For info, here is how the Code of Virginia defines "Antique Automobile." <P>"Antique Motor Vehicle" means every motor vehicle...which was actually manufactured or designated by the manufacturer as a model manufactured in a calendar year not less than 25 years prior to January 1 of each calendar year and is owned solely as a collector's item."<P>The Code of Virginia defines "Street Rod" as <BR>"...modernized private passenger motor vehicles either manufactured prior to 1949 or designed or manufactured to resemble vehicles manufactured prior to 1949." I'm not sure how/why the 1949 year was chosen as a cutoff. Perhaps there should be some efforts made to get it changed? <P>Maybe clubs or car club councils in various states can use these as a basis to help legislators change laws as necessary for the benefit of all enthusiasts.<BR>Terry

Following is Virginia?s designation of a ?STREET ROD?:<P><BR>§ 46.2-747. Special license plates for street rods. <P>On receipt of an application, the Commissioner shall issue special license plates to owners of street rods. For the purposes of this section, "street rods" shall mean modernized private passenger motor<BR>vehicles either manufactured prior to 1949 or designed or manufactured to resemble vehicles<BR>manufactured prior to 1949. <P>(1985, c. 452, § 46.1-105.13; 1987, c. 696; 1989, c. 727.)<BR>---------------------------------------------<P><BR>this legislation was lobbied for by the street rodders of Virginia as there was no specialized plate for street rods. a street rod is a vehicle built before 1949. Vehicles after 1948 were called Street Machines In 1949 Automobiles went thru major changes, ?slab sides? as they are often referred to, no fenders, overhead valve engines, etc The National Street Rod Association guidelines so disignated this cut-off..<BR> In the early days of NSRA there were two Division, Street Rod and Street Machines. I don?t think there was much support for the street machine division and it was dropped sometime in the late seventies or early eighties. <BR> When Virginia allowed the use of YOM plates, this appealed to the Street Rodding Community more than the Street Rod designated Plates Most of the Street Rods you see on the road nowdays use this plate. <BR> I?ve attended many Street Rod events in the last 30 years and many of those vehicles attending are bone stock with exception of wheels and tires. these vehicles are welcome in both street rod and antique events (just change the wheels). Nowdays a majority of street rods have stock looking vehicles, including wheela and tires, these are referred to as ?Resto Rods?. My 36 Ford 3 window coupe was in this category.<P> <A HREF="http://www.nsra-usa.com/members.htm" TARGET=_blank>http://www.nsra-usa.com/members.htm</A> <BR>-------------------------------------------<P>Following is Virginia?s designation of an Antique Vehicle: <P>Vehicle Services: Antique Motor Vehicle<P> Antique and Vintage License Plates <P> If you own a passenger vehicle or motorcycle with a model year that is more than 25 model years old before January 1 of the current calendar year, you've got an antique! Depending on how you plan to use your vehicle, you may choose antique, vintage or any one of our standard license plates. Antique license plates are provided by DMV; vintage license plates are original Virginia license plates issued prior to 1976 that you<BR>provide. <P> Is your antique vehicle just for show?? <P> If you plan to use your antique vehicle solely as a collector's item, you may register your vehicle with antique license<BR>plates or permanent vintage license plates. <P> Registering your vehicle either of these ways limits your use of the vehicle to: <P> 1.Participation in antique car club activities, exhibits,tours, parades, and similar events. <BR> 2.Testing its operation, obtaining repairs or maintenance, transportation to and from events as described in number 1 above and for the occasional pleasure driving not to exceed 250 miles from your residence. <P> You may not, however, use your vehicle for general, daily transportation. This includes, but is not limited to, driving to and from work. <P> If you are providing vintage license plates, The issue year of the license plate must match the model year of the vehicle. <BR> DMV must inspect and approve their physical<BR>condition. <P> To register your vehicle with antique or permanent vintage license plates, DMV charges a one-time fee of $11.50. Use form VSA14. <BR> <BR> Your license plates will be valid for as long as your own the vehicle. You may not transfer your license plates to another<BR>vehicle, but you may surrender them to DMV and then register them to a different vehicle for an additional $11.50. Unless the vehicle was manufactured for one licensee plate only, you must display license plate on the front and the rear of your vehicle.<P> ?or do you plan to use it for everyday driving?<P> In order to enjoy unrestricted driving privileges in your antique vehicle, you'll need to provide vintage license plates and register your antique vehicle for general transportation purposes. Just like owning a modern vehicle, you'll have to:<P> Renew your vehicle registration every year or every other year (depending on whether you renew for one or two years), pay the same registration fee you would pay to purchase standard license plates. Display month and year decals on your vintage<BR>license plates. <BR> Obtain an annual safety inspection sticker for your vehicle.<P> If you own another vehicle of the same model year, you may transfer your general transportation vintage license plates to that vehicle.<BR> For more details about the use of antique or vintage license plates, visit Virginia Code Section 46.2-730.<P>So, based on the above my street rod is no different than any vehicle that is 25 or more years old.......and there is no abuse. <P>Bennie Howard<BR> AACA 414914<BR> AMCA 8025<BR> NSRA 039966<BR> KKOA 0628<BR> TRAACA Member<BR> PSRA Member

