Box truck for buying liquidation pallets - dot?

The key is the weight rating of the vehicle, not the actual weight, but the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating or ability. There is a sticker near the driver-side door frame which will have the manufacturer determined GVWR. If the GVWR is over 26,000 pounds it's a Cass B vehicle and you need a commercial license for the driver and there are requirements to display DOT number and other requirements. I believe towing a trailer makes it more likely you will trigger the Commerical Motor Vehicle definition. Here's the link to the govt website. Read the Class B vehicle and driver license paragraphs.
Drivers | FMCSA

Different states have differing requirements about which vehicles must enter weigh stations. CA requires all moving vans enter weigh stations but most states DO NOT want "U-Haul" type vehicles to enter weigh stations. Call or email the driver license offices of the states you expect to travel. There are expert regulation guys on the message board and a lot of Class B or box truck veterans. They can answer you with more certainty.

If your vehicle doesn't trigger Class B requirements the driver won't be limited in the hours they can drive.

 

Driving out of state over 10K gvwr triggers Federal commercial vehicle status, which requires DOT numbers, with all the benefits that comes with, including Hours Of Service, vehicle maintenance files, driver qualification (medical card), among others.

Not prohibitive, but need to cross all the T’s and dot all the I’s.

Weigh station entry depends on each states rule. My state, only if over 26 K, or has hazmat or livestock.

The friendly officers at your local weigh station are your best resource for the many questions you should have.

 

If you operate any single vehicle or combination of vehicles (example Speinter and trailer) that exceeds 10,000 gross vehicle weight rating and engage in interstate commerce (the truck or freight comes from or is intended to go out of state or country) then you are a peivate motor carrier of property fully subject to all the same rules as any for-hire trucking company.

This includes driver qualification, vehicle maintenance and inspection, UA DOT number, hours of service, insurance and more. Your best resource to discover everything you need is a transportation compliance consulting company or, if they are friendly, the local motor carrier enforcement offcials at the scale or inspection facilities. You can search for the local, non-emergency phone number for your state police and ask for the motor carrier enforcement officer and they may be willing to help.

I'm not saying to cheat the system or try to side step the law but you would be less likely to be noticed if you simply rented a Ryder, Penske, Budget or even U-haul (although U-haul don't do pallets well) non-cdl box truck when needed. Even being fully compliant it may make more sense to rent a truck when needed rather than owning and maintaining one for occasional use.

 

Thinking that the box truck would eliminate the need for the trailer; by renting a Penske or Rider truck, you may stay off the radar but you are still operating a CMV as you are using the Non-CDL truck for commercial gain. Once your vehicle exceeds 9,999 pounds GVWR; you need a medical certificate.

How far will you go?

Non-CDL are exempt from HOS [hours of service] devices if the operating area qualifies for the 150 air mile exemption from the HOS.

Look at your location on a map. Stick a pin in your homebase and measure out the distance of 170 miles [leaves a little 'fudge factor'] and draw a circle around your starting point. You are exempt form logging HOS in side that circle, as long as, you return 'home' within 14 consecutive hours.

Your state Motor Truck Association should be ble to direct you to a local DOT savy individual to help steer you.