Any Vermont registration horror stories?

[MNbusboy]

I have my paperwork all ready to go for my Vermont registration as MotorHome, but I was wondering if anyone has had an interaction with police and how it went. I understand that registering as an RV in Vermont is completely legal and allowed, for Vermont. Has anyone had an issue with their state not recognizing the Vermont registration, or saying it's an obvious attempt to bypass local registration requirements?

I am in MN. We have to meet 4 of 6 RV requirements before registering as RV, and before that a bus requires a CDL. I would just be using the VT registration as a stopgap measure while I complete the conversion. I should only need to hit the road a handful of times, and once I meet MN requirements I would register here. If I get pulled over or break down, I'm worried the Officer will see that I bought the bus in MN, it was registered in MN, and I live in MN, and he will decide (not incorrectly) that the VT registration is just an attempt to bypass the CDL requirement and ticket me for no CDL.

Has anyone had interaction with police while in their home state but registered in Vermont? How did it go?

 

[john61ct-SKO]

IMO your intent to avoid local regs is not relevant, the question is simply is it legal or not.

But side issue, very relevant:

How many days is a foreign vehicle allowed to be in state before being required to register locally?

If a LEO wanted to get you, specifically, that is the likely easiest route.

But it may be the case otherwise, that regulation is hardly ever enforced there.

 

[Bert06840]

Exactly. Get the Vermont plate, and right after that, plate it to Minnesota. You’re legal in 8 weeks. If you don’t delay you have a reasonable argument if you get pulled over. If you get pulled over after 18 months, it’s a different story.

 

[MNbusboy]

I will also have the MN bus plates I bought it with (tabs good to 02/22), and the MN non-commercial vehicle plates the auction made me register for. So they can't try to say I am avoiding MN taxes, since it will probably have 3 different sets of MN plates valid for 2022. I will really only drive it from the mechanic to the storage lot, then to get painted and the dump to get rid of seats. Otherwise I will run it at the lot but probably not leave more than a handful of times. I might even be painting it onsite.

 

[o1marc]

You're giving the police way too much credit. They can't decide if your paperwork is legal or not. I have found the easiest way to avoid this situation is don't drive like a dick.

 

[cadillackid]

You're giving the police way too much credit. They can't decide if your paperwork is legal or not. I have found the easiest way to avoid this situation is don't drive like a dick.

in other words dont drive a bus at 79 MPH in a 65 zone

 

[MNbusboy]

Lol, I don't know if my bus can do 79 and I'm not planning on finding out!! Even if the registration was 100% finished and the speed limit was 80, I can't imagine the MPG!!

 

[o1marc]

in other words dont drive a bus at 79 MPH in a 65 zone

You say that like you've had a personal experience.

 

[o1marc]

Lol, I don't know if my bus can do 79 and I'm not planning on finding out!! Even if the registration was 100% finished and the speed limit was 80, I can't imagine the MPG!!

I ran a full 60 gallon tank out at 80mph on cruise control, was impressive till I figured the MPG at around 7. Back it down to 70 and it gets 9. It does 85mph no problem

 

[rossvtaylor]

In Arizona the citation would be for "Resident with out-of-state registration" and the tip off would be the Arizona drivers license.

 

[o1marc]

We started a thread to see how many of us have actually been pulled over by LEO, there were few responses. It's hard to be noticed in a school bus on the road. I drove across the country twice in buses , 10 over the limit. I was never worried.

 

[rossvtaylor]

I spent 20 years as a police officer in a major metro area, 7 specifically doing traffic enforcement on motorcycle, and I never once stopped a bus of any kind. And like o1marc I've driven buses all across this nation without issue. I think generally any of us are safe, unless involved in a collision. At that point the officer has very little discretion...

 

[roach711]

Several years back there was a member here that drove their bus cross country with no plates at all and never had a problem.

 

[HamSkoolie]

We did the VT "title" and plates route just a couple months ago. Only a couple of road trips since so very little exposure.


Here in Oregon we have a similar conversion scheme....have to have this that and a couple other things. But DMV was closed except by appointment and required a physical inspection of the VIN thus the vehicle had to be there at the DMV. Being over 26,000 pounds AND air brakes my Oregon license was no good with BU (bus) title.