Guess I should look at this forum a little more often - didn't realize our Virginian had done so much research and posted such an informative addition - thanks Bennie!<P>Like Bennie, if you've done your research of the law and are convinced you are doing things correctly, then "motor-on!" Id recommend printing a copy of the law however and carrying it around in your car. Ive found that some police officers are in the same category as DMV clerks when it comes to the specifics. <P>Here's a story relayed to me by a fellow old car nut a while back that illustrates part of the problem. While standing in line at the local DMV office to get his drivers license renewed, the guy in front of him was observed trying to transfer (modern) plates to a vehicle he'd just acquired. The DMV clerk looked at his paperwork and excitedly informed him "Gee, this is a 1963 Ford - you qualify for Antique tags." When the guy asked "what does that do for me" he was simply told "there is just a one-time fee and you don't have to renew your tags each year or get inspections." "Sure" was the obvious response, and upon leaving, my friend saw him wiring the new black and white Antique Vehicle tags onto his 1963 Ford station wagon. The wagon had the back top cut off to make it into a truck. It had ladder racks welded onto the passenger side, and it was splattered with so many different colors of paint you couldnt tell what color it was originally. The guy was a painter and this was indeed his work truck! <P>Abuse? Well, the owner of the vehicle didn't think so. He did what he was told. However the average citizen spots this vehicle on the road and automatically sees abuse. It places our continued use of these tags at risk when stuff like that happens.<P>Some "abuse" is due to ignorance and some is intentional, and its done by antique car folks, the general public and yes, probably even some street rod guys. But the question in my original post was "how are clubs handling it?" Example - our most recent newsletter contained a one page summary of the licensing and usage restriction laws and it was recommended that everyone carry it in the car with them. In fact, its probably not too bad an idea to carry a couple of extra copies to give to folks like the painter. <P>I was curious about the Virginia Street Rod tag too - are many of them being used? If I owned a neat 29 A tall-cab truck like the one I saw last night in downtown Portsmouth I'd probably have Street Rod tags proudly displayed on it (don't know what kind of tags it had, but it's welcome in my drive-way anytime!) <P>My original question was about North Carolina tags and we've not had any NC folks check in with the info. Still curious.<P>So, it's not about Rods vs Antique - its about protecting the priviledges we've all fought hard for and enjoy and we all share responsibility to protect what we've got. Bottom line - read the law, follow the law, if it doesn't work, theres a way to change the law. Hopefully our clubs offer a good way to help get the word out to their members.<P>I know we have at least one legislator keeping an eye on this, It would be great if we had that person's thought, opinions, and proposed solutions to ponder and provide some feedback on. <P>Terry

This thread brings two questions to mind: 1) If the street Rod in question has a repro body and frame,and late model running gear can it legally be titled and tagged as an antique? 2) What does it matter if some guy with an older daily driver gets to use YOM plates? These people represent such a small portion of the total number of cars on the road that it is insignificant.

I'm from NC, so here's the skinny. If a vehicle is over 35 years old from DOM, you are exempt from annual safety inspections. See NC GS 20-20-183.2 as ammended in '03-'04. Check out www.ncmgcarclub.org/inspections.html for article and links to gov't sites. I'm glad I found this information and hope it also helps someone else. There's no stipulation on any alterations done to the car. Who are you to tell me what's appropriate for my car? If I want super big tires or aftermarket exhaust, then it's my car I'm fooling with. If you don't like it, you don't have to buy it! As long as it's 35 years old I fall within the law by having an antique tag on it, regardless of changes made.

