Typical RV License Requirements

[lornaschinske]

Glad I don't live in SC anymore. Our bus would still be untagged.

[Eric von Kleist]

Here is the response I received in answer to follow up questions based on the information posted above ( SCDMV answers in boldface ) :

surrender the old "school bus" title, and y'all provide a new "Motor Home"
title after processing the paperwork, correct? Yes

Would it be satisfactory to present a notebook with copies of all receipts
for materials used in the conversion? yes, we only need copies of receipts

Do you have any information on what the inspector will be inspecting? Is
he/she just checking to see if the changes indicated on form 4038 have been
made, or are there specific items that will be inspected? I really do not
know, you may contact the Dealer Licensing Unit and possibly they can put
you in contact with one of our agents. (803) 896-2611 [Phone number updated 04/20/05 -- This is the state office, which will give you the number of a local inspector.]

By "current year", I understand you to mean that if I convert the bus in
2005, the converted vehicle will be titled as a 2005 motor home, and that I
should not use the year the bus was originally manufactured on the form. Is that correct? yes

It is interesting that the model year would be changed from the year of the bus's manufacture to the year of the bus's conversion. I am not sure how that would affect taxation or how they would value the converted bus.

[/b]

[lornaschinske]

It is interesting that the model year would be changed from the year of the bus's manufacture to the year of the bus's conversion. I am not sure how that would affect taxation or how they would value the converted bus.

This is what the commercial bus converters do. Everytime you see a "brand new" current year conversion, you are actually looking at a bus conversion that is sitting on a chassis that is anywhere from 3 to 10 years old. I think Marathon uses the newest Prevost coaches and they are usually 5 yrs old.[/quote]

[JonCBrand]

I took my title from Illinois into the local DMV and told them I needed to register my motorhome. The guy behind the counter asked my what weight plates I needed and that was it. No inspection nothing. The old title still said bus on it.

[SeanF]

Arizona motor home definition:
(from http://www.azleg.state.az.us/ars/28/04301.htm)
20. "Motor home" means a motor vehicle that is primarily designed as temporary living quarters and that:

(a) Is built onto as an integral part of, or is permanently attached to, a motor vehicle chassis.

(b) Contains at least four of the following independent life support systems if each is permanently installed and designed to be removed only for purposes of repair or replacement:

(i) A cooking facility with an on board fuel source.

(ii) A gas or electric refrigerator.

(iii) A toilet with exterior evacuation.

(iv) A heating or air conditioning system with an on board power or fuel source separate from the vehicle engine.

(v) A potable water supply system that includes at least a sink, a faucet and a water tank with an exterior service supply connection.

(vi) A 110-125 volt electric power supply.

[pangaia]

Are there any exemptions to being required to have California CDL?
Yes, a few . . .
1. Active Duty Military . . . with military licenses operating military vehicles.
2. Firefighters . . . meeting approved training standards and operating authorized emergency vehicles.
3. Farmers . . . in certain cases.
4. Individuals ....operating motor homes or other vehicles used exclusively to transport personal possessions or family members, for nonbusiness purposes.

----------------------
pg

[captainkf]

I live in Calgary Alberta and just jumped through our own set of hoops. I contacted a number of insurance companies and brokers until I found one willing to insure (liability, not anything else) my 85 gmc schoolie. They require the seats to be removed. That's it. Oh and my word that I was converting it. I love Canada. They just took my word for it. I had already removed the seats and installed a living area (not just a hot plate, buckets and a sleeping bag) and I was faxed insurance. I took my insurance papers to the registry and was given a new non-comercial liscense plate with stickers. I was legal now. I had inquired prior to buying the bus about this process and contacted my insurance company, registry, RCMP (police) and transport canada to ensure I was able to go ahead with my plans. The last thing I wanted was to be stuck with a bus that needed to be insured as a comercial vehicle ($4600 yr in insurance). So, the catch for me was finding the insurance company that would carry my policy. I am glad I have a perfect driving record, otherwise that may have been an issue. The company was ING byt the way. -Richard

[dammitAndy]

I may have been lucky, but here in OH, we can get an out of state vehicle inspected at a dealership before we get a new title. So I took my empty bus on a really cold day. The guy looked out the window at the yellow school bus and said, "Ya goin to the races?" And just gave me the inspection with out even going outside.

