The Department has two types of commercial plates available - a "regular" commercial plate and an elected gross vehicle weight (GVW) commercial plate.

The following vehicles use the "regular" commercial plate:

• A vehicle used to transport persons for hire (e.g., taxi, bus, limousine)
• Company-owned pickups and vans up to 8,000 pounds
• A vehicle up to 8,000 pounds used commercially to transport goods, wares, or merchandise (e.g., stake truck, tank, dump, utility) including passenger vehicles used commercially
• Ambulances and hearses

The following vehicles require GVW plates:

• All trucks weighing over 8,000 pounds (empty) used commercially
• All semi tractors used commercially
• Trucks weighing 8,000 pounds or less (empty) towing a trailer or any other vehicle for commercial purposes (This does not include pickups and vans under 8,001 lbs. towing a trailer. They use regular fees as if there was no trailer).

The GVW plate fee is based on the truck's maximum elected gross vehicle weight (GVW). Elected gross vehicle weight is the empty weight of the vehicle or combination of vehicles, fully equipped for service, plus the weight of the maximum load that the owner has elected to carry.