Commercial trucks

A commercial vehicle is a truck or trailer combination used for business or commercial purposes and operated more than:

• 30 km from the registered owner's place of business, if the business is not located in an urban municipality
• 30 km from the municipal boundary, if the business is located in an urban municipality other than Winnipeg
• 20 km from the City of Winnipeg municipal boundary, if the business is located in Winnipeg

Commercial vehicles can be registered as commercial trucks, commercial trailers or commercial driveaway units.

A commercially-plated vehicle (CT plates) operating solely within Manitoba can be registered at any Autopac agent or MPI Service Centre.

Limited-use trucks

Limited-use commercial trucks have a gross vehicle weight of 4,500 kg or more, are used for commercial purposes other than gain or compensation and are operated less than or equal to:

• 30 km from the registered owner’s place of business, if the business is not located in an urban municipality
• 30 km from the municipal boundary, if the business is located in an urban municipality other than Winnipeg
• 20 km from the City of Winnipeg municipal boundary, if the business is located in Winnipeg

A vehicle may also be designated a limited-use commercial truck depending on its specific use. See your Autopac agent for more information.

Registering under IRP

The International Registration Plan (IRP) is a vehicle registration system for trucks and buses operating inter-jurisdictionally between Manitoba and other provinces or states throughout North America.

Under the IRP Agreement, carriers are required to register vehicle(s) in their base jurisdiction. If carriers have established a base of operations in more than one member jurisdiction, they must register applicable vehicles operating from that base in that jurisdiction. Base plate shopping is not allowed.

Carriers may apportionably register their vehicle(s) if the vehicle(s) travels into two or more IRP jurisdictions and is used to transport passengers for hire or is designed, used or maintained primarily for the transportation of property, and meets at least one of the following conditions:

• two axles and a gross vehicle weight or registered gross vehicle weight in excess of 11,797 kgs or 26,000 lbs
• is a power unit having three or more axles, regardless of weight
• is used in combination, when the weight of such combination exceeds 11,797 kgs or 26,000 lbs gross vehicle weight
• has a regular route bus or buses used in the transportation of chartered parties

Vehicles, or combinations thereof, having a gross vehicle weight of 11,797 kgs or 26,000 lbs or less, or two-axle vehicles may be proportionally registered at the option of the registrant.

The IRP exempts the following vehicles from IRP registration. However, a regular Manitoba plate must be obtained and displayed on:

• Vehicles operating under separate reciprocity agreements that are not superseded by the IRP.
• Commercial vehicles used solely within the Province of Manitoba.
• Recreational vehicles used for personal pleasure or travel by an individual or family.
• Government-owned vehicles.
• Commercial vehicles displaying restrictive plates which have geographic area, distance or commodity restrictions.

Due to jurisdictional statutes and regulations, some exemptions may not be recognized. A carrier should check with a jurisdiction prior to conducting operations.

Semi-trailers

A semi-trailer can be defined as a trailer constructed so that its weight and the weight of its load are carried partly upon an axle of the truck-tractor towing it and partly upon an axle of the trailer, and equipped with the upper half of a fifth wheel. Semi-trailers attached to a truck-tractor registered in Manitoba require a semi-trailer plate for identification purposes. The semi-trailer must be registered in the name of the semi-trailer owner only.

A pup trailer, single or double axle, with or without a steering axle, when attached to a semi-trailer unit as a train, requires a semi-trailer identification plate. However, if hauled behind a vehicle other than a truck-tractor-trailer unit, then a standard A8, C2 or P3 trailer plate and insurance are required.

Exemptions

Semi-trailers owned by a non-resident and registered for the current registration period in a province, state or country of which the owner is a resident can expose an identification plate of such province, state or country.

Semi-trailers owned and operated on behalf of the Department of National Defence and that carry an identification number plate issued by the Department of National Defence are exempt from registration requirements.

Age of registrant

No person under the age of 16 can register a semi-trailer and no person under the age of 18 can register a semi-trailer without the written consent of a parent or guardian.

Additional information

A lifetime semi-trailer licence plate is issued for a registration period of two years. At the end of the two years, the same licence plate can be renewed for another two-year registration period.

The customer receives a registration card for registration only. There is no insurance on the semi-trailer.

The charge to register a semi-trailer is $6. The registration charge is non-proratable and non-refundable.

The customer must pay an additional $4 plate use charge in order to obtain a new lifetime semi-trailer plate. If the customer renews the same licence plate on subsequent renewals, Manitoba Public Insurance will not assess the plate use charge.

The administration charge for a plate replacement is $10, and the administration charge for a transfer or estate-to-spouse transfer is $15.

The supporting document rules regarding New Vehicle Information Statement, Manufacturer’s Certificate of Origin, Transfer of Ownership Document, Vehicle Import Form (approved by both Canada Customs and a Transport Canada Safety Inspection Station), Retail Sales Tax forms and bill of sale all apply to semi-trailers.

Where to register

Dealer and repairer

The following commercial vehicles operating solely within Manitoba can be registered at any MPI Service Centre:

• repairer vehicles*
• dealer vehicles*

Find an MPI Service Centre near you. (This service is not available at claim centres in Swan River and The Pas.)

*Initial applications for dealer and repairer permits are handled through:

Vehicle Safety
1981 Plessis Rd., Jack Zacharias Physical Damage Research Centre
Box 45064 Regent Postal Outlet,
Winnipeg MB R3C 4A4
Phone: 204-985-0920 (toll-free 1-866-323-0542)
Fax: 204-954-5319
Hours: Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

cityplace Service Centre
100-234 Donald Street
Box 6300
Winnipeg, MB R3C 4A4
Hours: Monday to Friday 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Commercial trucks (CT)

Commercial trucks, commercial trailers or semi-trailers and limited-use commercial trucks for operation solely within Manitoba can be registered at any Autopac agent.

Regulated passenger vehicles

Regulated passenger vehicles can be registered at any Autopac agent.

Vehicle Safety

Vehicle Safety services include complaint resolution for safety inspections, regulating vehicle safety inspection stations, providing information about vehicle equipment and inspection requirements.

Winnipeg:

1981 Plessis Rd., Jack Zacharias Physical Damage Research Centre
Box 45064 Regent Postal Outlet
Winnipeg, MB R3C 4A4
Phone: 204-985-0920 (toll-free 1-866-323-0542)
Fax: 204-954-5325
Hours: Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Brandon:

Brandon Service Centre
731 1st Street
Brandon, MB R7A 6K5
Phone: 204-729-9525
Fax: 204-729-9528
Hours: Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Dauphin:

Dauphin Service Centre
217 Industrial Road
Dauphin, MB R7N 2V5
Phone: 204-622-2781
Fax: 204-622-2782
Hours: Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.