For Drivers of Motor Homes, Truck Campers and House Trailers

Overview

This document addresses only selected requirements for motor homes, truck campers, house trailers and trucks that tow house trailers operating on the highway and is not an exhaustive list of all the rules that may apply.

Actual Weight

• For a single truck = the actual weight of the truck and load, if any,

• For a truck towing a trailer = the actual weight of the truck and load, if any, and any weight transferred to the truck through the tongue or gooseneck of an attached trailer, including a house trailer.

House trailer

House trailer includes a fifth wheel house trailer, a ball hitch type house trailer, a travel trailer, a cabin trailer, a collapsible cabin trailer, a tent trailer and camping trailer, when being used for personal purposes.

Motor home

A motor vehicle that is used for personal purposes as a temporary or permanent residence and contains at least four of the following items: Cooking facilities, a refrigerator or an ice box, a self-contained toilet, a heating or air conditioning system, an independent electrical power supply or an independent gas supply or a potable water supply system with faucet and sink.Note: "a van camper" is essentially a car-plated passenger van and as such is subject to the same rules as a passenger van or a car.


Registered gross weights

The term "registered gross weight" (RGW) and "registered" are used throughout this document. The RGW determines the fee paid for a truck's licence plates.

For more information about RGW and to determine the appropriate amount of RGW for your truck or truck camper, please visit the following website: Determining Registered Gross Weights for Trucks.Motor homes are plated as passenger vehicles, [e.g. car plates] and do not have a RGW.

Truck camper

A truck carrying a self-contained dwelling unit that is designed, equipped and used exclusively for living accommodation.

Note: The truck portion of a truck camper is registered and licensed as a truck and has an RGW. A truck camper reverts back to a truck when the camper is not being carried and therefore must comply with any truck safety rules that may apply for the size and weight of the truck. Some of these rules are included in this document.