PRVCA Explore Magazine PRVCA Explore PA 2020 | Page 22

You’ve finally made the decision to purchase
that large recreational vehicle that you’ve
always dreamed about driving. Here’s
what you need to know about licensing in
Pennsylvania.
The Pennsylvania Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) does not
require a special license to operate a recreational vehicle. Gener-
ally, motorhomes are not considered commercial vehicles and do
not require a medical card or a commercial driver’s license (CDL).
Most motorhomes require a regular Class A Non-commercial
driver’s license (minimum age 18) to operate. The gross weight
rating is 26,0001 pounds or more, where the vehicle(s) being
towed is/are in excess of 10,000 pounds. The total combination
weight is 26,500 pounds.
If the vehicle, registered as a motorhome, is rated in excess of
26,000 pounds, a Class B Non-commercial driver’s license is
required to operate it.
If you’re nervous about driving that big rig, there are driving
classes available. The Family Motor Coach Association (FMCA)
partners with the RV Driving School. Check out the company’s
classes through FMCA at fmca.com or visit rvschool.com. The
RV Safety and Education Foundation is offering hands on driv-
ing during its conference, May 13-17, RV Technical Institute in
Elkhart, Indiana. Visit rvsafety.com/hands-on-driving for more
information.
Some insurance companies will offer safe driving discounts for
completing a driving course. Check with your insurance agent.
Pennsylvania recently amended Act 138 pertaining to the vehicle
code classification of recreational vehicles.
Recreation Cargo Trailers are designed or adapted for the purposes
of transporting animals or vehicles for noncommercial recreation
use, such as a horse trailer, watercraft trailer or all-terrain trailers.
A Recreation Trailer is designed or adapted to provide temporary
living quarters for noncommercial recreational, camping or travel
use.
22 | EXPLORE Pennsylvania 2020
With this change, noncommercial owners are now able to pull
these types of trailers and be exempt from the combination
weight fees, they would have previously paid. The new defini-
tion allows an owner pulling a trailer exceeding 10,000 pounds
to re-register their vehicle without combination weights and no
longer have to pay those fees.
Consumers can change their vehicle classification during their
renewal time by completing MV-41 and MV-41R forms and
attaching them to the renewal. By making the change, they will
pay the normal, standard truck registration for that Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating (GVWR). The change is not mandatory. If your
trailer is under 10,000 pounds, then no change is necessary, since
you weren’t paying for the combination weights.
Consumers should make sure that they understand that their
truck must be capable of pulling the trailer according to the
manufacturer’s GVWR.
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Consumers
notified consumers of the changes in a letter. Pennsylvania
dealers are also aware of the change and when a new trailer
is purchased, they can provide the information to the customer.
Once registered properly, new vehicle owners don’t have to
worry about making any other changes.