Nebraska ranks #6 in America for commute time and #12 for road quality, so the driving experience can be pleasant, provided you dont mind going arrow-straight most of the time. So there you have it, classic car owners. In order to qualify for Texas antique vehicle registration, your vehicle must be at least 25 years old, and can only be used on a limited basis such as car shows, exhibitions, parades, and travel to and from repair and maintenance facilities. Note: Additional fees may apply. Theres no state DMV, for example. No is worth 100 points, yes is 0. Antique registration means that you pay $25 once for an inspection and never have to pay for it again. The emissions equipment that came on the car is supposed to still be there, but the inspection stationsall privately-owned gas stationsarent likely to check. You can either select the antique plates provided by the state or, if you have a 1973 or earlier vehicle, you can opt for plates with a year that matches the year of your vehicle. Idaho Statute 49, Chapter 4 lays out the requirements for classic vehicle registration, and the restrictions are pretty light. Seriously, the equations are absurd. Theres a title requirement, which you can read more about in Oregons general laws. The second thing unique to Colorado is its titling requirements. One bit of good news is that Missouri allows an owner to bond a title if the original title isnt present. Motorists who have not obtained a TX antique vehicle registration within the last five years must also provide DMV with proof of ownership, proof of insurance (or an affidavit proving exemption from the insurance requirement) and payment for the registration fees. South Dakotas historic vehicle plates apply to cars 30 years old or older. We wanted to determine which states are the most classic-vehicle friendly and then rank them by their overall consideration for owners of older cars. Certain items of inspection, however, may or may not be required to be inspected, depending on the age of the car. The inspection station will follow the registration classification on the vehicle in determining the inspection criteria. Frankly, we didnt even check whether California requires a title from other states when registering a classic car, because the hassle of registering a post-1975 car from another state isnt worthwhile. Titles are required, but if you dont have one, theres a process requiring an inspection that at least will provide a pathway to legal citizenship. However, with our pre-built web templates, everything gets simpler. All lighting devices must be of an acceptable type that meet Department standards and must comply with the mounting heights as specified in the inspection requirements. In almost every instance, Georgia rocks as far as classic vehicle ownership goes. I learned this with a 1989 Grand Wagoneer and a 1992 BMW 525i wagon. You can register it as a Classic, which is for cars 25 years old or older, for $40 per year with no driving restrictions. You fill out an affidavit that it will only be driven on weekends or special events. From there, the tag fee is a one-time event, with no renewal required. VI-807.pdf. Classic license plates are issued to passenger cars that are 25 or more years old. State By State: Differences In How States Handle Driver’s License Renewals, Washington State Passes New Distracted Driving Law That Bans Holding a Cellphone While Driving, An Application for Title and Registration (form 130-U), A Rebuilt Vehicle Statement and registration receipt (if your vehicle was last registered in a non-title state), A certificate of weight and photograph of the vehicle, A current vehicle safety inspection (if applicable), A Vehicle Inspection Report, if your vehicle was previously titled in another state. David Dennis has a warning, though. The state has an emissions program in two counties (Lake and Porter) and every other year it inspects cars built in 1975 and after. Either the 7-inch head lamps or both dual head lamps (type 1 and type 2) may be used. Iowa has Antique vehicle registration, but were not sure theres any point to obtaining it other than vanity. A custom car is a vehicle that is or was produced to resemble a car that is at least 25 years old and of a model year after 1948, and was altered from its original design. Maybe Ralph Nader should have lobbied Georgia for a safer registration process that would include a safety inspection. Youre begging for A) an audit and B) your insurance company to refuse to pay a claim when your car burns up in a garage in New Jersey. After registering, don't forget to post up an introduction ! New Mexico Statute 66-3-27 NMSA 1978 lays out the requirements for its Horseless Carriage registration. Dillon Troxell notes, Car registration is the only thing Connecticut doesnt kill you on (yet).. A custom vehicle is a vehicle at least 25 years old and of a model year after 1948 or built to resemble a vehicle at least 25 years old and of a model year after 1948. Arizona has up to four special plates for older cars. Both require a one-time registration fee, and theres no safety or emissions requirement, so youre in the clear there. We gave New York a Good rating for Traffic and Road Quality, despite the New York metropolitan area being one of the most traffic-congested regions in America. David Pollock notes that while a current registration is required if a vehicle is old enough to not need a