CA Historic Plates

[pcbowman]

Went to the DMV today after I received my title and was able to get historic plates no problem. I went with picture of my truck and showed a picture of Jon's truck with historical plates. From the information I read on this board, I was able to give the lady at the DMV enough information on vehicle classification and type. She said that I was the second person in 18 years to register a vehcile like that with historic plates. Thank you for everone who has posted information on getting historic plates.

I was a bit worried about this whole process from what I read on this forum and feel fortunate that it was as easy for me.

Peter

 

[jdmcgowen]

Were the Historic plates the only type of plates you could get from the DMV? Is it easy to get a regular plate? Just curious.
John

 

[WillWagner]

Congrats Peter. Did you get a grill yet?

 

[williamh]

Re: RE: CA Historic Plates

Were the Historic plates the only type of plates you could get from the DMV? Is it easy to get a regular plate? Just curious.
John

the problem with getting anything other than a HP is that they charge you for the weight class of the truck so it will be about 900.00 ... but the HP is about 35.00 a year.

 

[Twinpinion]

Re: RE: CA Historic Plates

Were the Historic plates the only type of plates you could get from the DMV? Is it easy to get a regular plate? Just curious.
John

the problem with getting anything other than a HP is that they charge you for the weight class of the truck so it will be about 900.00 ... but the HP is about 35.00 a year.

Here's the catch in CA. You are only allowed to operate the vehicle on the road to and from a show or parade....there are alot of parades in my area

Plus, don't get caught with stuff in the bed. With a historical CA plate they can nail you for hauling stuff...unless of course it's for a parade...or show.

To get a regular plate you'll also need to weigh the vehicle before registering it. This is the weight used to come up with the weight fee. 13,500 pounds=spendy.

You guys are local...interested in a road trip?:
http://www.steelsoldiers.com/index.php?name=PNphpBB2&file=viewtopic&t=10003&highlight=

 

[24-VOLTS]

RE: Re: RE: CA Historic Plates

When I was getting my truck registered with HP. I talked with a commerial CHP. He told me that if the vehicle is registered, insured and in good running conditon that there is no vehicle code to cite a person should they be driving their historical reg veh other then to and from special events. He told me that
he would not pull over a vehicle register with HP other then if had some type of voilation. But in his words there was no vehicle code to write a ticket for driving a historical reg vechle on a regular basis. It is only stated in the DMV registration. Posibly a loop hole ??????? Not that I am driving my duece everyday !
Just some food for thought.

 

[Polverone]

Peter,
Which DMV did you go to? I went to the Thousand Oaks DMV to get historic plates and had in my hand - Washington certificate of ownership, Washington plates, Washington registration, pictures of truck, bill of sale, and the lady at the front desk said I had to physically have the truck there for verification. That wouldn't be a problem but I made a trip and waited in line for an hour for nothing.

By the way, my full commercial rated plates from Washington state (24,000 gvw) is only $215.00/year

 

[pcbowman]

Gary ...I went to the Thousand Oaks DMV. I guess I got luck to have a nice lady. There was no problems at all excpet they were unsure of the process. They did not even charge me sales tax?

 

[JDToumanian]

I went with a picture of my truck and showed a picture of Jon's truck with historical plates.

Hmmm... I wonder if they looked up my plate to see how it was done? Glad they were able to do it... and didn't say, "Hey! He can't do that!"

The way they do it, is they change the type of vehicle from "commercial" to "automobile". (My title shows that my deuce is a 13,000lb. "automobile".) In CA, all trucks are commercial vehicles - even pickups - regardless of whether or not you are using them commercially. But you can't register a commercial vehicle as "Historic", so they change it to an automobile which CAN be registered Historic. Still, I got the feeling that they didn't really realize how big the deuce was...

Here's the catch in CA. You are only allowed to operate the vehicle on the road to and from a show or parade....there are alot of parades in my area Wink

I talked with a commerial CHP. He told me that if the vehicle is registered, insured and in good running conditon that there is no vehicle code to cite a person should they be driving their historical reg veh other then to and from special events. He told me that
he would not pull over a vehicle register with HP other then if had some type of voilation. But in his words there was no vehicle code to write a ticket for driving a historical reg vehicle on a regular basis. It is only stated in the DMV registration. Possibly a loop hole ???????

The "loop hole" that allows limited use outside parades, is the word "primary"... I don't have the exact wording here, but IIRC, the code says the "primary" use must be for historic purposes. That means the other 49% can be "personal" use. The thing they DON'T want to see, is uses that would be considered "commercial"... so hauling firewood is out, but camping trips are in.

Regards,
Jon

 

[Polverone]

They did not even charge me sales tax?

Wow, you did get lucky. I had to pay the tax when I purchased it from GL on the spot. The motor vehicle dept wanted to charge again until I was finally about to show/convince them that I had indeed paid sales tax.

As far as driving with historic plates you are also allowed to drive it for maintenence purposes. I have to maintainence it in Mammoth soon, and San Diego, and Morro Bay and.

 

[jesusgatos]

When I was getting my truck registered with HP. I talked with a commerial CHP. He told me that if the vehicle is registered, insured and in good running conditon that there is no vehicle code to cite a person should they be driving their historical reg veh other then to and from special events. He told me that
he would not pull over a vehicle register with HP other then if had some type of voilation. But in his words there was no vehicle code to write a ticket for driving a historical reg vechle on a regular basis. It is only stated in the DMV registration. Posibly a loop hole ??????? Not that I am driving my duece everyday !
Just some food for thought.

