OCGA 40-2-152 (e) "Each school bus operated exclusively in the transportation of pupils and teachers to and from schools or school activities or in the transportation of the owner and his or her immediate family shall be issued a restricted license plate for the sum of $5.00. A bus owned by a church or owned in common with other churches and used and operated exclusively for the church in transporting members and patrons to and from church or church activities, when no part of the proceeds of the operation of the bus inures to the benefit of any private person, shall be issued a restricted license plate for the sum of $5.00 in the same manner as school buses when the bus complies with the laws applicable to school buses."

I've just gone through the registration process in Cobb County with a 28k lbs '99 Nova that I'm going to turn into the ULTIMATE TAILGATING MACHINE </echo> and DOR asked a lot of questions about who exactly I'd be hauling around and I said "a dozen of my family and closest friends...if I like 'em." She smiled, typed away, went to see her supervisor, and came back and said they were going to issue a school bus tag. Now that I've read OCGA 40-2-152 it makes sense why my transit bus is now a school bus. $70 ad valorem, 18 title, 100 highway impact fee, and 20 for the plate and I was out the door.
And whatever you do, don't ask DPS or MCCD for advise.

Brad_SwiftFur · 08-27-2019, 01:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aniwack

I've just gone through the registration process in Cobb County with a 28k lbs '99 Nova that I'm going to turn into the ULTIMATE TAILGATING MACHINE </echo> and DOR asked a lot of questions about who exactly I'd be hauling around and I said "a dozen of my family and closest friends...if I like 'em." She smiled, typed away, went to see her supervisor, and came back and said they were going to issue a school bus tag. Now that I've read OCGA 40-2-152 it makes sense why my transit bus is now a school bus. $70 ad valorem, 18 title, 100 highway impact fee, and 20 for the plate and I was out the door.
And whatever you do, don't ask DPS or MCCD for advise.

I'd be a little surprised - if it's an actual "School Bus" tag as these are generally only issued to county/municipal/government owned vehicles. I'm guessing they gave you a private bus tag - similar to what private schools, Boy Scouts and day-cares get for their buses. If so, I'd be careful as some law-enforcement may assume you are operating as a *Bus* and consider you subject to CDL and passenger endorsement requirements...

Mine isn't even that. My tag came from the same pile as any other private passenger car/pickup and was tagged as such. I wasn't charged the highway impact fee. I paid the sales tax (6 or 7%, I can't remember which, varies by county), title and tag fee and was out the door with tag in hand for under $200.

FWIW, mine's under 26K GVWR and under 16 passenger rating, exempting CDL requirements even if I was hauling for hire (which I'm not) but it does have air brakes (which I do have an endorsement for).

*Edit* After re-reading, I get the impression our two respective counties have different interpretations of the law. It's all good, I suppose, as long as it keeps us legal.

Rsurf · 08-05-2020, 01:38 PM

So, I just went through the registration/titling process here in Forsyth County, Georgia. I was not successful. August 2020.

I took all the docs in, filled out the MV-1 ahead of time, and was very direct in saying "I'd like to title this as a private vehicle. I'm converting it to a Motorhome." My only option is to leave it as a Bus, which is by definition a commercial vehicle.

At the Georgia DMV, the process for titles is linked to the VIN. There is no mechanism for reclassifying a specific VIN from one to vehicle type to another -- it's an external database that is not actually maintained by the DMV or DOR. So, I tried calling "the main office in Atlanta", and they ended up in the same place. When the bus is manufactured, BlueBird lists the VIN, and it's classified as a bus forever after that.

The nice lady at the tag office said she was willing to submit the registration request, and that it had already thrown a flag in the computer system that says "Vehicle Type does not match VIN". So, I'd walk out with a tag and a registration, but the state would run some kind of computerized process later which would kick out my registration and suspend it.

For those of you who have "successfully registered" your vehicle, did you also get a title? And did that title classify your vehicle type as "Private Vehicle", "RV" or something else? Did the VIN on your title match correctly? Or does "Vehicle Type" differ from the "Vehicle Classification"

I want to do this right by the law, but it's looking like there's no proper way to do it, regardless of what previous comments (from how long ago?) say. If anyone has done it successfully in Georgia, since 2019, I'd like to know EXACTLY which tag office you went through, what Registration and Title you got, and what your vehicle classification was.

If I can't get this done without a lot more hassle, I'll just go the Vermont route, leave it that way, and skip this ridiculous bureaucracy.

JDSquared · 08-05-2020, 03:45 PM

I answered you in pm but I'll say it here too. I just went the Vermont route after the DMV told me it will always be a bus. I have no particular loyalty to this state anymore as far as collecting my taxes goes. I will only be here part-time before the end of next year anyway.

