Anyone have antique plates on their car?

[oceangal]

it just occured to me that my car is now 25 yrs old

I live in Massachusetts and here is there policy on antique plates:

Definitions:
Only motor vehicles meeting the definition of an “Antique motor car” may display an Antique registration plate. At the
discretion of the Registrar, a Year of Manufacture registration plate may be issued for display on an “antique motor
car” in place of an Antique registration plate.
An “antique motor car” is any motor vehicle over twenty-five years old maintained solely for use in exhibitions, club
activities, parades, and other functions of public interest. This includes test drives to prepare for such functions and
transportation to and from repair facilities, and not used primarily for the transportation of passengers or goods over any
way. A motorcycle is eligible for an Antique registration plate.


I do drive it to work and running errands in the summer, so I guess its not the plate for me. Besides I don't think i want to be known as antique ;-)

My son might be buying a car older than me so I was thinking it would be fun for him to have antique on his ride, but same thing he doesn't meet the criteria? Are they that strict where you live on the limitations for the antique plate?

 

[*89x2*]

I think you would be fine...

...any motor vehicle over twenty-five years old maintained solely for use in exhibitions, club
activities, parades, and other functions of public interest. This includes test drives to prepare for such functions and
transportation to and from repair facilities, and not used primarily for the transportation of passengers or goods over any
way.

...with those two loopholes, I am sure you would be fine, as long as it is not a daily driver.

In my state, I see a car (a 76 Ford) parked on the street at a business, virtually every time I pass - they are using it to get out of having to have the car inspected hnoes

 

[WhiteKnight]

There are similar laws here in Texas. Except you can not use antique plates if you advertise on the vehicle or use it commercially.

I have mine registered as an antique and run year of manufacture plates. Nice part is no inspection and registration is good for 5 years (only $10 a year).

 

[Crimson Thunder]

Here in Florida you can put an old original plate on your car as long as it is the same year as the car.I found a plate vendor at the Turkey Rod Run a couple of years ago and got a nice 69 - 70 plate for my car.The green plate looks great with my Marboro Maroon paint.

 

[bmotojoe]

Here in Washington State you can license your car as an antique once the car is 30 years of age or older. There are newer style plates available for antique car registration but I prefer the period correct plates. There is a one time filling fee of $35.00 for each vehicle and you pay one year of license tab fees, around $43.00. This next spring when my 1977 is due to be re-licensed I will go this way and the car for me is licensed forever. After my car reached 25 years of age there was no more emissions tests required. There are limitations as stated above but I never see a problem with them. When you do this the license plates will be assigned to the vehicle as long as you own it. The upper plates are period correct in Washington State between 1968 through 1980 and will go on my Corvette. The lower plates are Washington State issue 1963 only plates and will go on my 1963 Ford Falcon hardtop when the restoration is completed.

Brian

 

[GS Diva]

Lori,

Although we no longer have our 1974 Corvette, we did have antique plates on it and never had any issues. In addition, we were able to insure the '74 through an out-of-state company, Grundy, and our insurance was incredibly low! I'd look into that option for your Corvette as our rates here in MA are outrageous!

Elaine

 

[76okievette]

Here in Oklahoma you can put the orginal plate on the car, I have a '76' orginal state plate on the back but am required to put a decal on the lower left corner of the windshield each year. There are no driving restrictions on the plate, I have more driving restrictions with my insurance company.

 

[Chas]

I thought about this at one time.....they only cost $10 here in Michigan, I was told its ok as long as you only going to a show or with in 15 miles of home.
Well, I like to run, and Im always far from home. I like vanity tags, every year I get a new one.
These are all my tags,
4ESCAPE
BOUTIME
CHASBRO
I just went back on the night shift so this year is going to reflect that in FLYBYNT...(Think of the RUSH song)
We were going to use URCNA73 but have changed our mind with my recent job change.
Your log name here would be a cool vanity tag on the back of your sweet ride.
Just my thoughts....

Chas

 

[fine69]

"...Are they that strict where you live on the limitations for the antique plate?..."

In Maryland, we have similar rules for historic plates. I have them on my '69 Vette and '72 Camaro Z-28. One major advantage is a waiver on biannual inspections.

I also use Hagerty insurance. Great savings, and part of their requirement is that the cars cannot be used as daily drivers. That being said, I agree with *89x2*, there are many loopholes to the historic plate rules... just don't use it as a daily driver.

For my Vette, I have actual 1969 plates displayed. Maryland allows them to be displayed as long as the historic plates are stored in the car.

I have "USA-1" plates displayed on the front. I believe that's a no-no in Maryland (we're supposed to have "legal" tags on the front as well) --- but I've never been stopped yet.




