People daily-driving on "Antique Auto" plates

In Tennessee......
Tennessee Code Annotated Title 55, Chapter 4, relative to antique motor vehicles.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 55-4-111(b),
For the purpose of this section, “antique motor vehicle” is a motor vehicle over twenty five (25) years old with a non-modified engine and body which is used for participation in club activities, exhibits, tours, parades, and similar uses as a collector’s item, and which
MAY BE USED FOR GENERAL TRANSPORTATION ONLY ON SATURDAY AND SUNDAY.
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 55-4-11(b), is further amended by deleting subdivision (3) in its entirety and by substituting instead the following language:
(3) Any person violating the provisions of this section, or operating an antique motor vehicle for general transportation purposes on a day other than Saturday or Sunday, shall forfeit such antique motor vehicle registration, shall be liable for the regular registration fee for that vehicle, and shall be barred from applying for or holding antique motor vehicle registration for five (5) years from the date of such violation.

This is the part most people never read..."with a non-modified engine and body"
OUCH!
Yep a friend had a Trooper "remind" him of this once...... he didnt say anything, let him go but....... who knows next time.

 

But if you are your own mechanic!?

 

Yep; Goin' to the mechanic to get her checked. Goin' to the mechanic to have him road test it. These here old cars sure do take a lot of work!!!..............................

 

tell us how you really feel about him

 

I run YOM on my 37 chevy and Antique tags on my 40 chevy. I have never been stopped because of the plates..Neither car is daily driven but we do drive them when we want to. Tennessee has some crazy rules about plates. I think most cops don't really care as long as you are not driving dangerously.

 

One of the little known facts about displaying a license plate in North Carolina is that if your vehicle is old enough, you can display the tag that was issued the year the vehicle was made instead of the one assigned to the current vehicle registration. In general, you have to have the current tag available to show to somebody when they ask for it (put the tag in the glovebox, trunk, or under the seat), your vehicle has to be at least thirty-five years old, and the tag that you use has to have the year stamped into the metal and this year has to be the same as the year the vehicle was manufactured.
The complete text of G.S. 20-63(d) reads:
"Registration plates issued for a motor vehicle other than a motorcycle, trailer, or semitrailer shall be attached thereto, one in the front and the other in the rear: Provided, that when only one registration plate is issued for a motor vehicle other than a truck-tractor, said registration plate shall be attached to the rear of the motor vehicle. The registration plate issued for a truck-tractor shall be attached to the front thereof. Provided further, that when only one registration plate is issued for a motor vehicle and this motor vehicle is transporting a substance that may adhere to the plate so as to cover or discolor the plate or if the motor vehicle has a mechanical loading device that may damage the plate, the registration plate may be attached to the front of the motor vehicle.
Any motor vehicle of the age of 35 years or more from the date of manufacture may bear the license plates of the year of manufacture instead of the current registration plates, if the current registration plates are maintained within the vehicle and produced upon the request of any person.
The Division shall provide registered owners of motorcycles and motorcycle trailers with suitably reduced size registration plates."
It is a good idea to keep a copy of this paragraph of the general stature handy in your vehicle along with the tag of current registration just in case somebody isn't up to date and tries to give you a hard time about the one that you have bolted onto the vehicle. Having the year of manufacture tag not only can help provide the correct "look" for an antique, it can serve as a subtle way to answer that question of "what year is it?".

Here is the link to the General Statute
http://www.ncleg.net/EnactedLegislat.../GS_20-63.html

 

When I got my TN antique tag they did review the rules with me. The bonus for me is that my car has original drivetrain, and $60 covers the tag for 25 years which keeps my costs LOW... This is not a daily driver.

My insurance does not cover daily use, that is the main concern. I would'nt care too much if I lost the tag, but to have no coverage in an accident would really suck. Not worth the risk.

 

You guys in the US are sure lucky!!
In Ontario Canada we get screwed by our gov. rates. It is $10.00 to buy regular plates and drive anywhere anytime. Then you pay $74.00 per year for that priviledge.
Historic Vehicle plates are $53.00 to buy and also the $74.00 per year to drive it. However, MAJOR restrictions.
Now if you want personal plates or run your YOM plates it will "only" cost you $212.50 for those!
I have 37 YOM for my Ford 2 dr humpie but will stick them on at shows and run regular plates.
I have full appraised value insurance, costs me more but I want my money if crashed or stolen and I want to drive it all the time, not when they tell me too.
Doug

 

we drive daily or when we want on antiques here in maryland. never a problem in years, thats the key, dont be the problem. thats easy enough, nowadays its the import type cars that most kids drive. my youngest sons only on the road car is a flattie 49 ford two door. same cops see it all the time, most of them don't seem to quailfy themselves as antiques, or maybe even drinking age and they don't have a clue what they are looking at. brought off a 55 f100 next to a county cop in summer from a lite because i thought my oldest son was saying lets go, but he was actually pointing out county police that had rolled up next to us. the old girl had a 351 cleveland and straight pipes with no mufflers, had all the charm of a dirt track car. he never even acknowledged us and i didn't let off till way into second gear! so, stay cool and fly under the radar when you can and have fun anyway, its all cool.

