OH and PA Tow Dolly and Flat-Towing Laws??

What's the rules concerning tow-dollying a car or flat-towing a car in OH and PA? Does the car being towed need to be plated and insured? (not an option) If this is the case, what is the chances of being bothered?

 

In Ohio, if the wheels are on the road, it needs a plate.

 

Can they make you plate it in transit if you are just passing through and your home state does not require it? I think not.

 

put a model year plate on it and they will leave you alone...unless it looks really unsafe. The correct way would be to get a temp tag in the purchase state. If you have car insurance, most policies cover new purchases up to 30 days automatically, check with your agent.

 

The problem with getting a temp tag is though I will have a clear PA title, it's been off their books for nearly 40 years. Upon calling them this morning, they will not issue a tempoary plate for a car unless the titlle# or vin# are in their computer. It would have 30 to 90 days for them to issue a new title in the sellers name, just so they would issue a temp plate.

 

What kind of car/condition? If you've got a rickedy, half-completed project that looks like it's gonna fall apart at any minute, you might think twice. As long as the car looks reasonably solid, put a yom plate on it and go. I've flat-towed more than a few like that around PA without problem.

 

One thing to your benifit, local police don't seem to know all the little details of the Motor Vehicle Regs. If you are doing a basically safe move with crossed chains, and lights on the towed car, and "Car in Tow" on it, you would be alright.

I have flat towed in PA, not recently, but have had no problem. PA is usually tougher on the PA guys than on outofstaters.

If you feel you need a plate on it, to avoid a stop, can you borrow a plate of another car?

 

I've dolly-towed through both states several times with no plate at all with zero problems.

 

Although I bitch about the cops in both states... If you are being generally safe, they won't bug you.

Memorize this "With all due respect Sir, I was told by the Michigan authorities that I was OK to travel in this manner with a title. ((adjust OSU cap)) My apologies, but I thought I could trust the authorities to know the regulations across state lines."

Edit: I have no idea about the flat towing laws... just giving the hillbilly nod.

 

I just brought an old Dodge truck from Idaho to eastern Ohio and all I had was a "trip ticket" that the Idaho folks gave me, no plates.

 

Yeah the Commonwealth is pretty laid back,,long as it doesn't look like parts are gonna fly off etc you should be fine,,but hell uhaul trailers like 50$ so why not just go the painless route

and whatever you do,,DO NOT put a tag on it that does'nt belong,,thats will get you more hassle if you are actually stopped.

 

Shes dead on about the dont put a fake plate on it..yer just asking for more trouble..if you get pulled over for something small you dont need to add to it with additional suspicion!

 

rent a uhaul car hauler, cheap and no problems

 

If the tow dolly has a plate on it, that will suffice. If you're flat towing you will need a plate on the car. Put a fake plate on it and it will be on a wrecker on it's way to the impound yard. As for the theory that the local cops don't know all the little details about the motor vehicle regs........... You forget that some of us are gearheads, and yes we do know about the details. We've looked them up for our own benefit.

 

have lights, drive the speed limit, stay in the far right lane...

the chances of you getting pulled over are slim.

 

Tow dolly would be my method of choice. And two spare rear tires. And pull the driveshaft. And a CAR IN TOW sign. And those magnetic trailer lights that go on the rear deck. And listen to Hustlinhillbilly. Maybe a PM to him?

 

Im sorry don't know,but if the car is plated does the dolly have to be to?

 

i have lived in ohio for the past 40 years and ive dragged cars from one end of the state to the other with a car dolly ,never had plates ,bought a new dolly last year and it dont even have a place to put a tag.local policeman told me once that as long as the car you are towing has a tag and you stick a set of working magnetic lights on it you are good to go..well ive always had the working lights but hardly ever any tags.only if im towing a car that broke down will it have tags..i just returned from a 200 mile trip pulling a dunebuggy ... went through many small towns and few big towns seen a lot of cops..had highway patrols even follow me down the interstate and go by me and nod .anyways if you worry about it then something will go wrong ,,just have your two safety chains and your lights working and you will be good to go ..

 

How come people have problems flat-towing or dollying a car? I've done both, numerous times in many states, and have never, ever had a problem with the cops. Ever. Some were tagged, some weren't. As long as you are doing it safely and not try to set land speed records for towing, you shouldn't have a problem...

