MTFCA Forum

Do you register your old plates with the DMV? I went to a car show this past weekend and asked an owner if they registered the old plates and they said no. They carry around the registration and a new plate under the seat but the old original plates are unregistered. According to them, the cops generally seem to understand as long as you can produce an up-to-date registration and show an original plate stored in the car somewhere. They went on to say most everyone in their group of Model T folks does this without issue. I was just curious if that was the general approach of if this was just a group of folks that lived in an area with kindly country cops.

Many states do a year of manufacture plate program where you use the old plate as long as the letter/number combo is not currently used on a modern plate

Nebraska allows year-of-manufacture license plates under three conditions. They must match the year on your title. They need to inspect and approve the plate as having the correct color and not a reproduction. Finally, the plate number must not be currently in use by someone else. If these conditions are met, they will register the plate as "official". One benefit is that they require one plate rather than two on modern cars. My wife found this one at a swap meet. It's now official.

I think I would contact your DMV yourself or do an online search of your states law regarding original year plates.
Some local officers don’t always know information about antique cars.
Find out for yourself instead of relying on somebody else’s word for it. Some folks just go by what somebody else said and don’t have the correct information.

State laws very, check with your local BMV...
Ohio allows unregistered MY plates, with registered plates with you.
I run both, mainly because the 24 plate is dark and the Ohio hysterical plate is white with black lettering and shows up at night much better.

Yes. Idaho is very good about doing this. They require a sticker but some put it on a bolt-on tab rather that the plate.

I have used “Year of Manufacture “ on couple cars, but will not anymore. In my state, Alabama a 1915 tag is worth about $ 1500.00 +. A 1925 tags bring $ 400.00+. The tag is suppose to stay with the car forever. That tag does not add $1500.00.to the car. So all mine now just have a vintage tag. Dan.

Texas used to allow year of manufacture plates but does not now. Those that have YOM plates and keep up the registration can still have them as they are grandfathered in but if you forget to send in your payment one time the plates get dropped forever and cannot be re-registered,

I live in Texas and I recently acquired a fairly large box of Texas plates from the late 50’s up.
Lots of pairs and in nice original shape. That’s to bad about Texas changing the law on YOM plates. I have a 63 Ford Galaxie and was going to use a 63 plate on it. But not now.
Wonder what it will do for plate collectors as there is a market or was for classic car era plates.

From what I understand, Oregon allows YOM plates, however, of the YOM play has a number that is on current plate, they will not allow it. That being the case, most guys who have Yom plats on their cars have them for decoration only and have the registration and issued plates tucked away if needed.

Now that I think about it, I don't even know where my registration papers are...

Ask the DMV? Hmmm... My advise is don't ask if you don't want to hear an answer you don't want to hear.

I have only been pulled over once in my Model T, about 40 years ago. I made an illegal left turn late at night and it was back when all I have had for rear end lighting was a single oil tail lamp... which had gone out.

: ^ )

Keith

Michigan allows them. You only need one but many people (including me) like to have a pair. I think the plates really enhance the appearance and authenticity of the car.

MichaelPawelek wrote: ↑

Tue May 28, 2019 7:11 pm

Texas used to allow year of manufacture plates but does not now. Those that have YOM plates and keep up the registration can still have them as they are grandfathered in but if you forget to send in your payment one time the plates get dropped forever and cannot be re-registered,

No longer true. This happened back around 2011, and the Texas Senate stepped in and changed the laws to make them legal again soon after.
https://www.txdmv.gov/registration-and- ... 012/014-12

The form for annual Classic Registration (VTR-850) which allows YOM plates was revised June 2018.
The form for five-year Antique Registration (VTR-54) which also allows YOM plates was revised January 2018.
https://www.txdmv.gov/txdmv-forms/cat_v ... e&dir=DESC

If your local Texas DMV is refusing to allow the YOM plates, have them call Jeremiah Kuntz's office and have them clarify it for your local office.

