What is Special Equipment?

Certain specialized vehicles, which are incidentally operated on the highway, fall under the definition of Special Equipment (SE) and are exempt from regular registration. This category includes special construction equipment, cemetery equipment, special mobile equipment, logging equipment, implements of husbandry, and cotton or farm trailers. (Vehicle Code §§5011, 5015, 5016)

When SE registration is issued

SE registration is issued to qualified vehicles as outlined below. A qualifying vehicle is issued an SE plate and an identification card. A title is not issued to vehicles with SE registration. However, the owner may apply for a Certificate of Title as a separate transaction.

When SE registration is required

A special equipment identification plate is:

• Required for special construction equipment, special mobile equipment, cemetery equipment, and logging vehicles (VC §5011);
• Required for cotton trailers, farm trailers, water tanks, oversize feed and seed motor vehicles, automatic bale wagons, and cotton module movers (VC §36101);
• Optional for implements of husbandry and farm tractors (VC §36115).

Special Equipment definitions

Special Construction Equipment (VC §565)

A special construction vehicle is one used more than 51% of the time for highway construction, occasionally moves over the highways, and is oversize or overweight. These vehicles also require special permits issued by the Department of Transportation or local authorities because of its size.

Special construction equipment includes any legal sized (not requiring a special permit) vehicle used primarily for highway grading, paving, earth moving, or other highway or railroad right-of-way work. These vehicles are not designed for transportation of persons or property and are only occasionally operated or moved over the highways.

Earthmoving Equipment

Special Construction Exclusions

Special construction equipment does not include truck-mounted transit mixers, cranes, shovels, and dump trucks that are not oversize or overweight, or any commercial vehicle not specified in Vehicle Code §565 to which machinery has been attached (VC §570).

Special Mobile Equipment (VC §575)

Special mobile equipment is not self-propelled, not designed or used primarily for the transportation of persons or property, and only incidentally operated or moved over the highways. Some examples of special mobile equipment are generators, log splitters, tar pots, chippers, cement mixers and welders.

Cement Mixer

Logging Vehicle (VC §379)

A logging vehicle is one used exclusively in logging operations and is not designed for the transportation of persons or property on a highway.

Log Loader

Cemetery Equipment (VC §4012)

Cemetery equipment is a vehicle, implement, or equipment specifically designed or altered for maintenance or operation of cemetery grounds and only incidentally operated or moved on a highway.

Implements of Husbandry (VC §§36000, 36015)

A vehicle used exclusively in the conduct of agricultural operations is an implement of husbandry.

Implements of husbandry include any farm tractor that is used to draw a farm trailer carrying farm produce on a highway or to draw a trailer or semitrailer carrying other implements of husbandry between farms, or from a farm to a processing or handling point and returning with or without the trailer.

NOTE: An implement of husbandry does not include a vehicle designed primarily for transportation of persons or property on the highways unless specified in the Vehicle Code.

Farm Trailer (VC §§36109, 36010)

A "farm trailer" is either a trailer or semitrailer that is never over 10,000 lbs. gross vehicle weight (GVW*) and is:

• Owned and operated by a farmer in agricultural operations, and used exclusively to transport agricultural products upon the highway to and from the point of first handling

OR

• Owned, rented, or leased by a farmer operated in agricultural operations and
  • equipped with rollers on the bed with a frame not taller than 10 inches high.
  • used exclusively to transport fruits and vegetables.
  • manufactured and in use prior to January 1, 1997.

*GVW is the weight of the trailer and the load.

How to obtain an SE identification plate

To obtain an SE plate and identification card, the following is required:

• Application for Identification Plate (REG 88) which includes the vehicle make, identification number, body type, and certification of the vehicle use.
• Photograph of the vehicle not to exceed 8 1/2" x 11".
• Special Equipment (SE) Identification Plate fee.

Final determination of eligibility is based upon review of the application and the photograph. Proof of ownership and verification of the identification number are not required to obtain an SE plate.

Why a vehicle may not qualify for an SE plate

The following list presents examples of why a vehicle may not qualify. This is not a complete list of reasons.

• A vehicle that is not oversized or overweight would not qualify for an SE plate. (An oversized or overweight vehicle would require a permit issued by the Department of Transportation (DOT) to move it unladen over the highways and, therefore, would qualify for an SE plate.)
• A water well-drilling vehicle that is not oversized or overweight would not qualify for an SE plate. (An oversized or overweight well-drilling vehicle would require a permit issued by the DOT to move it unladen over the highways and, therefore, would qualify for an SE plate.)
• Self-propelled special mobile equipment.
• Auxiliary dollies.
• Special construction equipment used less than 51% of the time for highway construction work or railroad rights-of way.
• Farm trailer with a gross vehicle weight (GVW) over 10,000 pounds.
• Farm vehicle Special Equipment (SE) (FFVR 19 ) not being used solely to transport agricultural products and is operated on the highways for a distance greater than one mile.
• Photograph submitted shows that the vehicle is designed to carry property and is not designated in the Vehicle Code as an implement of husbandry or special mobile equipment.

FFVR 19 Online Version 11/1/2006