[ravenclaw]

I have a 1999 Chevy 2500 Silverado. The taxes on this truck are more expensive than the taxes I pay on my car (a 2007 Subaru).

I asked someone at the county office about this and they said it is because my truck is a "heavy duty" truck and there are extra costs, fees, registration, etc. with a heavy duty truck.

Would the taxes be cheaper if I got a farm tag for the truck? It just has a regular tag now. The truck is truly a farm truck...it isn't driven very often (mainly to get hay and do other errands for the farm).

I see trucks with farm tags all the time in my area and I just wondered if getting one for my truck would decrease the taxes. I'm in South Carolina, by the way. Thanks for any info!

[clanter]

here is the link to the application for South Carolina truck farm tags

http://www.scdmvonline.com/dmvnew/forms/4042.pdf

[wildlifer]

Not sure of SC rules, but in NC, if it's a farm truck, that means it DOES NOT leave the farm, except occasionally. Of course, lots of people do it anyway and just take their chances. You do have to pay extra taxes for larger vehicles due to weight, etc.

I also have to pay extra for a weighted tag because the normal NC plate is only legal if your rig is under 6,000 lbs. Which means for my F250, it'd be illegal as soon as I turned the key (weighed in on quarry scale at 6860 lbs), not including the trailer. So I pay for a 12,000 lb tag -- because they WILL pull you over up here.

[Kryswyn]

In VA your farm tag means you can drive from the farm to the feed store and the dump and around the farm.

[clanter]

In VA your farm tag means you can drive from the farm to the feed store and the dump and around the farm.

that is the same here in Texas, venture off a farm-to-market or ranch-to-market road and you may just be pulled over

The ag tags here are exempt to the bridge and road fees I believe... Bluey would know for sure

[Foxtrot's]

Just a note to Canadian readers - if you use farm fuel for your farm truck, in Canada you may use your truck off the farm and on roads and highways.

BUT....

If you drive below the line for groceries, etc. and have a farm licence plate, you will be pulled over and fined for driving on the public roads.

A local farmer drove his farm truck to the States to shop for farm equipment and got a hefty fine. This was news to almost everyone, including Horse Council, and everyone, incuding the dealer in the States, lost out. It means you cannot haul down to a show in California and fill up before you leave with coloured fuel.

[wildlifer]

Very true -- you CANNOT drive on any of our roads at any time with the red fuel. They randomly pull people over and dip your tank to check here (or maybe it's not random, maybe only if you look rednecky, I don't know). Ag fuel can only be used for tractors and other machinery that is not road legal.

[Rapaloosa]

I am also in SC and I have a farm tag on my truck. I do only use my truck for horse related activities and have a car I drive the rest of the time. I have driven all over North and South Carolina with that tag and have never had any problem, even been through some checkpoints and it has never been mentioned that there would be any question about my tag.

[CHSatwork]

We have farm tags on our truck and yes it's cheaper (VA). You can drive anywhere with them. If you get the red Farm Use tags at tractor supply you can only drive so many miles from the farm. I've driven from VA to NJ with a Farm Use tag on my trailer. Never had any problems.

[Simbalism]

CHSatwork, you must be really lucky. My friend(also in Va) drove into town to the feed store and stopped at the library literally two blocks down the street to us use the computer. She got a ticket.

[CHSatwork]

I don't know where in VA she lives but that would never happen here. Granted where I am is very rural. More cattle in my town than people. Not even a stop light in the town. Everywhere you look there are farm tags.
I go to my moms in Charlottesville all the time (4 hours north of me) never an issue. I've been pulled over numerous times for speeding. I would think if my tags were illegal they would have mentioned that since everytime I was on the interstate.

[CHSatwork]

Can a farm vehicle using F-tags be used for anything other than farming?

Yes; however, non-farm use is limited to the personal use of the owner and his immediate family to attend church or school, to secure medical treatment or supplies, or to secure other household or family necessities.

This is so broad there are so many ways out they aren't going to pull you over just for that. I would have fought the ticket your friend got. At the library they were getting family necessities, books for the kids which also falls under education.