Texas does allow old plates to be used to register your antique vehicle. I have two with original plates as shown here. The ease of getting this done all depends upon the knowledge of the clerk, so if you have difficulty with one, go to another DMV location. 1924 requires the year tag which was used to revalidate the 1923 plate as they did not put the year on the plate until 1925.

I have a YOM on my 26. They have been restored at some point and took me four hours with the DMV to get them on my truck. Virginia allows them but most peoople at our local DMV are unsure about re issue and told me it could not be re issued but a call to the state DMV office and another hour on the phone got me my plates.

In Wisconsin it costs $5.00 to register an antique car, and you receive a pair of ANTIQUE plates that are non expiring for as long as you own that car. They are supposed to be restricted to "special occasions", but any time you drive a Model T it is a special occasion. I have had some over 50 years, and I have never heard of anyone ever getting stopped by police.
If your car is registered as an ANTIQUE, you can display YOM plates as long as you carry the ANTIQUE plates in the trunk or under the seat to prove it.

No problem in New York state with re-registering a set of original plates that are the year of your car as long as you have both front and back and the numbers match. Mine are kinda dirty so the colors aren’t very strong, but I’m ok with that. By the way, if you need a vintage Al Smith plate, I have an extra.

Jason is right, Minnesota is pretty relaxed about titles and YOM plates, although one must be accurate with details. I was able to easily get a bonded title for my 1913 T and register it with a YOM plate. This plate was originally issued to Peter Iverson from Watson Mn. for his 1912 Overland per Erik Johnson’s research.

I have DOM plates on my T. They allow me to drive anytime. In Ca, like other states, We also have horseless carriage plates but they restrict our driving to parades and club functions only. Although theses plates were not assigned to this car in 1926 I like having them on my car.

I have an original 1927 plate on mine in WV. Registered with it and registration is for 10 years. Just have to remember to renew it. Same thing with all of my old cars. - Matt

Although Minnesota's YOM statute does have good intentions, the result is that many collector cars end up being registered with the wrong type of license plates which is historically incorrect. This this is due to the way the law is written as well as collector vehicle owner and Minnesota Department of Public Safety ignorance.

The most common problem I see is the plethora of cars registered with Minnesota "A" passenger plates ("A" for less than one ton) when they should be registered with "B" passenger plates ("B" for one ton and over).

I've also seen 1949 cars registered with truck plates. Not only do Minnesota 1949 truck plates have an alpha prefix that the 1949 automobile plates did not have, they have the wrong color combination.

Minnesota collector vehicle registration does not have any Sunday or parade only restrictions. As long as it is operated as a collector vehicle and not for every day use, you can drive it anytime and anywhere. That is a very liberal definition; basically, you can't use it for daily commuting or a business vehicle. Not to be confused with insurance policy restrictions.

New Jersey is a weird one for this activity.

YOM plates are not allowed. You have to buy two Antique Vehicle plates for the car, which are permanent. You are supposed to run two plates.

However, there is an obscure law that states if your car was manufactured before 1948, you only have to run one plate. But, New Jersey only manufactures plates in pairs.

mo is great.25.00 for antique plate +25.00 more yom plate. you are done no more fees no more inspections.just pay taxes & inc .charley

I agree with Charley, MO is great. I have antique plates on my Model T and a year of manufacture plate on my 1971 Plymouth GTX. Paid a one time fee, no more bi-annual inspections and registration fees!

I restored a set of plates for my brother-in-law here in Virginia. A lot of work. He took them to the DMV and a new set with the same numbers are currently in use. So he pulls them out at the car shows but cannot register them.

Must be restored/may not be restored ~ silly, silly, silly.

Is this plate restored?

Jim, Sr. just pointed out one issue with WI plates. You can display YOM plates as long as the other ones are in possession in the vehicle someplace. But you are restricted to operation of the vehicle by the type of plate you purchase. The antique plates do come with restrictions, most of the old car guys I know (including me) just get Collector plates. They are $250 lifetime cost ($150 for the second if you have more cars), transferable, and the only restriction on operation is you can't drive them during January without a special tag. I don't have any problem with that. I'm not going to drive an open car around at -25 anyways.