Though it didnt meet any of the requirements then, they're slowly getting checked off now

[Eric von Kleist]

(Read the above information I posted about SC in order to fully understand this post.)

I got in touch with the Dealer Services Division inspector for my county and queried him on the inspection process that must be completed before submitting photographs and copies of receits to SCDMV for re-titling the bus as a motor home.

Here is the inspection process:

He checks to see if the VIN on the bus matches the title.

That's it.

He's not inspecting the work or the conversion or whether you have specific items installed in the bus (fridge, stove, bed, whatever). He's just making sure that the VIN on the bus matches the VIN on the title.

Some inspection! (But I'll take it, as it gives me less to worry about.)

So for skoolie converters in SC, the process is this (as best as I can tell):

** Pre-purchase, and ongoing: maintain a log of improvements and keep copies of receipts for all purchases -- this is required to document things with SCDMV.

1 Buy bus.

2 Take bill of sale to SCDMV to prove transaction took place.

3 Pay SCDMV $5 for a temporary tag (45 day life).

4 Somewhere in this process get insurance (still waiting on a quote from GMAC).

5 Go to pick up bus -- put temporary tag on bus.

6 (Not positive about this part...it's more of a CYA thing for transporting the bus with all those passenger seats in it.) Put sign on both sides of bus saying, "Not for Hire". I've seen that some people do this permanently, and also put "Capacity 15", since 15 passengers or less means that no CDL is required **on a bus** -- RVs are exempt. I'm not sure that I'll put the "Capacity 15" on the bus while transporting it with seats, because it would look obviously untrue, and might invite trouble.

7 Get conversion done (or at least some minimal amount that makes it look done -- you can improve on it later) well within 45 day time frame of the temporary tag lifespan.

8 Take conversion documentation and title and appropriate paperwork (see above) to SCDMV to have new title issued.

9 Once bus is titled, pay property tax with county treasurer in order to license plate issued (SC has one rear plate).

That should be it. That's what was explained to me, anyway...we'll see...

I'm going to look into getting a SKOOLIE plate, but I'm not sure if you can put vanity plates on an RV, as I have this recollection that they are only available for cars in SC.

[DimJim]

I know there are several people on this board from Iowa (including the original poster of this thread) so I was wondering if somebody could help me out.

Unlike most people here, I'm not looking into converting my bus (which I don't have yet) into an RV or motorhome. I'm more interested in converting it into a private school bus/party bus.

I have two scenario's in my head:

1. A modest bus (kind of rag-tag) that I use for road trips. All the seats would be ripped out and it wouldn't cart around more than 15 passengers at a time. How would I go about getting this registered with the Iowa DOT? I have no desire to meet 4 of the 6 requirements to get it registered as a motor home. Also, how do the insurance rates compare between RV/Motorhomes and "private buses"?

2. My second scenario is a little off the wall. It's to invest significantly in the bus initially so I get a REALLY nice skoolie and then rent it out as a party bus to try and make my money back. This would be mainly for proms, tailgating, holiday light tours, etc. If I did it this way I was going to put in 4 identical 3 seat leather couches and two really nice leather recliners. Refloor it with a really nice wooden floor or laminate and spring for a few other extra's (I have a projector I thought of putting in there with a pull-down screen, surround sound, etc). Anyway, I would assume this would be a commercial vehicle and I'd have to get a CDL and probably a chauffers license. I also assume insurance would go way up. Is there any way I could register it as a private school bus and just not allow more than 15 passengers on it at a time? Also, would this mean that all my friends would have to get a CDL as well just to drive it on the summer road trips? If someone could link me the proper pages of the Iowa DOT website it would be much appreciated.

