New law changes ag requirements for driver’s license – July 5, 2017
Published
7/5/2017
'--FARM sticker clarification
A new law went into effect July 1, 2017, that affects Wyoming Farm Bureau members and all farmers and ranchers in Wyoming. “Now farmers and ranchers can haul their own products, with their own trucks and trailers throughout the State,” said Brett Moline, Wyoming Farm Bureau Federation Director of Public and Government Affairs. “They may also haul out-of-state within 150 air miles of their residence. These loads will have to meet the weight limits allowed for specific roads and states.” This new law was passed by the 2017 Legislature. The Federal Motor Carrier Act allows states to set these limits for agricultural producers. This new law makes the “Z” endorsement obsolete. The new law allows hired labor to operate the trucks and trailers for their employers. This new law also allows sharing labor. For example, a producer can haul grain to town for their neighbor, as long as the producer is not being paid. “One very important requirement is the vehicles being used must be marked as agricultural vehicles,” Moline said. “In Wyoming, this is having the FARM sticker on the license plate.”
According to Moline, the state law was changed to allow Wyoming to become consistent with federal law. The Federal Motor Carriers law is where the requirement is to have the FARM designation. “In talking to the Federal Motor Carriers Office, the vehicle does have to be marked as a farm vehicle. Again, this is part of the federal laws, not the State,” Moline explained. “The county treasurer has to give the farm sticker to any ag producer that asks for it.”
Here is the Wyoming law dealing with Farm stickers.
§ 31-2-204. Issuance of certificates of registration and license plates by county; form.
(a) Upon receipt of an approved application and payment of fees the county treasurer shall issue to the applicant a certificate of registration conforming with the facts set forth in the application together with one (1) license plate or validation sticker for motorcycles, multipurpose vehicles, trailers, including house trailers, and vehicles operated with dealer license plates and two (2) license plates or proper validation stickers for any other vehicle. A copy of the certificate of registration shall be carried at all times in the motor vehicle for which it is valid and shall be displayed upon demand of any peace officer.
(b) Except as otherwise provided, license plates shall be of metal not less than twelve (12) inches long in the left-hand end of which shall be arabic numerals for the county in which issued, followed by the bucking horse and rider emblem and a distinctive number assigned to the vehicle, set forth in numerals and letters as determined by the department and above or underneath such numerals shall be the word "Wyoming" and arabic numerals for the year of issue or validation. License plates issued to dealers and for state or federal official forestry vehicles, motorcycles, multipurpose vehicles and trailers shall contain appropriate identification which may be in lieu of the bucking horse and rider emblem. After the county number on the left-hand end, the license plate may also contain a distinctive symbol or letters, as determined by the department, indicating vehicle type. License plates shall be changed or validated annually. There shall be a marked contrast between the color of the plate and that of the numerals and letters and the background of all plates shall be fully reflectorized. Plates for light utility trailers under one thousand (1,000) pounds, motorcycles and multipurpose vehicles shall not be less than three (3) inches wide and six (6) inches long. Antique license plates shall bear no date and shall bear the inscription "Pioneer Wyo". Distinctive license farm stickers shall be issued by the county treasurer upon request for trucks and trailers used by any farmer or rancher for the transportation of livestock, feed or unprocessed agricultural products owned and produced by the farmer or rancher from the place of production to market and of ranch supplies intended solely for the use of the farmer or rancher, and not for sale, on the return trip, and not for the transportation of goods and persons for hire. Farm stickers shall bear the inscription "Farm".