Scales & State Line Inspection Stations Requirements

Discussion in 'Trip Planning and Travel Concerns' started by Don-n-Lisa, Apr 17, 2016.

  1. Don-n-Lisa

    Don-n-Lisa
    Expand Collapse
    Member

    Joined:
    Apr 17, 2016
    Messages:
    2
    Likes Received:
    0
    Hello All,
    I purchased last year a 2008 Cyclone 5th Toy RV (40' / 3 axles) and recently just acquired a new Chevy Duramax 3500 (total 57' length) to pull the "fun". I drove semi-truck for many years a long time ago and know about state inspection and weigh stations requirements can really vary 50 different ways. I also know my total weight is a 1/3 of what is being hauled by semi-trucks.

    My question is there an up-to-date resource out there for states requirements which affects RV's particularly large ones such as mine or if there's not, without having to learn lawyer speak through various state agency legal traffic codes? We are planning a trip to California from Idaho to visit my daughter and was wondering how often I need to stop at the scales in Utah, Nevada, and California and on the return.

    I have no desire to make a State Officer disgruntled either by driving past or causing congestion at the scale.

    Thank you for your experiences and suggestions,

    Don & Lisa
     
  2. RLM

    RLM
    Expand Collapse
    Member

    Joined:
    Aug 24, 2006
    Messages:
    2,354
    Likes Received:
    157
    My MH with tow is around 30-32K depending on what's in it. I've been to 40 states and never pulled into a weigh station. I don't recall seeing any RVs do that either. There are a handful of agriculture stations that I have encountered over the years, but that's not a weight issue.

    It would seem to me that if you visited one per state on your upcoming trip then you could get the correct answer from the attendant. As opposed to driving over the scales themselves, you might be able to drive into the parking area, get out, and then ask.
     
    Robert K and Don-n-Lisa like this.
  3. NYDutch

    NYDutch
    Expand Collapse
    Member

    Joined:
    Jul 31, 2009
    Messages:
    1,166
    Likes Received:
    725
    Weigh stations are only for commercial traffic unless otherwise stated on their signs. Having driven our RV in enough states to lose count, I have only seen one weigh station signed for buses in addition to trucks, and none that included RV's. I have seen a few agricultural inspection stations that included RV's over the years, but only a few. Even 5'vers being towed by non-commercial Class 7 & 8's don't need to hit the scales.
     
  4. drfife

    drfife
    Expand Collapse
    Member

    Joined:
    Aug 5, 2004
    Messages:
    77
    Likes Received:
    15
    I've towed a trailer through all the lower 48 states. Never been pulled over to be weighed by officials. Weigh stations are for commercial vehicles. Private RV's are exempt.

    Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk
     
  5. TXBobcat

    TXBobcat
    Expand Collapse
    Member

    Joined:
    May 15, 2006
    Messages:
    417
    Likes Received:
    10
    I have also visited all 48 states and have never stopped at a weigh station.. That is for commercial and bus vehicles. I have never been stopped and asked to have my truck and 5th wheel weighed.
    BC
     
  6. Luvtheroad

    Luvtheroad
    Expand Collapse
    Member

    Joined:
    Jul 7, 2010
    Messages:
    248
    Likes Received:
    17
    We've only stopped at California agriculture inspection stations and one time to get weighed. We pulled into one that had no trucks waiting and asked if we could get weighed. The guy in the booth said "sure" and then gave us an outrageous weight. Then he laughed and said, "Naw, I'm just funnin' ya!" and gave us the correct weight.
     
    Cyclonic likes this.
  7. docj

    docj
    Expand Collapse
    RVing Expert

    Joined:
    Jul 4, 2010
    Messages:
    4,957
    Likes Received:
    526
    The State of Maryland has a sign for its weigh station on I-70 east of Frederick that says "all vehicles must stop" which has confused lots of RVers. However, last year some RVers spent some time working their way through the MD bureaucracy trying to determine if the sign meant what it said. After quite a few conversations they were told that it wasn't anyone's intention to have RVers stop at the weigh station.
     
  8. Texasrvers

    Texasrvers
    Expand Collapse
    Administrator

    Joined:
    Mar 6, 2006
    Messages:
    9,197
    Likes Received:
    737
    A sign stating all vehicles must stop would confuse us even if we were driving a car.
     
  9. docj

    docj
    Expand Collapse
    RVing Expert

    Joined:
    Jul 4, 2010
    Messages:
    4,957
    Likes Received:
    526
    I think it said something like "all vehicles over 10,000 pounds" or something like that.
     