I just need a few pointers before I decide to take the plunge.

Thanks guys, you've been an inspiration already!

[hoser]

Hi all
Anybody know what the requirements are for Illinois?

I just bought a 87 Chevy bus from a guy in Illinois he says he already has it titled as RV but I dont see RV any place on the title, the title says the following (Year) 1987 (Make) Chevy (Model) S6000 B6P042 (Body Style) Carryall


Further down it does say "Mobile Home Sq ft." but no dimensions or numbers are given, there is also no GVW on the title.

Any tips on how I should approach this when I go to get the title work done? Do I tell them it is a RV?
What GVW plates do I need to get my class C motor home is 10,500 and thats what I told them when I first bought it and got the plates.

Right now this is still a bus it has all the seats still in its not converted to a RV, I dont plan on doing anything until this spring then I might cut off the whole back and start all over making a tube steel frame, should I just keep it an open title until I make the conversion?

Thanks in advance sorry for all the dumb questions here are some pics http://12.215.122.222/bus.htm

[shaggy]

In Georgia a bus is a bus is a bus is a bus. And Progressive charged me 600 plus for 12 month's insurance. GMAC wouldn't talk to me.

shag

[phillbus914]

Originally Posted by shaggy

Progressive charged me 600 plus for 12 month's insurance. GMAC wouldn't talk to me.

shag

Same here I also had to go with independent progressive agent. I have just PLPD it runs me $382/year. I'm 24 with a clean driving record, zero points.

[hoser]

I went to local currency exchange and told the lady it was a bus almost coverted into a motor home so she titled it as a MH and ordered me RV plates that came in about a week the title came about 4 weeks later and it now says motor home on it .

First thing I asked GMAC when they answered the phone was do you insure buses she said yes, they seem more intrested in my past driving record than anything else.

I forget the exact cost but it was real reasonable I only insured for basic coverage so I could drive it once I have the conversion done and some money sunk into it I will raise the coverage to cover me if something major happens.

[swinada]

Here is what ICBC in British Columbia requires.

A motor home is a vehicle that has sleeping facilities and at three of
the following five items:
- cooking facilities
- refrigeration or icebox facilities
- self contained toilet (not capable of easy removal)
- heating or air conditioning facilities independent of
the vehicle's motor
- portable water supply system including a faucet and
sink.
To obtain an insurance premium quote, please contact your local Autoplan
Broker. To locate a broker, refer to the following link:
http://www.icbc.com/insurance/insura_broker_locator.asp

Dont know about the yellow yet, but will post as soon as I know.

[swinada]

dont know if they have to work, I doubt they will go and try them out. I'm sure it all depends on where do you have it licensed. Some big office down in the lower mainland might be a little bit more sticky on things, but I'm sure up in the north they dont care to much. They probably just take a quick look in to it to see that you removed the seats and did something with it.

here is the reply to my question about the yellow in BC.

You can leave the bus painted yellow, but you have to remove the school
bus lights and lettering.

[the_experience03]

I agree. It's all probably a matter of whether or not you're getting inspected. Some places will require an inspection which means that stuff probably needs to be working and in demonstratable order. Others just require pictures in which case making it look functional is enough.

If you're really lucky you get a place like up here (or down here to you I guess) where I just had to sign an affidavit saying I did the stuff. It was kinda like college where there are specific groups in which you must have so many "credits" but there are electives within each. I actually got my plates well before my conversion was done, but it never hit the road until it was done and it had all the stuff that the affidavit listed. I just needed the plates so I could get my insurance set up.

[Griff]

I'm afraid I'm no help here. TWE is still registered & titled as a bus. I am not anywhere near to meeting the requirements to attempt to get it changed over yet. I don't get time to drive it much anyway.
Seems like there is someone else on this board in NC that has gone through the process, I'll try to remember who and post.

[Griff]

Congratulations on your House Car! Sorry to hear your bus is gone, though.

[delbertinie]

why not register it as an bus, personal property tax would be lower right?
would cot of insurance be greater?