MO rules on RV conversion

[MacC]

thank you sir. i will be starting one soon in central Missouri. Actually planning on looking at my favorite next week. LONG drive. I would like to talk to to you personally soon if it is okay with you.

[JackE]

Wouldn't it be much easier to go with the Vermont registration method? Is there any great advantage to doing it this way other than having a new vin and your 20 year old bus being called a 2020 model year?

[MacC]

Vermont method?

[brokedown]

I'd imagine the Vermont method would be much easier, but there are some weird things about how MO works. I'm perplexed by them assigning you a new VIN but that may work in your favor in certain cases. When I lived there, I had converted a dirt bike to street (XR650R the Big Red Pig) and only spent about 10 minutes t the highway patrol office showing them the blinkers and such.. But they didn't give me new VIN, and my understanding is that if I then moved to California they would not allow me to register it even though it was legally a street bike in MO.

Gratuitous pic of the most insane street bike ever

[WIbluebird]

Those are pretty much identical to Wisconsin's RV requirements.

I need to do something similiar so I can get my plates and be able to drive it to my bus terminal and the tire shop to get mechanical work done while I work on the inside conversion....wonder if a Webasto would count as a heat source?

[JackE]

From what I have Googled about registration in Nevada, t's about the same as Mo, without the added benefit of a new VIN. I'm a long way off from registration, but I fully plan on doing the mail order registration. It just seems so much simpler, no hassle.

http://www.skoolie.net/forums/f18/ho...ion-15292.html

[banman]

New VIN is odd to me as well -- as if you rebirthed a vehicle...

This could be an issue for titling in an emissions compliant state --
California in particular is strict but there are others...

And it doesn't matter (for you) if you're staying titled in MO...

[MacC]

Question for you knowledgeable Missouri folks. I need to drive a 40" air brake bus from W. Va to Missouri. I do have B CDL, let the air brake endorsement fall off years ago. Questions are
1. Insurance for trip
2. Can I drive it?
3.Do I need to check rules for every state I pass through?
4.Anything I am missing?

[Gnoman]

Originally Posted by JackE

Wouldn't it be much easier to go with the Vermont registration method? Is there any great advantage to doing it this way other than having a new vin and your 20 year old bus being called a 2020 model year?

I thought about going that route. The disadvantage for that route for me was because my bus is more than 15 years old, Vermont will not issue a new RV title, only a 'transferable registration' which Missouri DOR said that I could not use that to register/title in Missouri. Maybe they thought wrong, wouldn't be the first time. Going this route I will receive a new title that I hope would cause less issues when I end up switching states.

Missouri has modeled it a 2020 SPEC (no model, just a make) for specially constructed vehicle. New VIN is not a standard coded VIN, but an 'Assigned Identification Number' (DVRMBXXXXXXXXXXMO)

My hope is that I'll have less grief with insurance too since Vermont tags would still have a 'school bus' VIN and insurance companies use VINs mostly.. I'm going to be looking around after the DOR is finished validating the AIN installation.

If my bus was 15 years old or less, I might've gone the Vermont route with a new title instead of the transferable registration..

[Gnoman]

Originally Posted by MacC

Vermont method?

Vermont is one of the few states that do not require residency to register vehicles there. It's very simple to obtain RV plates through them.. search for vermont registration on this website and theres at least one thread in detail about it.

Just saw JackE's post with the link to this..

[Gnoman]

Originally Posted by WIbluebird

Those are pretty much identical to Wisconsin's RV requirements.

I need to do something similiar so I can get my plates and be able to drive it to my bus terminal and the tire shop to get mechanical work done while I work on the inside conversion....wonder if a Webasto would count as a heat source?

They're not too much different than other states from what I've heard. I was orginally going to use just a 1500W electric space heater for my 'heating' requirements but decided to splurge on the Mr Heater. It was getting cold here and while I'm not living in the bus, it's nice to work in now. Webasto makes various heaters I believe.. if it's a space heater and not a water heater, then I'm sure it'd more than qualify. The inspector i had didnt verify that my items were installed to code (proper clearances and whatnot) I don't believe. But I did for the most part anyways..

