Bigger 5th Wheels in California

[Rainer]

California Gov. Jerry Brown has signed into law legislation backed by the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA) that “brings clarity to the state vehicle code and will allow longer fifth-wheel travel trailers in the state,” according to a press release.

RVIA, working closely with the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), the California Highway Patrol (CHP), and the RV Dealers Association of California, was able to get legislation enacted that permits fifth-wheel trailers to be up to 48 feet in overall length, provided the kingpin to rear axle length is 40 feet or less for a fifth-wheel with two or more axles. If there is only one axle, the kingpin to axle length may not exceed 38 feet.

The legislation clarifies an ambiguity in the law that arose in late 2012 by instituting a uniform process to measure fifth-wheels. The issue surfaced last October when the California DMV issued a “Vehicle Industry News” bulletin to its field offices instructing that a registration application form for a fifth-wheel trailer must include its length and width in inches, and that any unit exceeding 40 feet in length from the “foremost point of the trailer hitch to the rear extremity of the trailer body” would not be considered a vehicle.

At that time there was no measurement standard for fifth-wheel trailers included in any California statute or regulation, and the new DMV enforcement position created problems for the RV industry because models in excess of 40 feet – measured according to the method in the DMV bulletin – could no longer be titled or registered as a vehicle with DMV.

As part of the new law, a manufacturer of a fifth-wheel trailer of any size must include in the delivery documents to the dealer the information necessary to register that fifth-wheel travel trailer, including the vehicle’s overall length and a declaration that the vehicle is in compliance with the kingpin to rear axle length provision. An RV dealer would have the right to refuse acceptance of the trailer if this information is not provided.

“Officially, the law takes effect on January 1, 2014,” said Director of Government Affairs Mike Ochs, who led the effort for RVIA. “However, since we worked closely with DMV and CHP in crafting this bill, it is not likely that a DMV field office will refuse to register or title a fifth wheel that falls within the new length requirements prior to the effective date.”

[Tom S.]

As I understand it, RV's won't be gaining anything. I believe Federal law states anything with more than 400 square feet must be classified a moble home. Now if you were talking about a 5th wheel to haul something, it would be a different story.

[Rainer]

Here's a government link to all those laws.

http://1.usa.gov/18VuDuJ

As I read it, the limit for travel trailers is 320 square feet, but the industry appears to circumvent this maximum rating by utilizing slide-outs for additional room while parked, yet smaller when actually towing.

Simple math show that 320 divided by 8.5 is 37.65; 320 square feet divided by an allowable maximum of width of 8 feet 6 inches, leaves a 37.65 foot length.

But the crutch is where it's measured from, and now there's enforceable legislation in California that makes that definitive.

[Tom S.]

From your link under 5th wheels:

"Fifth-Wheel Trailer. A vehicular unit, mounted on wheels, designed to provide temporary living quarters for recreational, camping, or travel use, of such size and weight as not to require special movement permit(s), of gross trailer area not to exceed 400 sq. ft. (37.2 m2) in the set-up mode, and designed to be towed by a motorized vehicle that contains a towing mechanism that is mounted above or forward of the tow vehicles rear axle."

[PatnRich]

On the factory tour at the Fall Rally work was under way to extend the scaffolds to accommodate rigs up to 40'. We were told the revised size limit was, if I remember correctly, 430 sq. ft.