Rsurf · 08-07-2020, 04:41 PM

Update: I had to correct the VIN on the Insurance (Allstate mistyped a few letters), then I went back to the Forsyth Tax Commissioner's Office (tag office) to take my chances.

Got a different clerk. Told him the exact same things: retired schoolbus from out of state, want to title it as an RV.

He did some typing, went to a filing cabinet, pulled out some docs, did some more reading, then said "So, it looks like we'll be titling it as a motorhome. Correct?" "Yup".

Then he did the work, had me sign a few forms, etc. I had to pay an Ad Valorem (sales tax here in GA) of about $150, which was correct. I paid a $50 environmental impact fee, and a few $20 line items for tag and title. All in, about $250, no further hassles.

I feel like this is just a 'luck of the draw' situation with regard to which clerk you get and how customer-oriented they are, but at least I have tags and insurance.

Brad_SwiftFur · 08-07-2020, 06:09 PM

Glad you got it sorted. I was not aware GA had forms to change the vehicle type as you described (by a private individual), but to answer the earlier question, there *IS* a way to change it in the national database. Basically it would require a new "Certificate of Origin" (or "Certificate of Manufacture" which is basically the same thing). These are issued by the manufacturer, but not necessarily IH (for example). It could also be issued by a 3rd party company, like Blue Bird, or Cottrell (auto carriers), or Heil (garbage trucks), or "Jones Crane Builders" (something I made up for this example). If axle(s) were added, the GVWR would be updated, the vehicle type changed from "incomplete cab and chassis" to the appropriate vehicle type, date vehicle was completed, and certification all applicable safety standards are met. The DMV will (should) update the database with this information when the vehicle is titled.

The reason I am guessing yours was initially kicked back was the VIN and insurance issue - valid insurance is required when it runs through the system.

GaryTheRock · 08-07-2020, 08:01 PM

Fantastic! Wonderful you got everything completed and didn't give up.
I did know the biggest factor is exactly who you are talking to. Fortunately for you the return trip ended with one of the helpful people. You've proven success in Georgia can be reached!

SSewell · 09-25-2020, 01:40 PM

I really appreciate you updating this. I had the exact same issues last year registering my '07 Bluebird All American. I didn't have the time or the patience to go to multiple offices so I settled for the "Bus" title and "School Bus" plate. I have been converting my bus for months now and its time to renew and I don't want to just settle again for the School Bus plate and very high insurance that I have been paying for 12 months. I guess what I am wondering is, now that I have it Titled as a bus in Georgia, will they ever change my title to an "RV"

CHEESE_WAGON · 09-25-2020, 09:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SSewell

I really appreciate you updating this. I had the exact same issues last year registering my '07 Bluebird All American. I didn't have the time or the patience to go to multiple offices so I settled for the "Bus" title and "School Bus" plate. I have been converting my bus for months now and its time to renew and I don't want to just settle again for the School Bus plate and very high insurance that I have been paying for 12 months. I guess what I am wondering is, now that I have it Titled as a bus in Georgia, will they ever change my title to an "RV"

Can't you have a state trooper inspect it to certify that it is no longer a bus? That's how they do it in Virginia. You make an appointment with the state police and they have a trooper inspect the vehicle to certify that it no longer has seats for the purpose of transportation and is now something else -- whatever that may be.

19melissa · 03-25-2021, 09:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EastCoastCB

I'm in FL, but have heard the "once a bus always a bus in GA" before.

I was just told the same thing today in Ga. White county. Very rudely. No matter what I do. A bus is a bus and will always be a bus.

19melissa · 03-25-2021, 09:48 PM

Ga says as of today. They don’t care what you do to it. A bus is a bus and will always be a bus. White Co Ga.. it has to be all about the money and paying commercial license and going to school here fir a cdL. As far as the Vermont loop hole. It has to be a 2007 or newer.

19melissa · 03-25-2021, 09:51 PM

As of today they still will not title it as anything but a bus. I was told that in White Co Cleveland Ga.. seems to be about the money

GaryTheRock · 03-25-2021, 10:21 PM

Hang in there. I successfully changed two titles from, "bus" to what GA has for a motor home. One of mine is a, "House Car" (HC) and it was quite an experience to get it to that point. The tag offices frequently do not know the applicable GA laws and that's only one of the problems to succeed. My research ended with calling the sheriff's office, had him fill out a T22B with it filled as a House Car (GA has two letters and mobile home got MH). Some States specify the requirements to be a motor home. GA is not one of them. Designating it as a House Car on the T22B is up to the discretion of the person who shows up. There are two more hurdles to jump for success. 1. Get a tag office person who understands and will comply with the change according to the T22B. 2. Ever since they changed the program it's possible the exact vehicle you have doesn't have a menu pick to make it a House Car. I got help from my State congressman to fix that, and they did it very quickly. A competent tag supervisor will fix it without having to push as hard as I did and not assign the fix in their program to you.

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