.

 

[C3 4ME]

In VA it lists pretty much all the regulations that are listed above in MA, except the DMV code says "for the occasionial pleasure use, not to exceed 250 miles from home". Fortunately that allows you to not have to stretch the code by driving it on nice days just for the fun of it.

 

[chevy6673]

I HAVE HAD ANTIQUE PLATES FOR A LONG TIME IN CHICAGO,IL AND I DRIVE THE CAR A LOT I HAVE NEVER HAD THE POLICE SAY ANYTHING TO ME ABOUT IT.. BUT THE RULES STATE OTHERWISE ITS UP TO YOU GOOD LUCK eddevil eddevil

 

[91-Vetteman]

VA Antique Plates

Hi Oceangal,

Virginia has the same requirements for antique plates. My car is an April - Oct nice day / weekend driver. I am easily under 3000 miles a year. The nice thing in VA is, you pay your $20 once and you are done, no annual renewals. The other big thing is no more annual state inspections. I have pulled all smog stuff off of my car.

Then of course the final factor is the VA antique plate looks real nice on my white with black trim 81 vette !!

 

[Wegone]

Yes, you can get them in GA. over 25 years old put them on the 77.

 

[Nobody Cares]

Yes i have them on my 74 vert in Michigan. Never had any issues.

 

[corvettegreg]

I have had them on every mid year and C-3 I have owned with no issues. Here in NY they have always had vintage plates but about 20 years ago started allowing use of old plates as long as they were from same year as car. I was the first in my area to have them (on my 57 BelAir Convert) The very first weekend I was pulled over by the local PD asking "if I was a wise guy using those plates on my car". I explained the new law to them. Luckily I had all the required paperwork with me for a friend of mine who wanted to do the same thing. Between showing them the paperwork plus a few radio calls they determined it was legit. The officer left with a "you taught me something today". Since then it has become much more popular.

Nice thing about NYS was they used same plate for 66 thru 74 so I have used the plates on everything from a 66 convert to the present 72 coupe

 

[srs244]

in florida, using an "antique" plate is basically restricted as it is in mass, however the state has a provision that allows for year of manufacture original florida license plates to be substituted for a regular "vanity" plate. the plate needs to be all original (not a restoration), and needs to be submitted to the division of motor vehicles in the state capital for approval. since years ago, the plates were changed every year, but you maintained the exact same plate number, it could be possible that someone is already using the number of your plate, but for a different year. if it is approved as "unique", it is returned along with the annual tag (or sticker) to be placed in the plate corner to show it is legal for the current year. the advantage is that it is a vanity plate, and not subject to any limits or restrictions. for all intents and purposes, it is a regular state plate. it's probably the only thing in the state tag system that makes sense. unfortunately, the year dated unique plates stopped being issued by the mid to later 70's, so if you have a 1978 vette (or anthing else for that matter) you are out of luck. i believe we currently have in excess of 75 "specialty" plates in addition to "antique", "horseless carriage" and "street rod" plates. it seems that every day you see a diferent state plate you haven't seen before. it's way out of hand at this point.

 

[Nut]

I too have Historic plates on my '81. The registration fee is a fraction of the normal ($140) cost. You are then exempt from the MD Vehicle Emissions Testing and I'm pretty sure if you sell it to another person (in MD) ans they register it as Historic, Antique or Street Rod you are exempt from the regular Vehicle Safety Inspection normally needed for registration. (Good thing too because the emissions hdwr was removed a long time ago).

......... nut

 

[Vette79]

Hey Fine79 and NUT! The State of MD has changed the requirements for Historic tags. The vehicle must be 20 years or older for Historic tags now. No changes to StreetRod yet. This is not posted or mentioned on the MVA Web Site. This change went into effect 1/2007. Not sure about other States but it is worth looking into. I have this in writing from the MVA via email.

 

[fine69]

Hey Fine79 and NUT! ...

Fine79 or fine69 ?? I'm the one in MD!

Yep, I have historic tags on both of mine.





.

 

[Nut]

Hey Fine79 and NUT! The State of MD has changed the requirements for Historic tags. The vehicle must be 20 years or older for Historic tags now. No changes to StreetRod yet. This is not posted or mentioned on the MVA Web Site. This change went into effect 1/2007. Not sure about other States but it is worth looking into. I have this in writing from the MVA via email.

Well we're all past new/old rules for Historic. I managed to get mine before the rules changed through a little slight of hand agruing with the MD-DMV and the old adage "the right hand doesn't know what the left hand is doing".

......... nut