aaronbtxnc, You may be from NC but you haven't given us the "skinny" on anything reguarding the subject which is the use/abuse of the antique tags. [color:\\"red\\"] And it is a four year old post that you dug up. [/color] You'd also do a better job at representing our fine state if you'd lose the attitude. This is a [color:\\"red\\"] antique [/color] car forum and is hosted by a club which purpose is for the [color:\\"red\\"] preservation [/color] of vehicles. This forum is also watched by people in the US, Canada, Seden, England and Germany ( that I know of) and probably more places than that. Not everyone knows what the NC state laws are. Just beacuse it is legal for the street rods to use the antique auto tags in NC doesn't mean it is the same in VA, WA or CA. I know I have seen at least one state did have a street rod tag, just can't remember which one. If you contact your state representives, and get them to introduce a bill that would be a Street Rod tag and it could have all the same privlages that the antique auto tag has. All it takes is 300 signatures on a petition to get a new tag considered by Raleigh. That's basically what the antique car owners (mostly AACA members) did to get the tag you benefiting from. That tag saves you tax $$, inspection $$ and you can run year of manufactered tags.

Here are the laws reguarding the tags that can be used on antique autos in NC.

G. S. 20-63 (d)
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.
[color:\\"blue\\"] 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. [/color]


20-79.4.(b)(17)

Historic Vehicle Owner. ? [color:\\"blue\\"] Issuable for a motor vehicle that is at least 35 years old measured from the date of manufacture. [/color] The plate for an historic vehicle shall bear the word "Antique" unless the vehicle is a model year 1943 or older. The plate for a vehicle that is a model year 1943 or older shall bear the word "Antique" or the words "Horseless Carriage", at the option of the vehicle owner.

PA. They even issue VIN numbers for rods w/o them.

25 year old cars being eligible for antique tags that means that a 1980 car will be able to get antique plates. is it right that a daily driver 1980 camaro with emmisions removed, mag wheels, load exhaust and jacked up to the sky have the same
exemptions that a $50000 restored 1955 chevy have? I beleive not, why should the daily driver that has not been rebuilt and maintained to standards get away with not being inspected or having emmision tests done. Most of the streetrods or restored antique cars are road safe and maintained to show. The DMV should have
registered sites to have every vehicle checked inspected and verified before any plate be issued antique, classic, streetrod, collector or any special limited use plate
just my thoughts.
steve

In Colorado the law regarding street rod plates;
Colorado Revised Statute 42-3-114 (3) (a)
Issued to passenger, light truck and recreational truck vehicles manufactured in 1948 or earlier. This plate can only be a personalized plate. When issued to a recreational truck vehicle, empty weight cannot exceed 6,500 pounds. Additional charge of $35.00 upon application and $25.00 additional each year thereafter. Plate configuration must be at least two (2) positions and no more than seven (7).

NJ law says historic cars must have a historic QQ tag displayed from the REAR of the car ( this info is right from there website) but they sent me a pair and everytime I go to a show the classics have tags frt & rear in nj. Anybody have any insight into this.

This post edited 7/26/2006.


Tag registration and titles are now under the Department of Revenue in the State of Georgia.



http://motor.etax.dor.ga.gov/


Registration

http://motor.etax.dor.ga.gov/motor/registration/

--

Special Tags - Types Available

http://motor.etax.dor.ga.gov/motor/plates/


--

then scroll down to

Special Interest Plates

Hobby Antique which goes to:



http://motor.etax.dor.ga.gov/motor/plates/plate.asp?ptitle=HA



There is a sample image of the plate there also.

Hobby Antique



Manufacturing Fee: None

Annual Registration Fee: $20.00

Annual Special Tag Fee: None

Ad Valorem Tax Required: Yes

Required Forms: N/A

Special Qualifications: N/A

Where do the funds go? State Treasury

Is the county name decal required? Yes


Additional Information:

This tag may be issued to a motor vehicle (private passenger car, truck weighing less than 14,000 lbs., or motorcycle) that is more than twenty-five (25) years old or to a vehicle that has been designed and manufactured to resemble an antique or historical vehicle.

This tag may be transferred to another antique, hobby or special interest vehicle.


---

Unannotated Georgia Code - Titles


http://www.legis.state.ga.us/cgi-bin/gl_codes_detail.pl?code=40-2-77

40-2-77.