We went through Vermont. It took 6-8 weeks for everything (documents and tags came separate from the plates and about 2 weeks apart). Magically my license is now legal to drive the same 31,800 gross, air brake equipped rig for no reason other than the registration now says it's a Motor Home.



We plan to go down to DMV when things chill out (our governor hasn't seen a covid restriction she didn't like) and get the Oregon plates. The law says we only have 30 days to title in Oregon but the penalty is a mere $25 for not doing so. Pfffft...... we're not going to change over without a ticket or the end of our VT registration tags.


Check your states penalty for not registering within 30 days. It may be miniscule like ours. You can also explain that you want to get it changed over but DMV is crazy and you're waiting for things to calm down.


Also, once the title says you're an MF instead of a BU (Motorhome / Bus) you shouldn't have to do any conversion BS to get the title changed over as it's titled as a MH chassis.

 

[BeNimble]

Just yesterday I passed a Skoolie that was stopped in the middle of the freeway transition. It was like they couldn't decide which freeway to take, so stopped right between them to check their phone...

The CHP would be contacting them pretty soon,
probably want to see their license and registration.

 

[HamSkoolie]

Non experienced driver (in large rigs) no doubt..... or maybe a product of the "participation trophy" era.


So..... is that better or worse than realizing you're about to miss your exit and careening across 4 or 5 lanes on the 5 to hit that I 50 exit in the dip on the north end of Sac?



Or turning left from the right lane because "oh crap that's my turn"


Bad drivers abound. I once had a car "shoot the gap" in Washington DC during Clinton's second inauguration. I was driving a USMC 40' pusher. He didn't have a big enough gap and ripped his rear bumper off, complete with license plate, and kept on driving.


Some peoples kids

 

[RolesvilleMarina]

I will also have the MN bus plates I bought it with (tabs good to 02/22), and the MN non-commercial vehicle plates the auction made me register for. So they can't try to say I am avoiding MN taxes, since it will probably have 3 different sets of MN plates valid for 2022. I will really only drive it from the mechanic to the storage lot, then to get painted and the dump to get rid of seats. Otherwise I will run it at the lot but probably not leave more than a handful of times. I might even be painting it onsite.

We live in NC and also have the 4 out of 6 thingy

We titled it in vermont to avoid this BS.

We did NOT insure it (or drive it except home the day of purchase) UNTIL we got the vermont tags


We THEN called the insurance crooks, and since we were now a motorhome, and NOT calling back after being told already no as a bus we had zero issues with Geico (I also have a perfect 40 year driving record, zero claims so they are pretty nice to us)

We drove on our Vermont tags until the year was up as I get my moneys worth out of what I pay for, and I paid for a year.

THEN I went to NC, and poof I had a valid NC tag and title as a motorhome


Now, in MN (I have family there) your cops are kinda pricks about road violations... especially today when it's better to hit people for traffic $$ then to go to jail for trying to stop a crime or criminal...

Even before "todays bullshit" MN cops were all about pulling you over for having Little tree hanging from rearview... I remember being shocked on a visit ya'll can't hook a GPS to the window... have to put it on a little bean bag so it slides the **** all over... so much safer lol You all do have some weird laws too...




you'll likely be ok if you just do minor driving.. but in the end it's all about your towns cops, how bored and broke they are, and if there are actually any kind of "avoiding registration" type laws..

NC to my knowledge doesn't care at all, not aware of any laws... I could keep in vermont tag forever possibly


PS Why do you call a license plate a Tab? Tab is a soft drink

 

[SawsSandBox]

I am doing the same as HamSkoolie, in MI our Goventris is Lock down loco - our appropriately name SOS (yes DMV is SOS) - It can be a 4-5 mth pre appt time line. Off my rant!!
I had sent in my paperwork this week to VT DMV - I also spoke w/ a DMV agent before hand - very helpful - she said possible 7 wks. Going off our word that work has or will be completed. Make certain your vehicle description is set to Motorhome/RV code 19.
As for getting logal plates after - your call or look up penalty. Less on my concerns! Legal and on the road is much higher.

 

[o1marc]

I went with Vermont merely because my vanity tag was already in use in Ga. Guess I'm stuck with Vt. for the duration.

 

[ddcam]

Was just going to tell story of Fla to NY no plates and never got a second look...