Changing Title and Registering a Bus as a Motorhome in North Carolina??

Highway Yacht · September 10, 2010, 09:42:47 AM

For those of you guys living in North Carolina, At what stage of the conversion did you get the title changed over to Motorhome? My bus is now registered as a Non-Commercial Private bus with a $31.00 tag. I have no seats in it but still have the factory restroom in the rear with a toilet and sink. I also have a small inverter that gives me 110V to power the on board video system and monitors. I want to get the title changed as soon as possible since I'm not sure I am legally licenced to drive the bus. The tag office said I was...the licence office said it was a grey area..but wouldn't give me a definite answer.
NCDMV says you have to have at least 4 of the following to change the title: a toilet, portable water supply with a sink, separate 110v electrical power, Cooking, Refrigeration or Ice Box, and Heating or A/C,. Plus you must have permanent sleeping facilities. Did you all try to finish the conversion completely before changing over the title? I've already got most of that now if you count the OTR Air, Factory toilet, factory sink, and Inverter.. Any ideas or suggestions?

Busted Knuckle · September 10, 2010, 01:15:06 PM

A hammock, cot or air mattress will make a bed, an ice chest will make a "ice box", a coleman camp stove will do for cooking, and a 5 gallon jug of "potable" water will make a water supply!

FYI all of these can be bought in the sporting department of Wally world or yard/garage sales.

BK

happycamperbrat · September 10, 2010, 01:40:28 PM

Hmmm, your laws sound suspiciously like what we have in California. Only the cooking facilities, etc. have to be permantly mounted (so an ice chest wont do). Im curious, what did you tell Progressive that you have? Mine is also registered as a Private Bus, but I told Progressive I have a 1983 GMC Bus Conversion only because I didnt know what I was doing when I bought the bus! The DMV lady insisted I did not have to have a commercial driver's license when I registered it.

Busted Knuckle · September 10, 2010, 02:48:39 PM

Sure an ice chest will work! Build a 2 X 2 frame around it put some paneling on it wa-la ice box!

BK

Highway Yacht · September 10, 2010, 05:10:13 PM

Quote from: happycamperbrat on September 10, 2010, 01:40:28 PM
Hmmm, your laws sound suspiciously like what we have in California. Only the cooking facilities, etc. have to be permanently mounted (so an ice chest wont do). Im curious, what did you tell Progressive that you have? Mine is also registered as a Private Bus, but I told Progressive I have a 1983 GMC Bus Conversion only because I didnt know what I was doing when I bought the bus! The DMV lady insisted I did not have to have a commercial driver's license when I registered it.

I have it insured as a nonprofessional bus conversion RV. Progressive didn't ask me how or what was converted nor did they ask me how it was registered. For all they know I am sleeping in a sleeping bag on the floor. It has a permanent toilet and sink, a 110 supply, and heat and air so technically I have 4 of the required facilities. I just don't have permanent sleeping facilities such as a bed that they require. I guess I could nail my sleeping bag to the floor so it would be considered permanent...LOL.. Our DMV HC (House Car) law doesn't dictate that we have to have a built in stove or Ice box.
Like I said earlier...the lady at the tag NCDMV Tag office told me I did NOT need CDL's to drive it the way it was registered since it was registered as a non-commercial private bus for private use only. The Driver's Licence Office says it is a grey area and would not give me a definite Yes or NO answer. I hope to catch one of the DMV Inspectors next week and talk to them and see what they say. I just want to re-title it as soon as possible for peace of mind.

Highway Yacht · September 10, 2010, 05:14:51 PM

Quote from: Busted Knuckle on September 10, 2010, 01:15:06 PM
A hammock, cot or air mattress will make a bed, an ice chest will make a "ice box", a coleman camp stove will do for cooking, and a 5 gallon jug of "potable" water will make a water supply!

FYI all of these can be bought in the sporting department of Wally world or yard/garage sales.
BK

Yeah... I've heard of others doing just that and it working out okay... Just never heard of that working for anyone here in North Carolina. I'll know more after I get in contact with my state DMV inspector and see what they say. They will be the ones who actually come out to inspect it and sign off on it to be re-titled.

ArtGill · September 10, 2010, 07:06:29 PM

It has been 10 years, but mine was so easy. I had the seats out, but not much else. The inspector was happy that it appeared that I was converting it. I was would meet with the inspector, have an mattress and an ice chest. Then ask him what he needs to sign it off.

Art

happycamperbrat · September 10, 2010, 08:12:46 PM

you guys are toooo funny!!!

ArtGill · September 11, 2010, 05:27:54 AM

Ok, My real story is: I had removed the seats and the inspector came by. I told him my plans and he gave me the sign form. We had known each other for about 30 years, but of course that didn't have any effect on his decision.

It will just depend on the DMV inspector. Give it a try and he will tell you what he needs if he doesn't approve you on the first visit. GO for it!!!

Art

blue_goose · September 14, 2010, 06:25:05 AM

My son and I converted ours in North Carolina and changed the titles there also. I never heard of anybody having to have there conversion inspected. Before anything was done to our coach I went and changed the title and got NC plates for it. There were no questions about what had been done to make it a motor home.
Jack

ruthi · September 14, 2010, 08:46:54 AM

I am in Georgia, and from what some had said, it was going to be a big deal. I put it off for a long time not wanting to deal with it. Then, one morning I decided today is the day. I went prepared for a battle. I walked into the DMV and told them I had a bus, and wanted to re-title it as a motor home. They said here it is a house car............okay. So, anyway they took the information, and told me it would be about 10 days to get the title back. That was all there was to it. Needless to say, we were elated that that was all there was to it. Now, we live in a small town, maybe that helped, although when we first moved here, it took heaven and earth to get everything changed, so, who knows. Point is, just go for it and see what happens...........

tomhamrick · September 14, 2010, 01:36:05 PM

We changed ours about 11 years ago. All we did was take the seats out, the DMV inspector stuck his head in and said "Yep look like you are building a motor home." He signed the form and we got out title. You are correct that in North Carolina a CDL is not required. But a non-CDL class B license is required, because the GVW is over 26,000 pounds. A freind of mine is the license inspector and he first said no because everyone assumes that RV's are excempt. But after studying he said that it is required for over 26,000. If you look at NC DOT web site you will find even a picture of a motor home weighing over 26,000 pounds requiring a class B. I have a nephew who is a state trooper and he said that we would probably never get ticketed for it, but my concern is a slick lawyer in an accident that may not even be my fault could make it be my fault!
Tom Hamrick
Forest City,NC

Charles in SC · September 14, 2010, 06:52:52 PM

I am in South Carolina but thought I would share my process. In SC you can title a vehicle in your name without getting a license tag. When you want to get a tag it is a little easier. After two years of converting it I was not sure how it would go so I just deceided to be honest and go for it. I went to the dmv and told them that I had a bus I had been converting to a motor home for the last two years and wanted to change the title and get a tag. They told me to put motor home on the application where it said bus. That was in 2002.
Good luck.

blue_goose · September 15, 2010, 06:14:38 AM

Tom, a class B is a CDL. There are no state's that require a cdl to drive a motor home unless it is being used as a commercial coach.
Jack

tomhamrick · September 15, 2010, 09:46:27 AM

Hi Jack, How ya doing?? There is a non-CDL Class B license and a non-CDL Class A. You can find out about these on the DOT web site. They are for driving larger vehicles that are not commercial.
Tom Hamrick