(a) As used in this Code section, the term 'antique or hobby or special interest vehicle' means any motor vehicle which is over 25 years old or a motor vehicle which has been designed and manufactured to resemble an antique or historical vehicle and which is owned as a collector´s item and for participation in club activities, exhibitions, tours, parades, and similar uses but which may be used for general transportation.
(b) Upon application, registration, and payment of an annual registration fee of $20.00, the commissioner shall issue a special license plate, as described in this Code section, for every antique or hobby or special interest vehicle within the state which is a private passenger car, truck weighing less than 14,000 pounds, or motorcycle.
(c) For antique vehicles or hobby or special interest vehicles, said license plates shall be of metal at least four inches wide and not less than seven inches in length and shall show in bold characters the words 'Antique Vehicle' or 'Hobby or Special Interest Vehicle,' as appropriate, the full name or the abbreviation of the name of the state, distinctive numbers or letters or a combination thereof, and other distinctive markings as in the judgment of the commissioner will to the best advantage advertise, popularize, and otherwise promote the state.
(d) The commissioner shall make such rules and regulations as necessary to ascertain compliance with all state license laws relating to use and operation of a private passenger car, truck weighing less than 14,000 pounds, or motorcycle, as applicable, before issuing these plates in lieu of the regular Georgia license plate.
(e) Special plates issued under this Code section shall be transferred to another antique or hobby or special interest vehicle as provided by Code Section 40-2-80.
(f) Any vehicle for which an antique vehicle or hobby or special interest vehicle license plate has been issued pursuant to this Code section may be operated upon the roadways of this state in the same manner and under the same conditions as any vehicle bearing a regular Georgia license plate. No owner of such antique vehicle or hobby or special interest vehicle shall be required to obtain any special permits for its operation on the roads of this state.

----

Also, if you have an old legitmate State of Georgia license plate from the year of manufacture for your old vehicle, you can put it on you vehicle and drive around with it on there. You must have a valid license plate inside the vehicle. Read the details here:

http://www.legis.state.ga.us/legis/1995_96/leg/fulltext/hb408.htm#index

-W

I only learned about this a few months ago and have found that many classic car owners don't know the actual law regarding these tags.
In 1999, NJ changed the law regarding front license plates on antique cars. The law now makes use of the front plate as optional .

Here's the applicable law (see last sentance of statute):
TITLE 39 MOTOR VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC REGULATION
39:3-27.4. Historic motor vehicles; registration, license plates, display
2.Any owner of an historic motor vehicle who is a resident of this State may register such motor vehicle under the provisions of this act. Application for registering an historic vehicle shall be on forms prescribed by the director. Upon proper application and payment of the prescribed fee, the director shall issue a special nonconventional registration and special license plate for each historic motor vehicle registered in this State. Such registration and license plate shall be valid during the period of time that the vehicle is owned by the registrant. The fee for such registration and license plate shall be $25.00. The license plate shall bear the word "historic" and shall be of such design and colors as the director may determine. Notwithstanding the provisions of R.S.39:3-33 or any other law to the contrary, an owner of a vehicle registered as an historic vehicle , or any vehicle manufactured before 1945, shall not be required to display more than one special license plate issued for that vehicle, which plate shall be displayed on the rear of the vehicle.

L.1964,c.195,s.2; amended 1999, c.305.

Cheers,
Bill Sohl
AACA
VTR

New Jersey also has a street rod plate

Consider this.

When is a modified car no longer the original car?

This is a question you must ask to your state. Since once you cross that line you must apply for a new car title and the car is titled the year you built it. It is now a 'new' car.

So I am going to say a 1930 model A with a store bought frame, mustang front end, jag rear, and a chevy engine probably crosses that line. According to the title people in the state of NJ they have crossed that line. So any car that crosses that line and is registered with the 1930 title is illegally registered!

So that means the insurance companies could decide not to pay off. There is usually a clause in the contract that says the car must be legally registered.

The interesting thing is trying to get this enforced. The cops dont know about it, the state police does not seem to care and others I have contacted in the state have no clue what to do about this.

Before anyone goes off the deep end. I started asking around just because I could not believe that no one knew how to enforce the laws.

Now for the guy that says who should care, a hot rodder is not hurting anyone. Well that is not true. He is driving this cobbed together car and part of the a new title is a safety inspection. It has been my experience most guys do not know how to properly engineer a hot rod and they certainly wont spend the money to do it right. So someone has to be looking out for my safety if the owners wont. There is a reason why a 3 foot tall blower is not allowed on a car on the street, something about being able to see. Personally I like to know that hot rod actually has 4 wheel brakes (the 454 on the T-bucket was only slightly worked and only had 2 wheel brakes) that work and steering that turns the opposite direction for the first 1/4 turn of the wheel (model A pickup truck).

Quite frankly, people seem to have problems rebuilding their cars to original specs and keeping them safe to drive. Letting people put 1000 hp engines in a car and building them with no inspection is not right.

Keep this all in mind the next time you look at cars at the shows. Listen to what people say about thier cars. It is amazing the number of cars the pull some when they brake.

If you know what to look and listen for you will be scared!