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North Carolina Ridgeline Drivers - Passenger or Commercial Plates?

2K views 17 replies 7 participants last post by  mfs841 
#1 ·
Hey guys,

I bought my Ridge a few weeks back and the dealer said we could transfer the plates over from my 98 Ranger (passenger plates) but now they're saying because of the weight diff it needs to be registered as a commercial vehicle. If you're in NC what type of plates do you have? I think their title person is going by the gross weight instead of the unladen (curb) weight.

Thanks
 
#3 ·
Good to know. Anyone else have passenger plates? I even called the DMV and they said the plates could not be transferred because of weight so I'm getting contradicting information. Ranger was below 4000lbs which is why it was considered a passenger vehicle and the ridge is 4500lbs (shipping weight).
 
#4 ·
I registered mine in NC no problems. Even had a custom plate.

What they may be thinking is that because the GVWR is (just) over 6000 lbs, it's a commercial vehicle. And that's wrong because a F-150 is over that too and they're registered as passenger vehicles all day long.

Your DMV person is wrong. Go to a different office.

Chip H.
 
#5 ·
Thats what I'm thinking but it doesn't make sense how you guys have passenger plates if they go by the shipping weight like they say they do. Based on the info on the website, if I'm understanding it correctly, I should still have a commercial plate as the truck weights about 4500lbs. Confusing.

Standard license plates (new issue and renewal):

Passenger vehicles: $28.
Trucks:
Less than 4,000 lbs.: $28.
Under 5,000 lbs.: $43.50.
Under 6,000 lbs.: $51.60.
 
#8 ·
I have passenger plates on my RL. I do have to pay a higher tariff when I renew the registration each year because of the weight. My T100 had the same rate as a passenger car at ~$28 to renew the registration. The RL is ~$44 or so, iirc. But no commercial tags. You need to check with a different office. Someone is confused at your DMV office.
 
#10 ·
Finally spoke to a DMV rep that knew what they were doing. I'm supposed to have a 5000lb plate (since i never tow anything) which is otherwise known as a "private commercial" plate and is basically the same as and looks like a regular passenger plate. The dealer gave me a 7000lb plate (weighted) because thats what the title called for according to them. Its just a blue and white plate that says "Commercial" on it. Basically I now have to go to the DMV and get the correct plate...if thats even possible.
 
#11 ·
Mine is registered with a GROSS WT of 5,000 pounds, but they let me transfer the plate from my CR-V to the Ridgeline with no problem. I asked this question when I had a Dodge Dakota registered, because the combination of the truck and the jet ski I had at the time was well over 5,000 pounds. They said that if you regularly tow a trailer of any significant weight (like, on a daily basis), then you need to declare your total weight, but if you just tow recreationally, then that is not required.

I paid $43.50 for the tag portion of Ridgeline registration, using the same physical license plate that I had on the CR-V that cost me $28.
 
#14 ·
I still don't believe you have to have some sort of private commercial tag. Never even heard of that option. I moved my tag over from my T100.

I dunno.. sounds like typical government bureaucracy to me. The left hand knoweth not what the right hand doeth.

I questioned them about the higher registration fee and was told it was due to the weight (EW, I presume). I think the T100 was 4000 lbs empty and the RL is 4500 lbs. I think the registration goes up when the EW is over 4000 lbs.

Here's the current schedule:
http://www.ncdot.gov/dmv/fees/?s=VF



FWIW, my Pilot (similar weight to the RL) is $28. My RL is $43.50. :rolleyes:
 
#15 ·
Yeah, I think he used the term "private commercial" very loosely to put into contrast that even though its a truck it should still have a passenger plate but the registration renewals would be a little more because of the weight. It was sort of an arbitrary term.
 
#16 ·
ok, sounds like we're down to terminology now. Gotcha.
 
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