Classic car plates?

[NutmegCT]

I'll run this up the flagpole and see who salutes ...

What is the purpose of "classic car plates"?

Here in Connecticut, your car is "classic" if it's at least 20 years old. So a 2003 car/suv/trailer, etc. is eligible.

And if the car has a classic plate, it's maximum property tax value is $500. Thus a 1935 Mercedes-Benz 500K, recently sold for $3.5 million, is taxed as though it's only worth $500.

A 1959 Triumph TR3, sold recently for $29,000, is taxed as $500.

Seems that most folks who can afford to maintain a 20 year old car could afford to pay the taxes on its "book value".

Let the kerfluffle begin!
Tom M.

 

[mikephillips]

Well, here in OH we're not paying yearly registration based on value, it's a flat rate. So afford or not isn't a question. I do however have year of manufacture plates for the old stuff, 60s and earlier for me. So it's kind of nice to have something different from the current style I run on the daily driver. When complete for example the MG will run 1938 plates which turned out to be a special yearly one back then to mark 150s of the NW territories.

 

[mezy]

Here in the UK, when a car is determined a classic at 40 years old, you no longer need to pay an anual Tax known here as a road fund licence.
Also there is no need to to have the vehicle inspected anualy for road worthyness.

 

[Basil]

Thus a 1935 Mercedes-Benz 500K, recently sold for $3.5 million, is taxed as though it's only worth $500.

Works for me!

 

[YakkoWarner]

Here we have 2 types of plate/registration other than the normal state issues.

"Classic Auto" registration/plates are available for vehicles 25 yers old or older, and while showing a different design they don't seem to offer any real advantage over the normal state plates (the registration costs are the same, you still have to deal with the headaches of a yearly inspection, insurance requirements are the same, they must be renewed every year). The "Classic" designation doesn't impose any restrictions over a normal state registration in terms of vehicle use.

Vehicles 25 years or older are also eligible to have "Antique Auto" registration/plates. These still require the same insurance mandates, but do not require the annual inspection and the registrations are valid for 5 years. The "Antique" designignation also comes with very substantial restrictions on how the vehicle may be used - even vintage commercial signage is prohibited, you may only drive the vehicle to and from service facilities or exhibition events (parades/shows/etc), there may be some milage restrictions and there are some age-of-owner restrictions as well.

I have "Classic" plates on one of my vehicles because thats what was on it when I bought it. At 10 miles per gallon it doesn't get used frequently but when I need it, I need to be able to do stuff with it which the "Antique" designation would prohibit. If I ever manage to get my MGB reassembled (looking more and more unlikely by the hour at this point) I might do the "Classic" ones just for the appearance but even there the "Antique" designation would be too restrictive for me,

 

[maynard]

Illinois has two types of antique plates. One is for year around use, the other is for driving to and from events

 

[Popeye]

I think the intent is to keep costs reasonable for cars that run only a few miles each year. Why should a car that drives 1500 miles (or less) pay the same road fees as one that drives 15,000 miles? Economically, the less a car drives the lower the costs to the state are: less wear on roads, traffic, police enforcement, etc.

But then what do I know? That sure is a beautiful Mercedes!

 

[NutmegCT]

Agree on the Mercedes!

The Connecticut tax is a property tax, not a road tax or a registration fee. It's just like property tax on a house or boat.

So I'm trying to figure out what's the purpose having "classic plates" or "antique plates", especially as the vehicle only needs to be 20 or 30 years old?

My paranoid mind thinks there are other things going on here ...

 

[John Turney]

California has so many different types of plates. Probably the most popular now are the 1960 black plates. At that time, California plates were yellow letters/numbers on a black background. Just the thing for a '60's era car, but they can be put on any car, and cost extra.

There are Historical Vehicle plates for cars after 1922 and at least 25 years old, and Horseless Carriage plates for cars built before 1922. These have "use restrictions", which are probably not enforced. ("Gee officer, I wasn't speeding, I was doing an Italian tune-up.")

Vehicle registration consists of:

• Registration Fee, not based on value or age
• License Fee, based on sales price, but is depreciated. My '57 Healey's fee is $3. Buying a $500,000 used vehicle would have a $15 license fee, but $48,750 in sales tax.
• Weight Fee, which is probably for trucks only, as our MH doesn't have one.
• Special Plate Fee, which is for any plate out of the generic plate.
• County/District Fees, which depend on where the vehicle is registered, and
• Owner Responsibility Fee, which may be a bond in lieu of insurance.

 

[AngliaGT]

When I lived in CA I'd see a lot of cars registered out-of-state.
A lot of them were registered in Oregon as it was much cheaper,now
Montana seems to be popular.If you get caught,it's a hefty fine.


Here in Virginia,I got Antique plates for the GT & the Midget.
$50 (for life),& no annual inspection or property tax.You're not supposed
to use them on a daily driver,but I've seen some that are.
We also have "FARM USE" plates that are highly abused here.

 

[mikephillips]

OH used to require that vintage plates be used only coming and going from events and not pleasure driving. But a few years ago they decided the first couple hundred miles each year would be anything you wanted miles. And since they don't record the year's starting milage, it's effectively unlimited.