Hey everybody! My friend is getting his model a all ready to drive and he aquired a set of 1929 michigan license plates for his car. He went down to the DMV and tried to get them registered but found out that they say you can only run them on your car at car shows and parades, so does anybody run old plates on here and have been ticketed for them because of that rule, or is it a safe bet just to lie and run them all the time? Thanks guys The Duke
Tell him to just do it. I've never heard of anyone getting hastled over it. They don't care, they just want your money. My dad has 'em on his '49 Pontiac and he drives it around.
I have run them for years. Everyplace these cars go....its a car show. Some just aren't advertised.....
Read all the provisions they have for the older plates. Up here in WA, one of em is for "car club meetings". You just have lots of meetings...
In Oklahoma you give them the number and they make sure it is not in use. Then it is simply a $14 fee every year for a sticker for the windshield. You are supose to have the regular tag in the trunk if asked. I have run a "63 plate on my car for a couple years with no h***les.
My brother-in-law has YOM (Year Of Manufacture) plates on all three of his heaps...doesn't drive 'em much, but the few miles he HAS logged with the old plates have been cop-free! He talked me into getting a 1949 Michigan plate for my Chevy...even though I think it's kinda lame unless the car is 100% restored to stock, or built period correct for 1949-51ish. I'd rater run 60s or 70s plates on the car, but you can't do that legally! My primary reason for sticking a 1949 plate on my car was cuz it's CHEAPER...you pay a one time fee, and it's good for life...no sticker tabs and it never has to be renewed. (Won't be long till Granholm's Gestapo finds THAT loophole and plugs it, but for now, it's a cheap way to go!) From hearing my brother-in-law tell it, what you need to do is to find a Michigan plate in GOOD CONDITION for the year of your car. If it has been repainted or touched up, it MUST be done in the original colors...painting them to match your car or something like that is a NO-NO! (Plates can be found on e-bay or at flea markets...many people collect them, so the market is there. A matched set of front and rears will cost ya more, but a single can be had cheap for most years...I got a nearly mint one for $15). Once you have the plate, you must make a photocopy of it and take that along with your proof of insurance and other paperwork to the Secretary Of State office of your choice. They will check to make sure that nobody else has registered the matching plate to yours if you only have one, and if not, then you get it. Go to a KNOWLEDGABLE branch office...some may not know the ins and outs of this obscure law regarding YOM plates. Now, you will get an actual registration with the plate number on it, but some cops unfamiliar with YOM plates may still h***le or question you over it. Part of the cost of "getting away with" running these plates, I suppose! That's the lowdown in MICHIGAN at the current time, anyway.
Iowa dosn't have a YOM law, but '48 and earlier vehicles can run a "year" plate on the front with the state issued plate on the rear. The front plate has to be kept in the car with the registration.
Florida has the same YOM rule - pretty cool, I am with Fat Hack on this and would want to run a later tag to go for the whole period correct thing. But, at least they let us use YOM's. BTW - I am looking for a 1961 "16W" Florida tag - would pay good money for one if I could find one, FWIW - Fla used to number there counties in order of size i.e. Jacksonville (Duval)was 1, Miami (Dade Co.) was 2, Sarasota was 16, they dropped it in the 70's.
Show Me State lets you run year of manufacture. They consider them customized plates, and charge you same price as if you had modern custom plates, as I do.
In Maryland, the MVA will issue a seperate regestration with the old tag number on it. You have to present both to the 'man' when asked. I did this for the 34 but for some stupid reason I never run the tag
Pennsylvania does not recognize YOM plates. I wish they did. Still, you could run one on the front, because PA doesn't require a front plate.
I have run vintage plates for quite a few years, and I have never had a problem. I have driven my cars, all hours of the day and night, without incident...it could be that the police in Flint are lazy, but I say get one, it sure as hell saves on registration fees each year. Just my .02...-Joe
Texas sounds like it's pretty easy too. A matching set of YOM plates that aren't in use and your good to go. BTW does anyone know where I can get a set of 34 Texas plates? I've tried egay, local swap meets, and trade days with no avail.
I've had a 1955 Michigan plate on my car for nearly 10 years now and the only time I ever got stopped was in Iowa(doing 75 in a 55 zone)and the only thing the trooper questioned was the use of the plates.He even let me go on the speeding charge! I drive my car every day(nearly 110,000 so far)and have never had a problem in Michigan.I run several different plates on the front depending on my mood(including M***achusetts tags)with nary a stop. I sent a photocopy of mine to the Secretary of State along with proof of insurance and got mine within a couple weeks.In fact when I did mine,the fee was $15 for 5 years and in 96 they amended the law charging $35 but the registration never expires and there is no sticker for the plate.Oh yeah my plate is painted to match the colors of my car and I've never had a problem with that.I don't think most of the cops around today were even born in 1955.
New York's had a YOM law since 1985 or '86. I've got both my '37 coupe & '55 Buick registered with them. Yearly registration is only $23.00 or at least it was a couple of years ago. All we have to do is send in a copy of the proof of insurance (FS1) marked "Historical", a copy of the registration, a photo of the plates and a check. I think all they REALLY give a **** about is the check.
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