# Massachusetts Snow Plow license plates required?



## bgingras (Jan 16, 2004)

I got into the office this morning and a coworker comes in and says that a new regulation in MA is requiring all plow trucks to carry a special registration and a buddy of his had his three trucks pulled over last night because they were not properly registered. All were commercial trucks with commercial plates. He claims the cop told them a new regulation in MA requires snow removal tags on all plow trucks? anyone heard of this?


----------



## BUFF (Dec 24, 2009)

Sounds like another away to be taxed by your state,


----------



## FredG (Oct 15, 2012)

bgingras said:


> I got into the office this morning and a coworker comes in and says that a new regulation in MA is requiring all plow trucks to carry a special registration and a buddy of his had his three trucks pulled over last night because they were not properly registered. All were commercial trucks with commercial plates. He claims the cop told them a new regulation in MA requires snow removal tags on all plow trucks? anyone heard of this?


No and better not, Thems fighting words, It's a somewhat of a struggle earning money now. Now we got to have jagoff lights when plowing and down the road, Look like some :terribletowel:. City law, They want to be able to know who the ones are pushing snow where not suppose to.


----------



## SDLandscapes VT (Dec 17, 2008)

We have SR tags for our equipment not sure about regulations for trucks beyond "commercial"


----------



## theplowmeister (Nov 14, 2006)

Nothing on the RMV web site about plow plates


----------



## Goodnyou (Mar 20, 2015)

We have those plates on plow trucks that only go into service in the winter and sit in summer. I never heard of it being a law. It is because the commercial registrations expire in dec so you don't put a truck on the road dec 1 and have to renew reg a month later paying twice to reg each truck each year. For once our state was doing us a favor . That doesn't happen too often in mass .


----------



## 1olddogtwo (Aug 6, 2007)

SDLandscapes VT said:


> We have SR tags for our equipment not sure about regulations for trucks beyond "commercial"


........ interesting


----------



## Stanggt24 (Feb 11, 2013)

Well I just spoke to my insurance company last week to add insurance while plowing. I run a plumbing business as my main business and they said as long as plowing wasn’t my main business it wouldn’t cost extra since I already carry 2 million in coverage.


----------



## theplowmeister (Nov 14, 2006)

The full PDF is at https://www.massagent.com/info/2010-21.pdf

IMPORTANT: Snow Plow Plates are NOT required in order to plow!

While on the subject of plow and MA laws

Rules Regarding the Use of Hitching Mechanisms and Plows Between May 15th and October 15th of each year, any vehicle with a gross weight of less than 26,000 pounds which is equipped with a plow, is required by law to have the plow and plow hitching mechanism removed. If snowfall occurs before October 15th or after May 15th, such vehicles may be re-equipped with the plow but it must be removed within 72 hours of the conclusion of snowfall. Note: This rule applies to any vehicle equipped with a plow, regardless of the type of vehicle or the type of registration. Exempted Hitching Mechanisms Certain hitching mechanisms do not need to be removed:  Hitching mechanisms which were permanently affixed through welding or other means prior to July 1, 2004 (the date of enactment). (Permanently affixing a hitching mechanism after that date is prohibited and a violation is subject to fine and revocation of registration).  If the hitching mechanism is designed to be folded flat leaving no protruding surfaces, only the plow itself is required to be removed. However, the hitching mechanism must be in the folded flat position while the vehicle is in operation. When Does This Law NOT Apply? The law (requiring removal of plows and plow hitching mechanisms in warm weather months) does not apply to . . .  Vehicles with a gross vehicle weight of more than 26,000 lbs  State, county, or municipally owned vehicles  Hitching mechanisms that were permanently affixed through welding or other means prior to July 1, 2004. What is the Applicable Law? It is Massachusetts law, Ch. 90, Section 19K, (as established by Ch. 149, Section 142 of the Acts of 2004) that requires the removal of plows and plow hitching mechanisms in warm-weather months.


----------



## fireside (Mar 1, 2008)

There is also federal law along the same lines as mass. It was the why all plows and frames are completely removable to the bumper


----------



## iceyman (Mar 1, 2007)

I guess its due to our lower annual snowfall but in cnj guys put plows on in dec and take em off in march..(cops dont seem to even know about a law) especially like this year where weve been out 5-6 times already.


----------

