Registering as House Car in NC?

[Songman]

Anyone have any direct experience in NC? I know each state is different. The guy who is thinking of buying my bus lives in NC and is wondering about what it takes to register it. I think some of you are from NC so advice I could pass to him would be appreciated.

Thanks.

[jackhartjr]

Songman, I talked to DMV in NC recently about this.  There has to be 4 of 7 items in place, then a DMV Inspector has to look at it, then he gives you a certificate that you take to the Tag and Title division, then it goes from being listed as a BUS and becomes a HOUSE CAR.
I am going to try to list the 7 items.  Remember you only have to have 4 in place. 

A shower.
A place to poop.
A place to cook.
A propane system.
A place to sleep.
And two more I can't remember.

If you want I can get you the name and number of the guy I talked to.  Like ALL government concerns, it took several calls before I found someone that knew what was going on!  I think I wrote the list down, I will check for it later and if I have it will post it in this thread.
Hope that helps.
Jack

[Nusa]

From: http://www.ncleg.net/Sessions/2001/Bills/House/PDF/H1052v2.pdf

Motor home or house car. – A vehicular unit, designed to
30 provide temporary living quarters, built into as an integral part,
31 or permanently attached to, a self-propelled motor vehicle
32 chassis or van. The vehicle must provide at least four of the
33 following facilities: cooking, refrigeration or icebox,
34 self-contained toilet, heating or air conditioning, a portable
35 water supply system including a faucet and sink, separate
36 110-125 volt electrical power supply, or an LP gas supply.

[kingfa39]

when i did mine i i took the paper work to the dmv and told em i was converting to motor home, still had 41 seats in it, they too the paper work and sent it in and thats all there was to that story. if worse comes to worse take the seats out put a portable stove and poopoer in and go for it but i dont think you will have any problems i lived there 27 yrs and found the state nice to work with on vehicles
Frank Allen
4106   2626

[trailblazer2]

  I went through this process in North Carolina in 2005. I was told by a Agency in Siler City,that I needed to go ahead a make it look like a motorhome,and they would inspect it . Then I went to Asheboro,where they simply wanted a notorized statement ,and that was it. Its amazing the difference,huh?

[Songman]

Thanks guys. I pointed him to this thread. Apparently, like in so many places, it comes down to who you talk to.

[Ncbob]

Shucks, out here in the Western Part of the State, I registered my Bus as a Home Car while IT was still in IL.

I bought someone else's idea of a conversion and while it did, in fact have a head, shower and galley and a queen sized bed (which the mice seemed to favor more than the P/O...but the mice weren't housebroke) I simply took the notarized bill of sale to the local Tag Office and registered it, showing the proper Insurance Binder of course) and took the tag with me when I picked it up a few weeks later.

I really believe that the burden lies on the shoulder of the registree (?) as far as the NC State Troopers stopping you and inspecting, which they are allowed to do.  If you're in violation....sell the farm.....your butt is going to Durham!

NCbob

[Songman]

Thanks Bob...

We have the same '4 of 7' out here in CA now... No inspection is required but, as you say, if you get caught in a bus that is registered as private but doesn't have 4 of 7 then you are in trouble. But unless you are acting crazy, the chances of getting pulled over and inspected seem pretty small to me.

[Green-Hornet]

Yup Songman your bus, if I remember, is already stripped out.
An air matress = place to sleep
Colmen stove= place to cook
Coleman cooler= Ice box
a 5 gallon bucket with a seat on top= place to you know what
There is yer 4 for under $100
Good luck regardless.

[DrivingMissLazy]

The Bumper Dumper. Special from our good friend in SC, Gene Rochester. Designed to mount in the trailer hitch.

[jackhartjr]

Does the Bumper Dumper qualify as the ....................?

[DrivingMissLazy]

Does the Bumper Dumper qualify as the ....................?

I would think so. Especially if you draped a trash bag over the seat. LOL
Richard

[Songman]

One of the reasons I used to help convince my wife that I wanted to convert a bus was that we wouldn't have to stop every 3rd exit for her to go to the bathroom. This would bring a whole new sense of adventure to that statement! 

[tomhamrick]

Here in Rutherford County I called DMV and an inspector came out and stuck his head in the door and saw all the seats out. That was good enough for him. He filled out the paper work, we took it to the tag office and that was it.
Tom Hamrick
1984 Eagle 10S

[Songman]

Good looking Eagle, Tom. Any pictures from your build? Since that is what is replacing the RTS I am looking to see what everyone else has done.