Legality of re-attached VIN tag?

The bottom line on this post is - does your state inspect the vehicle's VIN when registering it, or not?

If not, then it's nothing to worry about assuming the vehicle is legit and was just repainted. You may want to change the screws to rivets at some point.


If they do, then it depends on what MA law is.


Another car who's VIN tag was attached with screws is the 1953 Buick Skylark. Seen what a nice one of those sells for lately?

 

In NH, all you need to do is run it over to an inspection station, they can certify the VIN and give you a document to keep with the car that the VIN has been certified. I have done a couple. On my Model A project, I had it certified to the frame number because the Engine was swapped out. Then I bought a blank VIN plate and stamped the VIN number to match the certification, because the body covers the frame serial number. Then I attach the VIN to the firewall with Tap in Rivets. Something that never existed on an A looks factory.

 

OT, but I found this interesting....we had the windshield out of a 2012 Hyundai for hail repairs last week (actually, we had 2 there). The VIN tag on the cowl IS A DECAL! Not a metal plate, no rivets, no screws, just a decal that looks a lot like the VIN strips on seperate panels (doors, hoods, deck lids).

Fast and easy for assembly, I guess, but I can see a sloppy glass guy making someone's life difficult.

 

According to my State Police officer friend " you are not supposed to mess with them, but if you have to, you have to. There is no problem with it. The problem is the attempt to defraud." So take it off clean it up, put it back where it belongs. You put it somewhere it isn't supposed to be then that is a problem.

 

When I bought my Model A, it was titled as passenger car but had to be retitled as a streed rod in PA because of the altered windshield height (3.5" chop). Penndot vacated by original title, then sent me a new title and VIN plate. I had to remove the old plate and install the new one.