(a) Every motor carrier of property shall annually pay a permit fee to the Department of Motor Vehicles. The fees contained in this section are due and shall be paid by each carrier at the time of application for an initial motor carrier permit, and upon annual renewal, with the Department of Motor Vehicles, pursuant to the Motor Carriers of Property Permit Act, as set forth in Division 14.85 (commencing with Section 34600) of the Vehicle Code. The Department of Motor Vehicles may, upon initial application for a motor carrier permit, assign an expiration date not less than six months, nor more than 18 months, from date of application, and may charge one-twelfth of the annual fee for each month covered by the initial permit. The fee paid by each motor carrier of property shall be based on the number of commercial motor vehicles operated in California by the motor carrier of property.

(b) As used in this chapter, “motor carrier of property” means any person who operates any commercial motor vehicle as defined in subdivision (d). “Motor carrier of property” does not include a household goods carrier, as defined in § 5109 of the Public Utilities Code, a household goods carrier transporting used office, store, and institution furniture and fixtures under its household goods carrier permits pursuant to § 5137 of the Public Utilities Code, persons providing only transportation of passengers, or a passenger stage corporation transporting baggage and express upon a passenger vehicle incidental to the transportation of passengers.

(c) As used in this chapter, “for-hire motor carrier of property” means a motor carrier of property, as defined in subdivision (b), who transports property for compensation.

(d) As used in this chapter, “commercial motor vehicle” means any self-propelled vehicle listed in subdivisions (a), (b), (f), (g), and (k) of § 34500 of the Vehicle Code, any motor truck of two or more axles that is more than 10,000 pounds gross vehicle weight rating, and any other motor vehicle used to transport property for compensation. “Commercial motor vehicle” does not include vehicles operated by household goods carriers, as defined in § 5109 of the Public Utilities Code, vehicles operated by household goods carriers to transport used office, store, and institution furniture and fixtures under their household goods carrier permit pursuant to § 5137 of the Public Utilities Code, pickup trucks as defined in § 471 of the Vehicle Code, two-axle daily rental trucks with gross vehicle weight ratings less than 26,001 pounds when operated in noncommercial use or a motor truck or two-axle truck trailer operated in noncommercial use with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of less than 26,001 pounds used solely to tow a camp trailer, trailer coach, fifth wheel travel trailer, or utility trailer.

(e) The “number of commercial motor vehicles operated by the motor carrier of property” as used in this section means all of the commercial motor vehicles owned, registered to, or leased by the carrier. For interstate and foreign motor carriers of property the fees set forth in subdivision (a) shall be apportioned based on the percentage of fleet miles traveled in California in intrastate commerce. In the absence of records to establish intrastate fleet miles, the fees set forth in subdivision (a) shall be apportioned on total fleet miles traveled in California.

(f) For purposes of this chapter, “private carrier” means a motor carrier of property, as defined in subdivision (b), who does not transport any goods or property for compensation.

(g) (1) Fees contained in this chapter shall not apply to a motor carrier of property while engaged solely in interstate or foreign transportation of property by motor vehicle. A motor carrier of property shall not engage in any interstate or foreign transportation of property for compensation by motor vehicle on any public highway in this state without first having registered the operation with the Department of Motor Vehicles or with the carrier’s base registration state, if other than California, as determined in accordance with final regulations issued pursuant to the Federal Unified Carrier Registration Act of 2005 (P.L.109-59). To register with the Department of Motor Vehicles, carriers specified in this subdivision shall comply with the following:

(A) When the operation requires authority from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration under the Federal Unified Carrier Registration Act of 2005 (P.L.109-59), or authority from another federal regulatory agency, a copy of that authority shall be filed with the initial application for registration. A copy of any additions or amendments to the authority shall be filed with the Department of Motor Vehicles.

(B) If the operation does not require authority from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration under the Federal Unified Carrier Registration Act of 2005 (P.L.109-59), or authority from another federal regulatory agency, an affidavit of that exempt status shall be filed with the application for registration.

(2) The Department of Motor Vehicles shall grant registration upon the filing of the application pursuant to applicable law and the payment of any applicable fees, subject to the carrier’s compliance with this chapter.

(3) This subdivision does not apply to household goods carriers, as defined in § 5109 of the Public Utilities Code, and motor carriers engaged in the transportation of passengers for compensation.

(Amended by Stats. 2007, Ch. 66, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 2008.)