That's interesting. Has anyone ever been ticketed for using a historical vehicle for in an unauthorized manner?

The "loop hole" that allows limited use outside parades, is the word "primary"... I don't have the exact wording here, but IIRC, the code says the "primary" use must be for historic purposes. That means the other 49% can be "personal" use. The thing they DON'T want to see, is uses that would be considered "commercial"... so hauling firewood is out, but camping trips are in.

Just downloaded the historical application and the word 'primary' is not used. The word is 'only'. Leaves no wiggle-room as I read it.

 

[tankie88]

We have it a bit easier over this side of the pond.Any vehicle built before 1970 is classed as a historic vehicle.Any vehicle built before 1960 is MOT exempt(MOT Ministry of transport roadworthyness test).So for my M35a2c i need to pay no road tax and no roadworthyness test.Just put fuel in it and go.Of course most historic vehicles are in a better state of roadworthyness than most new automobiles.

 

[Clay James]

It mentions exhibitions. Everywhere I take mine turns into an exhibition

 

[Adrian A]

The standard commercial registration for my deuce is a tad over $600 a year. I am going to try to change it to a utility vehicle. Then it would be $28.00 a year. You can drive it every day. You could be cited for haling something in it though.

 

[quickfarms]

The application is a DMV form. The CHP will enforce the vehicle code. The vehicle code contains the word "primarily"

 

[jesusgatos]

The standard commercial registration for my deuce is a tad over $600 a year. I am going to try to change it to a utility vehicle. Then it would be $28.00 a year. You can drive it every day. You could be cited for haling something in it though.

Yeah, might try to do that with my deuce if I bob it and put an M103A3 bed on it (with a helmet hardtop camper shell thingy).

The application is a DMV form. The CHP will enforce the vehicle code. The vehicle code contains the word "primarily"

Ah, that's really interesting! Don't mind doing my own homework, but if anyone has a link handy, that might be useful for future reference. Thanks!

 

[Blendmaster2002]

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/images/theme/misc/quote_icon.png[/IMG] Originally Posted by Adrian A The standard commercial registration for my deuce is a tad over $600 a year. I am going to try to change it to a utility vehicle. Then it would be $28.00 a year. You can drive it every day. You could be cited for haling something in it though.
Yeah, might try to do that with my deuce if I bob it and put an M103A3 bed on it (with a helmet hardtop camper shell thingy).

Originally Posted by quickfarms
The application is a DMV form. The CHP will enforce the vehicle code. The vehicle code contains the word "primarily"



Ah, that's really interesting! Don't mind doing my own homework, but if anyone has a link handy, that might be useful for future reference. Thanks!

Hello jesusgatos, The words primarily and principally are used in the vehicle code from what I have found.

I also had responded to your similar question in the other thread.

California Title Registration Diesel Smog Law and GL loadout info for M35 Deuce 5 Ton: http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showth...out-info-for-M35-Deuce-5-Ton&referrerid=19939 .

Link to page on CA DMV site: http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d03/vc5004.htm .

Copy paste from the CA DMV page:

V C Section 5004 Vehicles of Historic Value


Vehicles of Historic Value

5004. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this code, any owner of a vehicle described in paragraph (1), (2), or (3) which is operated or moved over the highway primarily for the purpose of historical exhibition or other similar purpose shall, upon application in the manner and at the time prescribed by the department, be issued special identification plates for the vehicle:


(1) A motor vehicle with an engine of 16 or more cylinders manufactured prior to 1965.

(2) A motor vehicle manufactured in the year 1922 or prior thereto.

(3) A vehicle which was manufactured after 1922, is at least 25 years old, and is of historic interest.

(b) The special identification plates assigned to motor vehicles with an engine of 16 or more cylinders manufactured prior to 1965 and to any motor vehicle manufactured in the year 1922 and prior thereto shall run in a separate numerical series, commencing with "Horseless Carriage No. 1".

The special identification plates assigned to vehicles specified in paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) shall run in a separate numerical series, commencing with "Historical Vehicle No. 1".

Each series of plates shall have different and distinguishing colors.

(c) A fee of twenty-five dollars ($25) shall be charged for the initial issuance of the special identification plates. Such plates shall be permanent and shall not be required to be replaced. If such special identification plates become damaged or unserviceable in any manner, replacement for the plates may be obtained from the department upon proper application and upon payment of such fee as is provided for in Section 9265.

(d) All funds received by the department in payment for such identification plates or the replacement thereof shall be deposited in the California Environmental License Plate Fund.

(e) These vehicles shall not be exempt from the equipment provisions of Sections 26709, 27150, and 27600.

(f) As used in this section, a vehicle is of historic interest if it is collected, restored, maintained, and operated by a collector or hobbyist principally for purposes of exhibition and historic vehicle club activities.

Amended Ch. 918, Stats. 1984. Effective January 1, 1985.


Hope this helps.

 

[chevy43]

No mention of not being able to carry any cargo either.

I've never had any problem moving my own stuff around but things are getting much stricter. Has anyone ever gotten a ticket for hauling their own stuff?

 

[Blendmaster2002]

I don't see a problem with your own stuff, personally I have had no problems.

 

[armytruck63]

Primarily means 51% of the time...

Carry on.