Adding to Danimal's comments above - make sure the rear diff has plenty of the proper diff lube in it!!! Always assume it's empty, and double-check it before hitting the road! I made the mistake of not checking just one time, and that's all she took...the right axle, wheel, and brake assembly of the vehicle on the dolly shot out the side while I was going 65 mph on the Interstate! Fortunately, I was the only one out at that time, and the axle shaft shot out into the prairie!

 

I'm from the west coast, so I have z-e-r-o up close and personal...
From all I've read, PA is a royal pain on towing. They want everyone to adhere to DOT regs and PA regs. Every year there are horror stories about the tax police and the trailer patrols from people going to shows there. Iffin' I was broke and that was the only way, I might give it a try, but if you can get something that will get the new purchase up off the road and out of the cop's jurisdiction, that's the way to go. Don't swap plates, that will get you noticed and worse.

 

don't worry. come get the car!!!

 

Do not put tags on a car that is being towed that dont belong to it ...when towing an automatic rear wheel drive car unhook the drive shaft from the rear and tie it up ..when towing a stick shift rear wheel drive just simply put the car in (out of gear) and you are good to go.make sure your magnetic lights work before you take off . Tow any front wheel drive with no worries.obey the speed limit and traffic laws and ill bet you wont have a problem at all..never get smart with a cop he can dream up stuff to nail you with,,it just doesnt pay to be a smart a$$..this has worked for me for the past 40 years or so..

 

I used a two dolly a few years ago to bring a truck back from PA to NY. The tow dolly has the plate from U-Haul I had no problems.

 

Lots of good advice here
Compare transport on a trailer to towing for a single car:
With a trailer you only have to worry about the trailer and if you don't own one then considering renting a properly maintained one with current license plate & registration.
With a vehicle you have to worry about the tow dolly (same as above) plus the vehicle
The rear or front axle/differential - the tires - the overall condition of the vehicle itself - the license & registration & insurance on that vehicle.
Consider 'worst case scenario'
For a one time haul - considering all the factors involved - you are most likely better off to put your vehicle on a trailer

 

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/auto-...towing/rv/rv-towing-regulations.htm/printable

Swing by your AAA office and purchase a copy of the "AAA Digest of Motor Laws"... Best $13.95 you can spend!

The bottom line is that you are responsible for knowing and following the laws of each state you will be passing thru.

The only exception to that rule is licensing and registration laws. Those are detirmined by your home state... For example, if your state does not require a trailer [camper, dolly, etc] to have a license plate on it, and you get pulled over in another state for no license on your trailer, the officer can not write you a ticket... Well, actually, he can do almost anything his "big penis" attitude wants, but it wont stand in court.

Also, you need to have a LOOOOOONG talk with your [auto policy] insurance company, and get the exact low-down on how your policy covers what it is that your towing.

 

I towed an unlicensed car loaded backwards on a dolly (to protect the auto trans) for over 100 miles, no problem. Leave the flashers on in the car being towed, and make sure the signals and brake lights are working on the dolly. Pa screws you in so many other ways that I guess this is a 'gimmie' for us.

 

The car would have to be pretty mint or clean undernieth, for me to use a 2 wheel dolley, if traveing that far. When I bought my `55 Chevy from NY, I rented a U-haul trailer. And also had to buy a fricken tow hitch. But The cars in my garage now...

If you do use a dolley, listen to peoples advice on here... lights, sign in window, check tires, driveshaft, shocks/suspension...etc... Better to be twice as safe then sorry..

 

i just contacted ohio dmv this is their reply =The answer to your question:

do you have to have tags for a car dolly

Is:

No, the vehicle has to have valid plates on it though. If you need further assistance, please contact us at 1-800-589-8247.

Thank you for using the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles F.A.Q. System.

 

Just go ahead and pull it as it sits. If the cops pull you ove, just out run them !

 

i have both a car trailer and a car dolly ,,if the vehicle im going after is safe ill dolly it ,,if its not safe i trailer it .best thing to do is just do it ;back 30 or so years ago id drag a car half way across country with a chain ran through a pipe and slick tires on both vehicles and not a drop of insurance and half the time be drunk as a dog ,just have enough money in my pocket for a little bit of gas and a 12 pack .lord its a wonder a person made it at all..chances are back then if you did see a cop he would shake his head and laugh and probably be drunker than you anyways ,,but that was then and this is now ,,seems we have a cop per household now,,and thank god they are out there doing their job and keeping crazy people like i use to be off the highways,,im old now and want to live every extra minute i can..