Registering question

A lot of states have regulations that are state specific . It is best to get guidance from someone with knowledge of your state.

 

Out in the real world nobody cares what the RAM website says the "GCWR" is for your truck.

You could possibly get away with a 26,000 lb plate registration and not need IRP/IFTA. That truck probably weighs 8,000, trailer maybe 9,000 if it's a 40 footer with a pair of 10k's under it...those are fairly heavy trailers. That would leave you with 9,000 lbs of payload on the trailer. You'd want to go weigh your setup on a cat scale full of fuel with you in it to see for sure. Theoretically you'd have to plate your truck higher to take full advantage of the weight capacity of that trailer. If it's got a 22,000lb GVWR and weighs 9,000 lbs, you can theoretically load 13,000 lbs onto it, so you'd have a 22,000 lb trailer and a 8,000 lb truck for 30,000 lbs combined. You'd have to have like a 32k or 33k plate on the power unit to be comfortably legal. Each state does their plate weight registrations differently so you'd have to inquire with you local licensing office. But if you can get away with 26,000 lb registration it will save you a lot of paperwork and money not needing IRP.

2500 single rear is a little bit light for that kind of work. About 7,000 is max on the rear axle and you'd probably need helper bags. A 1-ton DRW would be a lot better idea.

 

Okay so you’re at just a hair over 15,000 empty. A 26k registration would let you load 10,000-10,500. Don’t see any reason to go any higher than that and get into IRP/IFTA. They are trying to steer you in the right direction there.

Since you have a CDL it doesn’t matter what your trailer is rated at. But yes a 22k GVWR trailer being pulled by a 10k GVWR power unit puts you at 32k combined, so whoever drives that does have to have a CDL to be legal. Over 26k combined is the cutoff for the driver licensing requirements.