  10. Don-n-Lisa

    Don-n-Lisa
    Expand Collapse
    Member

    Joined:
    Apr 17, 2016
    Messages:
    2
    Likes Received:
    0
    thank you all for your reply's...

    Only in California would they want me to stop at an agriculture station just because I got veggie's in the fridge.:)
     
  11. RLM

    RLM
    Expand Collapse
    Member

    Joined:
    Aug 24, 2006
    Messages:
    2,354
    Likes Received:
    157
    I had better stay out of California. All of those limes that I have to go with the margaritas may get me busted. :)
     
  12. NYDutch

    NYDutch
    Expand Collapse
    Member

    Joined:
    Jul 31, 2009
    Messages:
    1,166
    Likes Received:
    725
    Yep, that would be confusing for many RV'ers.
     
  13. Texasrvers

    Texasrvers
    Expand Collapse
    Administrator

    Joined:
    Mar 6, 2006
    Messages:
    9,197
    Likes Received:
    737
    That would definitely make more sense to someone in a car but would still be confusing to RVer's.
     
  14. Denali

    Denali
    Expand Collapse
    Member

    Joined:
    Jan 11, 2005
    Messages:
    1,575
    Likes Received:
    22
    FWIW, when they are closed, the weigh stations in Oregon are almost all available 24/7 if you want to weigh your rig.

    As others have stated, you never need to stop at a weigh station in your RV.
     
  15. Cyclonic

    Cyclonic
    Expand Collapse
    Member

    Joined:
    Jul 9, 2013
    Messages:
    362
    Likes Received:
    93
    I stopped once at one, I think in Colorado, where the sign said something like "All Towed Vehicles" It was confusing enough that I felt it safer to stop. They just weighed me and waved me on.
     
  16. Tallboy

    Tallboy
    Expand Collapse
    Member

    Joined:
    Oct 28, 2004
    Messages:
    179
    Likes Received:
    13
    We have a semi truck modified to tow our 5th wheel camper. The truck is registered as a non-commercial truck. We don't stop at weigh stations or inspection stations. We just pass them on by.

    The only ones we stop at are the inspection stations you are forced to go in because the road is blocked. Everyone has to go into those.
     
  17. Nineoaks

    Nineoaks
    Expand Collapse
    Member

    Joined:
    Jun 16, 2016
    Messages:
    20
    Likes Received:
    7
    Ag. Stations are another matter tho. I once got stopped leaving Ga. with a crippled but empty horse trailer, we did not stop and got pulled over by w beautiful, drop dead female State Trooper, she checked the trailer and saw all we had was a bad axle and nothing else, but gave us a warning about running the station, I asked her " if I run it again, will you stop me again as you are the prettiest trooper I have ever seen" She laughed and replied " get out of here before I give you a ticket for harassment"
     
    Cyclonic, Tallboy and BankShot like this.
  18. Over the Hill

    Over the Hill
    Expand Collapse
    Member

    Joined:
    Nov 16, 2018
    Messages:
    2
    Likes Received:
    0
    Hi everyone,
    I live in SoCa near San Diego and if you contact the CHP here they will tell you all Class 8 semi's pulling personal fifth wheels need to stop at weigh stations. They said they don't give a poop what is written on the truck about private or non commercial. I pull a 44' DRV 5th wheel with a 270" WB class 8 379 Pete and always blow the coops and have never been stopped in last 10 years. Legal to do so "I don't think so". My overall length is over 70' with a combined overall empty of weight 41,300 lbs (21,500 truck & 19'800 DRV). If I stretch out the 5th wheel , add 1500 lbs of fuel (250 gals) and load the DRV for bear (full time use). I don't want to know.
     
  19. Robert K

    Robert K
    Expand Collapse
    Member

    Joined:
    Oct 29, 2018
    Messages:
    4
    Likes Received:
    1
    I just came up 270 in Maryland and their is a weigh station with the ALL vehicles over 5 tons must stop sign. It was 6 am on sunday so it was closed
    My brother said someone posted on Forest River Owners Group that he was ticketed for not stopping. This was a couple yrs ago and I never looked into it any further.
     
  20. docj

    docj
    Expand Collapse
    RVing Expert

    Joined:
    Jul 4, 2010
    Messages:
    4,957
    Likes Received:
    526
    With all due respect, we visit MD often to see family and never stop at the weigh stations. The MD police really aren't interested in RVers. There have been threads about this in the past. The stories about people being ticketed are always anecdotal.
     

Share This Page