title, Connecticut will give you an affidavit that the seller fills out and gets notarized, which is a whole lot better than in a lot of states. However, that means you dont have an annual excise tax bill to pay, so when you compare it to a state like Massachusetts, its not all that bad. That can pose a real issue if youre buying a vehicle from a state that doesnt issue a title for an older car. Jeff Koch tells us that Arizonas emissions standards vary by county. Please check with your vehicle manufacturer (Ford, Honda, Nissan, etc.) The Stadium Tax affords Wisconsin residents the privilege of paying for the $290 million Miller Park (23 years and counting), so they can watch the Brewers lose in the playoffs every time they get there. Hawaii does have some registration requirements for classic cars. Under state laws, motorists requesting a TX registration for custom cars or antique rides must first check whether their vehicle classifies as an antique, classic, assembled, reconstructed or replica car, among other types of motor vehicles, and submit the appropriate documentation for title and registration. On the plus side of the ledger, the Historic plate program seems to carry no other restrictions other than that the car must be at least 25 years old. If the motor home is 1996 or newer and OBDII capable, then your motor home will receive an OBDII test. All Rights Reserved. Floridas weather alone makes it friendly to vintage cars. The state follows the OBD-II-era (1996-or-newer-only) requirement for emissions testing, which is great for most classic vehicle owners. $450 for 5 years. Ad valorem taxes may also be required depending on the year of the vehicle. My only VIN challenge was on a 1920 Model T, which didnt have serial numbers until 1925. Unfortunately, enforcement is noticeably selective. Its kind of odd that a car from 1984 can be registered as a Horseless Carriage, but thats the statute. Washington had emission testing regulations for certain populated counties, but those will be gone for both new and old cars in 2020. Prices for registering custom car projects or antique and classic cars may vary based on several factors, including the applicants county of residence, the type of vehicle, the vehicles characteristics (weight, year of manufacture) and more. Sales tax for vintage cars is calculated on your bill of sale, which is a lot more legitimate that using some bogus price guide. Get A Free Insurance Quote. I havent been targeted specifically, but I have a friend who regularly has arguments with officers who are trying to ticket him unlawfully, despite the folder of information he carries with him at all times.. We spoke to Peter McCullough, owner of River Bend Automotive in Houston, who provided a ton of information about the law and how its practically enforced in Texas. PDF files requireAdobe Readeror compatible. TxT is an official, account-based digital government assistant that provides an even easier, faster, and more secure way for Texans to take care of government services - like vehicle registration renewal. Though the documents to title and register custom car projects in Texas may slightly differ depending on whether your vehicle classifies as assembled, rebuilt or replica, the common custom car registration items are outlined below: Note: To obtain a registration for custom cars in TX, you may be subject to additional requirements. It has restrictions for vintage tags, but we applied half credit here because the restrictions dont say anything about weekends and holidays only, or anything about mileage caps. A completed application for VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) if the vehicle being registered is located outside of Texas. It can easily continue snowing well into April. The state doesnt appear to have an annual safety inspection, nor does it have emissions requirements for A) vehicles older than 1996 or B) for any vehicles registered outside the Atlanta Metro area. The weather is about the only reason not to be excited to own a vintage car in Montana. Delawares weather is better in the winter months than most of the Northeast states, extending the driving season by a month or so. Vehicle Inspection Station Application V. As if that isnt bad enough, the Registry of Motor Vehicles is notoriously awful, assessing a 5.5-percent sales tax not on what you paid for your car, but what some arbitrary price guide says its worth. Tax is pretty hefty at 7 percent, and on top of that you owe an excise tax every year, but for vehicles older than 1980, its a $12-per-year flat tax. $400 for 3 years. The inspection consists of a technician making sure that basic things are in order: tires are not bald, blinkers and wipers work. Period-correct emissions equipment is supposed to be in place, as well, but thats largely left up to the shop doing the inspection. plates are part of your registration fee, but there is an additional charge for replacement plates.Even if you purchase a new car tomorrow chances are you will receive the current red, white and blue Lone Star Texas plates. Theres no mileage or day-of-the-week restrictions, only that the car cant be used as basic daily transport. First of all, the statue says you cant exceed 250 miles from your residence. Secondly, you can use your car for general, daily transportation, which includes, but is not limited to, driving to and from work.. Delaware gets good marks for sales