 

have recently seen 2 ('78-'82) pickups that were obviously used as daily WORK trucks... ladders, paint, lawnmowers, etc... that were running Antique plates.
i cant decide if i should be offended or amused!
on one hand, i don't want them to ruin my privledge, but then again i drive my '63 PIMPala to home depot (etc) once a month or so just to keep the gas fresh... so am i abusing the plates too? hmmmmmmm....

 

I've driven daily here in Texas for 19 straight years with Antique plates. Like someone quoted above, you can drive the vehicle if you are working on it or going somewhere to work on it.

In 19 years I have been pulled over probably about 5 times for various reasons. Never once has a cop even asked about the plate or even mentioned it during the stop.

And for the naysayers, there is no way my insurance company is going to be able to deny a claim if it ever happens. I was driving the vehicle somewhere to work on it. They simply cannot prove whether I am telling the truth about that or not. I've fought insurance companies before. Once they figure out that you're dug in for the long fight they pay like they're supposed to.

 

Nebraska has historical plates,vehicle must be 25 years old, must use correct year of plate for car, county doesn't matter, should be driven for events only. They don't ask milage, don't hassle you about them and if you are stopped you are on your way to an event. Hagerty Ins.
company didn't ask about plate kind. Works great for me, one time $50.00 charge. You must present your plate for inspection and very nice that only one plate is required. Cool!! ~Sololobo~

 

yom plates only look right on a box stock restored original car.

 

So basically he was evading taxes since Collector plates are a 1 time fee in MN. Obviously he still had another car with regular plates or he would not have qualified for the Collector plates, right? Doesn't it bother you that they don't ask for proof of insurance any longer when you do anything at the DMV?

 

Hmmmm.
Yes, of couse, people incriminate themselves every day by talking too much when stopped for a traffic violation. But they don't have to.

Any good Lawyer will tell you; Don't talk to the police. Don't explain, don't argue. Shut up and accept the citation. Period. I've read the rules governing Horseless Carriage plates in my state. The only way I could ever be convicted for violating those rules would be to voluntarily admit that I was violating them.

 

"HISTORICAL VEHICLE" plates are for to & from parades , etc . but with all the other crap the cops have to deal with , not worth the trouble . i run only a rear plate (yom) with a vets plate in front . 6 yrs now & not a peep (keep my tags in the car) .............. steve

 

This varies wildly by state...and by insurance company. Some are no difference, some are very strict.

I don't believe that is true.

I had passenger tags on my car then switched to antique a few years ago. I called the DMV and asked about restrictions...and was told the only restriction was that the car had to be old enough. Other than that, no different than regular passenger plates. Cheaper registration too. Your insurance company might have a different view of things, but as you're not required to have insurance in NH, that's another discussion.

Oh yeah, if you have antique plates, you only need an inspection every 2 years. All of the antique inspections expire in April, but your registration is still due yearly in your birthday month. Just got my April 2012 inspection sticker a few months ago...

 

yes I run the old car plates and not yom because they are a good deal price wise and the code guys leave me alone...they don't know about yod plates - they just think that it's been sitting since 1964....I also run yellow and red lights on occasion...and speed a little now and then.....and of course I'm ALWAYS takin' my stuff to SHOW so what's the beef ???

 

Florida has no restrictions on use, for Antique plates...if your car qualifies. It DOES have restrictions on Street Rod plates...

 

In Minnesota the one time fee collector plates have been a great deal and you could drive the car anywhere, anytime - even though there are restrictions written into the rules. In some areas that's changing, and it has everything to do with the local authorities. Lately that cops have been busting people for dropping their kids off at school with farm plates. Earlier this year I went to switch my 63 Nova over to collector plates. The DMV lady refused to sell them to me for my own good, since the car is a daily driver and I do take my kid to school in it. She thought I'd get busted for sure, and I'd be better off paying a little more for regular plates.

Times are a changin.....

 

hell,most of the time if you drive one of these here old cars ANYWHERE, you ARE a car show. park it somewhere and see if somebody don't stop and look at it.TA-DAAAAA, instant car show


BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU

 

Citizens arrest! Citizens arrest!.

 

Actually, The "Blazer/Camper" in your second picture is a fairly rare Chalet I believe. I seem to remember reading (maybe in Hemmings) that there were not very many of them made and they are sought after by some collectors, so I can see it running a classic plate.

 

Different states have different rules. We have YOM plates on our '50 Burb. Driven daily. Legal and insured. No restrictions.

 

just read the code for TN, 25 years old, unmodified body and engine, Saturday and Sunday only, no "for maintenance" clause

 

Will a restro rod do for you?

 

In Washington state it also says you can drive them for lesurely drives,special events,test and tunes and car club functions. I cant think of a time I drive mine that would not fall under one of these. I drive mine every chance I get.

 

Exactly the same as South Carolina,, HRP

 

You better not have Antique plates on something and get caught pulling a trailer. That is considered commercial use. And you are correct the vehicle is supposed to be original with the exception of upgrades to make it safer. and you have to have two other vehicles with regular plates.

 

My eldest son is a lawyer. He completely quit taking cases. I asked him why. He stated no money in it. You do a divorce and your client wont pay you. so you haul them to court and get a judgment. and they still don't pay. its not a big suprize. They don't pay the court ordered child support also. Unless they have paid for real property a judgment is worthless.