[Gnoman]

Originally Posted by brokedown

I'd imagine the Vermont method would be much easier, but there are some weird things about how MO works. I'm perplexed by them assigning you a new VIN but that may work in your favor in certain cases. When I lived there, I had converted a dirt bike to street (XR650R the Big Red Pig) and only spent about 10 minutes t the highway patrol office showing them the blinkers and such.. But they didn't give me new VIN, and my understanding is that if I then moved to California they would not allow me to register it even though it was legally a street bike in MO.

Gratuitous pic of the most insane street bike ever

Wonder if California's issue was that the title and VIN didnt match a street legal bike? Did they issue a new title for it? Looks sic, I love the underseat exhaust styles

[Gnoman]

Originally Posted by banman

New VIN is odd to me as well -- as if you rebirthed a vehicle...

This could be an issue for titling in an emissions compliant state --
California in particular is strict but there are others...

And it doesn't matter (for you) if you're staying titled in MO...

I didn't think many, if any, states required emissions on RVs. I never plan on registering in CA anyways.. taxes too high.. definitely something to be aware of though.

Bought my bus from Rocklin School District out near Sacramento. They said that it could not be operated as a commercial vehicle in California due to the new CARB standards that's going through a legal battle.. haven't looked into the new RV requirements out there, but dont really have a need to either..

[Gnoman]

Originally Posted by MacC

Question for you knowledgeable Missouri folks. I need to drive a 40" air brake bus from W. Va to Missouri. I do have B CDL, let the air brake endorsement fall off years ago. Questions are
1. Insurance for trip
2. Can I drive it?
3.Do I need to check rules for every state I pass through?
4.Anything I am missing?

I do not have any sort of CDL and drove from Sacramento to St. Louis area without insurance or anything, bout 2000 miles. I didnt have any issues. Just drove extra safe.. Insurance might be tough for that drive as all the seats would still be intact. So they might require extra protection due to the high seating capacity. According to Missouri you'd now have to have another school bus endorsement to your B CDL (new endorsement as of August). Once the seats are removed MODOT considers the vehicle a straight bed truck..

[sportyrick]

MacC
As I have stated before I don't think a cop would stop a yellow school bus unless you do something stupid. That's why they want you to have insurance in case you cause someone else damage through stupidity. They understand someone driving a vehicle across the country after a "new" purchase. Just get insurance and tell them what you are going to, a bill of sale with a recent date, and hopefully a title in hand and go for it. Don't stop at any scales and if you get stopped play dumb, "I thought scales were for commercial trucks". You should have an uneventful trip as far as the law is concerned. I have been doing this for years and have never had a problem, but I always have insurance/paperwork just in case they ask. I did get pulled over once with 20 souls aboard because my niece mooned the car behind us, the female cop was all smiles and couldn't have been nicer. She asked "what is this a traveling choir", my niece said we all have the same last name and are on a family Christmas trip then she let us go with a warning.

[MacC]

Thank you sir, that is EXACTLY what I want to hear. Who are using for insurance if you don't mind me asking?

[sportyrick]

State Farm, where are you going to be working on your new bus? What town?

[1SkoolieNoob]

Originally Posted by MacC

thank you sir. i will be starting one soon in central Missouri. Actually planning on looking at my favorite next week. LONG drive. I would like to talk to to you personally soon if it is okay with you.

Hey MacC, Have any luck finding yourself a bus?

My wife and I just purchased ours at the end of April. We were able to get it insured as a motor home through a small town company the same day. We went the Vermont route and just got our plates a few days ago.

Let me know if I can help out any. We are based out of KC and will be here during our build. We're approaching roof raising time!

[JimDaddy]

Weeeeellllllll, someone has to take it into 2021, right? I am in North Central MO, Mexico to be precise....

If it is licensed as a bus, I am assuming it can be driven while registered as such. I have a CDL and all the endorsements needed, and I would like to drive bus as I work on it.

We want to build a "weekend warrior" with a possible annual long haul, and are finishing up the search for a bus. Or a long 170 Sprinter...

But we have 3 kids that are 18-22, and 5-4 to 6-2, soooo, need the room.

If anyone knows how to just go straight bus mode, feel free to share. Glad to be here!

[whiskey runner]

good morning neighbor.. i am in south miissouri on bull shoals lake.. my project has been sidelined now for a few years.. life keeps getting in my way... ha ha ha ha ha ... still have mine insure as a bus but hope to get it changed to motor home this year