tax, but it does charge a Documentation Fee, which is 4.5 percent of the vehicle sale price, or the NADA value, whichever is higher. The Lone Star State also has four different ways you can register a classic car. But we digress. Required fields are marked *. Title Requirement: Some states (Vermont, for instance) dont require a title for vehicles over a certain age. Well, how bout Vermont then? Classic registration is cheap at just $16, and you only pay the fee once if the car is registered. They will instead just charge you 6.25 percent of your indicated sale price, like most states normally practice.. Plus, Premier and RV/motorcycle benefits take effect after 7 days. Add the fact that the weather is generally good and traffic isnt bad outside of Little Rock, and the Land of Opportunity scores remarkably high. If a vehicle was manufactured prior to 1949 and was altered from its original look, it qualifies as a street rod. The sales tax is reasonable at 4.5 percent, but theres also a steep excise tax of 4.5 percent that makes this one of the most tax-heavy states in the Union when it comes to registering a car. Antique car license plates in Texas may be issued for a period of five years to owners of vehicles that qualify as antique rides. 1. Thats what we decided to find out. The state has several designations for older carsincluding Antique, Street Rod, and Horseless Carriage for cars manufactured before 1945. Now, using a VTR-850 Classic - TxDMV.GOV - Txdmv takes no more than 5 minutes. U.S. News & World Report ranked North Dakota #2 in road quality and #3 in commute time, meaning you wont be spending a lot of your time idling in traffic. Many kit car manufacturers comply with this requirement. Your email address will not be published. You can register it normally and pay a normal registration fee. Where most states in the Northeast have a 20- or 25-year-old-or-newer title requirement, New York rolls that all the way back to 1972, making a valid title required paperwork if youre looking to buy a vehicle out of state. Older vehicles are also exempt from the states emissions testing program, although unlike many states that only make cars from the OBD-II era comply (beginning in 1996), Virginia pushes that back to 25 years. Considering its locked in snow for 45 months a year (more if youre north of Lansing) and the roads are in deplorable condition in many areasparticularly around DetroitMichigan fares pretty well in the vintage vehicle friendliness rankings, mostly because of the registration requirements. One weird thing in Maine is that you can use a vintage plate on your antique vehicle as long as you keep the official plate inside the vehicle, he says. The registration of classic cars may also require a safety inspection on an annual basis. Florida gets essentially no snow every year, and outside the cities the roads are in great shape. The owner must first complete the Beneficiary Designation of a Motor Vehicle form, which tells the Texas DMV who the owner wants the car to go to. Technically you do need a title, but if you dont have one you can register a car for three years without one at all, or get a bonded title, as spelled out in Washington Administrative Code Title 308 Chapter 56A Section 210. Beware of that last one, however. Your vehicle registration may be renewed online 90 days before the expiration date or after the expiration date, if you have not received a citation for expired registration. If there were day-of-the-week and holiday restrictions, the score was 50. When a vehicle in Texas meets these requirements, the owner can register it as an antique vehicle, which will limit the car's use. Wisconsin also has antique vehicle registration, but only for cars built before 1945. Monitored video cameras in the shops are supposed to catch violators, so if you roll in with the loudest exhaust known to man, you probably wont get a sticker. West Virginia has some of the most amazing roads in the east, and traffic is relatively light compared to other states in the mid-Atlantic region. Only acceptable motorcycle head lamps may be used on motorcycles, motor-driven cycles, and mopeds. If your older car doesnt have a title, you can still register it with a surety bond, as in many other states. Finally, we searched each states DMV website for information, and we spoke to classic vehicle owners wherever we could and asked for their opinion (that took some time). Let the arguments begin. Emissions inspections are at government-run facilities. North Dakota imposed the standard restrictions on vehicles with Historic plates. If you want it for 10 years, its $86, which saves you more than a hundred bucks in registration fees. Provide proof of ID, car insurance, vehicle inspection, and ownership. Are our numbers accurate or do you think your state is way more classic-car friendly than weve given it credit for? Historic registration doesnt appear to get you out of the states biennial safety inspection, but you do avoid the emissions inspection in St. Louis County if your car is from the 1996 model year or older. Therefore, if your motor home exceeds this weight limitation, it will be switched to the TSI testing mode. Indiana has a historic vehicle registration program that requires you dont use the car for daily transport, but other than that, it doesnt place any restrictions on days of the week or holidays. A Texas custom car registration, as well as