Quote:
Originally Posted by FG89
First post, wanted to share a recent experience of mine. Sorry if I’m hijacking, thought it went somewhat in line with the thread topic.
We are from Indiana, but we were towing our 2020 HC in PA with our 2019 F-450. Combined we are grossing over 30K. Got pulled over by at PA state trooper for not having my temporary tag on the rear of the camper. Just bought it a few weeks ago, all info was inside the cab. While stopped, the trooper checked the GVWR on the truck and camper. When he returned all of our information, he gave me a ticket for “operating a vehicle without a valid license for that class or type of vehicle.”
The trooper stated I was not legal in PA due to our gross being over 26K. I told him because I am operating for personal use, not being paid or compensated, I am legal. In addition, because Indiana does not require any other form of license for recreational use, I am legal state to state. He disagreed with both of these and gave me the ticket.
Has anyone dealt with this sort of encounter before? I have studied the DLA agreement with both PA and IN on them since this encounter and still believe myself to be legal to operate. In addition, I found a PA statute stating a nonresident can only operate a vehicle class that they are licensed to operate in their own state. So, since I can operate in my home state I should be able to operate in PA.
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Trooper was wrong. If you are legal in your state; license classification/tow rig, you are legal in any other state - you do not have to comply with their
licensing requirements. They do control other aspects of towing; max length, number of trailers etc. but not the requirements of your state issued DL. It is reciprocity and recognized in all states.
What you experienced is the "revenue - out of state" generator. They bet that you won't contest it and will just pay. Don't know what the stipulations are of the one you got but I'll just cite the way NM does; I'm from TX, I get stopped for any reason by a trooper and cited I have 2 options - plead guilty on the spot and agree to a "mail in" fine written on the ticket OR plead not guilty and
return physically to the location of the judge for that particular jurisdiction to plead my case - no phone calls, no letters. Oh, BTW, if you pay it is not reported to go against your DL record in your state.... I just pay any I receive and go on, I'm not driving hundreds and hundreds of miles back to have a JP in some little town tell me you owe the fine anyway unless you hire a lawyer.