while enforcement may vary slightly from state to state, you can expect to get hammered and i mean hammered hard, for violations of d.o.t. regs. in some cases, impoundment of your vehicle, as well as your backside for operating without a license.
the r.v. exemption is starting to be looked at very hard by d.o.t. and citations are starting to be issued due to the commercial clause. if you expect any monetary gain, even a trophy, then you are not exempt. several drag racers in indy have been stopped and cited using this rule. the tickets were upheld by the local courts.
having antique plates and a small sign on the back saying "not a c.m.v." as well as under 26,000 pounds clearly on both sides will help a great deal to end confusion. if you use your truck for your business, then d.o.t. numbers are required as well as regulations for that class. running thru a scale is a good idea. your chances of being pulled in are slight. i once saw kentucky d.o.t. go after a u-haul truck. over the top in my opinion, but technicly correct. the guy driving the u-haul pulled in to fuel where i had stopped so i asked him what happened. he told me once the officer confirmed the guy was moving his own stuff, he turned him loose. where you live does make a difference, but when you cross state lines, things may change. better to ask...and document and keep those documents in the cab of the truck at all times.