antique license plates, are necessary for owners of these types of vehicles to stay in accordance with the applicable motor vehicle laws. Kudos to Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White for providing a thorough brochure on vintage-car registration. The plates are comparatively expensive versus other states$80 up front and $55 to renew every yearand dont really provide any benefits since youre not avoiding inspections. That fee is waived for cars bearing antique plates, and the fees for Antique, Street Rod, and Horseless Carriage tags are permanent, meaning you pay them once and youre good for the entire time you own it. Bet you couldnt have guessed that before reading this story. Check with your local motor vehicle department for current information. DMV.com is a privately owned website that is not affiliated with any government agencies. Heres a novel concept: Nebraska actually provides a decent amount of information on registering a classic vehicle on its website. If the car is from 1940 or prior, you may not need a title at all. Listing the states from the lowest score to highest, this is what we found. A search of the site reveals no results for classic, historic, or antique. We did a Google search for registering a classic vehicle in Oklahoma and came up with a single .pdf. Proof of financial responsibility for yourself and the vehicle You will also need to bring at least one clear photo of the vehicle you will be registering. For example, motorists obtaining antique car tags will need to pay a $50 fee (if their car was produced in or after 1921) or $40 for vehicles manufactured before 1921. See our most recent classic cars for sale. Antique vehicle registration is a special form of motor vehicle registration for vehicles that are considered antique, classic, vintage, or historic.Both the specific term used and the definition of a qualifying vehicle vary from country to country, as well as within a country if it is a federation.. It can be lower than that depending upon the county. Where everything falls apart is taxation. Only relatively high taxation keeps the state out of the running for the best state in the Union for classic ownership. Those states each received 100 points. Advantages of "Classic" plates? The state DMV defines an assembled vehicle as a car that was built from a kit, new or used components and modified so that it no longer resembles its original configuration, thus qualifying for specific DMV license plates. Most people who abuse Antique Plates use the Im driving home from my mechanic excuse, but the troopers have heard every excuse in the book. Nevadas classic-car plates (of which there are nine, by the way) come with an age and mileage restriction. A collector plate limits you to non-daily use, he says, but what if you buy a set of old school plates that were made when the car was new, you can register them as restored plates. After 2009, if you get Antique plates, youre subject to the restrictions (only driven to and from state and county fairs or educational exhibits, must never use it as daily transport), but the fee is the same as any regular car. One fact that might be interesting to owners of trailered cars is that anyone can register a trailer in Maine, regardless of your state of residence. Not all motor homes in this age category come equipped with OBDII compliant plug-in; therefore, if your motor home or RV is not OBDII ready, it will require the appropriate tailpipe emissions test. Most states cut you a break by making classic registrations a one-time fee, but not Oklahoma. Utah is also great if your vehicle doesnt happen to have a title. They taxed it like it was a Pebble Beach candidate, he says. In that case, the emissions requirement is waived. Vermont pretty much leaves me alone, says Michael Eldred, who owns a handful of British cars that are registered in southern Vermont. Vehicles with Historic plates are subject to the parades and special events restrictions of most other states, but there doesnt appear to be a mileage cap or a day-of-the-week restriction. Taxes can get rather expensive, too. Theres no inspectionemission nor safetyand you can drive year round, so congrats on a high score, Mississippi. The average 30 inches of snow isnt exactly ideal, but Nebraska doesnt use salt on the roads, which makes it a good place for finding decent classic vehicles that havent rotted to the roofline. The ASM equipment in the Dallas and Houston areas have an 8,500 pound limitation. Beyond that, the Palmetto State did away with its safety inspection back in the mid-1990s. If you register in Philadelphia, add 2 percent. Maryland has the same weekends, holidays, and special events clauses that most other states have, which means that you might not want to bother getting the antique or street rod plates if you plan on driving it to work occasionally. The Pine Tree State wavers from wide open to heavily restricted, depending on which of the ranking criteria youre looking at. There are also different titling requirements for Assembled Classic Motor Vehicles that are 30 years old and have had significant modifications. The application and specialty plate license fee is submitted to the Vehicle Titles and Registration Division. There are some beautiful roads in Hawaii, but U.S. News & World Report ranks both the traffic and road quality near the bottom. 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