There are two main differences between registered vehicles (“F-tags”) and unregistered agricultural use vehicles: According to the Virginia Code § 46.2-613, misuse of an unregistered agricultural use tag results in a fine of up to $250. Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed HB 179 and SB 186 in Virginia on April 1, establishing a formal procedure for Virginia farmers to purchase signs for permanent agricultural use. The law will come into force on July 1, 2023 so that farmers can know and prepare for the new requirements. One of them is a law that many farmers have been waiting for for a few years. While they add an extra step by having to make an appointment with the DMV to get these plates, local farmers and the Virginia Farm Bureau hope that these new regulations will reduce non-farmers who abuse the plates. With the DMV, farmers must also prove that the vehicle has liability insurance with the new regulations. Externally, it may seem that this law would harm farmers or act against them because they have to provide evidence, but a local farmer says he is satisfied with the new law. Farm slabs may only be used in conjunction with the holding or for the transport of the farmer and his family members. This includes transportation for personal use.

The farmer can lend the farm-coated vehicle to others and receive payment in kind or in the form of services, but not in cash. The farm disc fee is based on the weight of the vehicle and can be purchased for 6 or 12 months. “It is important to maintain the exemption for the legitimate use of agricultural vehicles,” said Andrew Smith, Associate Director of Government Relations at the VFBF. The Virginia Code specifically states that any change or falsification of a title that refers to F-tags is a Class 6 crime. If you do not use an agricultural licence plate, you must have a Selected Total Weight Licence Plate (WWS) for trucks with an unladen weight of more than 8,000 pounds, a truck of less than 8,000 pounds that pulls a non-recreational trailer of any size; Trucks of any size, towing a trailer of any size, and road or road tractors. The new rules apply to unregistered agricultural vehicles. From 1 July 2023, agricultural vehicles must bear a permanent registration number issued by DMV. Farming is hard work, and transportation often comes with difficulties and costs for farmers.

But there are a few allowances in Virginia law to ease some of the burden. There are fairly harsh penalties for the misuse or falsification of agricultural use labels in Virginia. Postage equipment, such as tractors, wagons, trailers, trailers capable of lifting and transporting another restraint system or similar equipment for the transport of agricultural products, is exempt from the numbering requirements of the USDOT. Some vehicles can be both motor vehicles and posture devices – a dump truck, for example, can be equipped with a spreader that makes it a posture device. If you have ever been charged with illegal use of these labels, you should speak to a lawyer immediately. The main advantage of using an unregistered farm use label is that you don`t have to pay a registration fee for the vehicle or even title it. One of the most common areas of confusion is the difference between registered and unregistered agricultural vehicles. Determining when to change your farm vehicle to a normally registered vehicle is another common area where people are confused. There are actually two different types of “agricultural” license plates in Virginia. One of these exceptions is the ability to use agricultural vehicles on state roads with minimum requirements. Farmers often post signs indicating that they are using vehicles only for authorized purposes that allow farmers to dispense with defined aspects of the vehicle registration process in Virginia. Tractors, trucks and other vehicles used by farmers in their fields, like all vehicles on public roads, must be registered and have some form of identification.

For some agricultural vehicles, this means that in addition to a license plate, the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) company name and number must also be displayed on the truck`s power supply. For example, you might get a ticket to use your unregistered farm vehicle to go to a bingo night or a trip with friends. Andrew Smith, deputy director of government relations for the Virginia Farm Bureau, says the DMV could charge $15 for the poster and ask farmers to disclose the size of their farms and the type of crops they produce to verify legitimacy. Vehicles eligible for agricultural signs are limited to pickup truck or sign vans, sport utility vehicles, vehicles with a total laden weight exceeding 7,500 pounds, and trailers and semi-trailers. Agricultural use labels have been used by farmers in the past to indicate that the vehicle in question falls under certain agricultural guidelines, such as the vehicle that weighs less than £7,500 and travels along a motorway on a road not exceeding 75 miles from one part of the owner`s land to another. It also allows farmers to skip many aspects of the vehicle registration process in Virginia. Essentially, an F label is a kind of middle ground between a fully registered car and an unregistered agricultural commercial vehicle. The first are the unregistered “farm usage” tags that you`re likely to see in farm supply stores.

The latter are saved “F-tags” that you must pick up in the DMV. The law recognizes that a certain spill can occur, and if the amount spilled does not affect other traffic on the highway, it is not considered a violation of the law. It is important to remember that agricultural vehicles that fall within the definition of a commercial vehicle must comply with the safety regulations of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations. (FMCSR) The regulations are resource-specific and there are load limits for fixations. In fact, technically, you don`t even need the “Farm Use” license plate, although it`s highly recommended to use one. Now, anyone can go to a farm supply store and buy an agricultural utility sign to display on their vehicle, whether it is used for agricultural purposes or not. Before you decide to use unregistered farm usage tags or F tags, you should review the general instructions on the DMV Web site. The new legislation requires Virginia farmers to request posters for agricultural use through the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. Posters have an alphanumeric identification number and are not transferable.

They must also be posted at all times. “We tried education, we tried a lot of things, but it ultimately came down to getting an official DMV poster where the farmer or the person who feels they meet the exception can use the vehicle for the right purposes,” said Andrew Smith of the Virginia Farm Bureau. Unlike the misuse of an unregistered agricultural use label, this crime imposes severe penalties such as a fine of up to $1,000 and perhaps even jail time. The required new license plate costs $15 and there will be an application to complete before receiving the plates to ensure that the person`s vehicle meets the criteria for agricultural use. Roundwood panels used in deforestation and milk panels used exclusively for transporting milk from the farm to the first delivery point are available. It is illegal to drive a motor vehicle on a public road with dyed diesel fuel. Posture devices are exempt from this prohibition, but if the posture device is also a registered vehicle, it is also prevented from using colored diesel fuel on highways. HB 179 and SB 186 establish new rules for the “agricultural use” of vehicles.