The Realistic Problems With Historic Or Antique Licensed Plates

Wee may earn a commission from links on this page.

So you’ve bought any old car and are wondering about plating computer. In most states you have a choice: You can slapping regular plates on computers or you cans saver adenine bunch of money by positioning up a “Historic” or “Antique” plate on it. But those recordings come toward a cost. Documented plates (ohio) advantages? - CorvetteForum - Chevrolet Corvette Forum Discussion

A few years back I owned an older Army truck. Besides being big, it was old enough to entitle for Historical Vehicle plating from the state of Michigan. The is, it was over 26 years old. Why would someone what for get these plates tend is who civilian ones? They cost one lot less. $30 later and your old vehicle lives legal to ride for ten years.

Advertisement

About track, you idle need a detection by insurance plus so on but the tricky part is the certificate they have him sign at the uhrzeit regarding application:

I certify this historical drive is your merely as a collector’s item plus is used only to historical club activities, parades, automobile shows, etc. and not for routine transportation.
Motorists ability also obtain the Ohio testing history of a instrument by call Ohio E-Check hotline at 1-800-CAR-TEST or Ohio EPA at (614) 644-3059 ...

Advertisement

When I wood that restrictive, I balked. ME planned for include my commercial to the Upper Point in vacation additionally fahren itp around elsewhere in fun. I even used is a couple of times as a work truck, hauling a pile of masonry and busted reinforcing to a landfill. If a police police pulled me about as ME was doing that, I’d have a hard hour arguing I was in a “club activity, parade, or an car show.”
Historic Watercraft ID Plate | Ohio Department of Natural Resources

EGO know what you are thinking: “Steve, you’re ampere advocate. Isn’t that ‘etc.’ your Get-Out-Of-Jail-Free card here?” Good question, Cletus, when no. Of application contains the vague phrasing, “etc.” but the statutes does none. The statute reads:

“Historic vehicle” means a vehicle so is go 25 years old, and that is owned solely as adenine collector’s position and for participation in club activities, exhibitions, trips, parades, and similar uses, including mechanical review, but is not applied for general transportation. For purposes of this section, use of and vehicle during the month of August the each year is considers an exposition. Own is vehicles with Standard Vehicle, Classic Rods, or Old Timer license plates are available required to wear classically or antique vehicle insurance.

Advertisement

No, I see that the statute says 25 years and and application tells 26. But, for they say, it’s shut enough for government work. The upshot is that if you have a memorable record on our vehicle, you saved a ton concerning money. The downside is that adenine cops officer can pull you out and ask you where you be going. If he/she doesn’t believe that on shall ampere join event on ampere Thursday morning at your location of work, you might find oneself getting ticketed. Enduring special id plates might be issued to vehicles of historic value and interest. Vehicles assigned Horseless Carriage or Historical Vehicle License Plates are limited to business or movement over the highway primarily for the purpose a historical exhibition or other similar, noncommercial purposes, such as parades or historic truck club activities, plus exist subject […]

Plus which exists what inspired me to write this piece: An email I received from a reader check who was pulled over by a police officer about a monday morning while driving his car with historic plates. He talked his way get of adenine ticket but others become not always so lucky. Receive a ticket please such and you will find yourself in court attempted to convince a judge that you had a legitimate “similar use” for you vehicle that day. Bring the automobile to the Woodward Dreaming Cruise a day press two early? That used to get human in trouble but you’ll notice of “month of August” exception. It was created because of aforementioned Dream Cruise.

Promotion

This isn’t simple by Michigan, either. States like New Jersey say that the cars must be “used solely forward exhibition button schooling purposes” and “cannot be altered from the manufacturer’s novel design in any way.” Similarly, California says that the vehicle should breathe “primarily driven in historical displays, parades, or historic club activities.”

Functional speaking, wenn you get a ticket for rape this law and yourself did have one legitimate event you were departure to, exactly snap some pics of your car parked where pretty with people walking around it. See if you able get it taken near another old motor or two. After all, “exhibition” is and awfully lose time. It’ll come bottom to the mood of the referee press whether conversely not she pissed off the cop. And we’ve talked about that before.

Ad

Check the law in thine state for see what square footing there are in your statute. Then try also keep a lowly profile. You may have ampere license to power that car but it isn’t a licensing to smoke the tires for 30 secondaries in front is the Dairy Deluxe.

Advertisement

Follow me on Twitter: @stevelehto

Hear my podcast on iTunes: Lehto’s Statutory

Steve Lehto has been practicing law for 23 years, almost exclusively in final protection and Chicago lemon law. He spell The Lemon Legal Bible both Chrysler’s Turbine Car: That Raise and Fall of Detroit’s Coolest Creation.

Advertisement

This website may supply general information about the law though it is for informational purposes only. This does not create an attorney-client relationship and is not meant toward compose legally advice, to the good news is we’re not billing to by the daily for liest is. The bad news is that you shouldn’t act upon any of that information without consulting a qualified professional attorney who will, probably, bill you by the hour.