Texas Year of Manufacture Plates Going Away

That is probably the main issue. Too many guys with yom plates on daily drivers. Ive never cared for yom plates except for on a stone stock restored to the max car that looks better than when it rolled off the showroom floor when new but it seems to be the thing for a lot of guys.

It might be that the bean counters are starting to add up how many yom plates are running around now and figuring out how much annual revenue they are loosing.

 

I was hoping to use some YOM truck plates on a 58 Chevy truck we are working. As the truck will not be on the road for a couple of years I needed some answers from TXDOT on the matter. The following is the main element of an email exchange with TXDOT in Austin.

My questions to them:
I have a titled 1958 Chevrolet truck I would like to run year of manufacture (YOM) plates on. I have the plates but the truck is still in the building stage. I heard that after 12/31/2010 YOM plates cannot be used to register a vehicle.

1. Is this true?

2. Can I register my truck as an antique before the end of 2010 using my YOM plates?

3. If I find I want to change the registration later from an antique to a Classic or general use, can I still use my YOM plates?

Their reply:
1. This is true to an extent. The law change only covers the use of old plates for Classic Registration (not Antique registration, 5 year). The effective date was 1/1/11 but has been changed to 9/1/11

2. The use of old plates for Antique registration (one for 5 years and limited use of vehicle) is not changing

3. If you want to change from Antique registration to a Classic Registration you would not be able to use old plates under the Classic Registration if you change it on or after 9/1/11.
I hope this clarifies the matter for some.

 

I'm running 65 farm plates on my truck, It is registered as a classic...

 

I have my '57 Chrysler registered as an antique, but have YOM plates on it that were NEVER registered. In fact, they were surplus plates from 1957, so have never been associated with a car before. On my windshield is nothing but a crack in the glass. No stickers, no nothing. I DO carry Grundy insurance, and have a valid drivers license. Only time I have ever been stopped is: 1) to be asked what the car is 2) Upon hearing it's an old Chrysler, the next questions is, "Does it got a Hemi?" 3) "Do you have any idea how fast you were going?", "No, the speedo cable broke", "Oh, well, slow down. You were speeding. By the way, that thing got a Hemi?" 4) and lastly, was pulled over shortly after hurricane Ike blew through (only car I didn't siphon gas from for the generator) only to be told, "be careful where you drive that old car. There's debris everywhere."

Basically, I drive like a sane person (most of the time). Obey traffic laws. Carry insurance (unlike a lot of drivers down here). Never once have I been asked about my plates or the lack of an inspection sticker. My luck, most of them think I'm lucky just to be able to drive the thing while it's still together and before rust kills it.

Like said before, don't drive like an idiot and chances are good that you will never be hassled.

~MyDeSoto~

 

All you have to do if you car is registered as an antique is bring you your YOM plates to the DMV and they change the numbers in the computer to match the plates on the car. If you just throw on a set of plates, and dont have them sign off at the DMV, you run the risk of a cop running your plates and them coming back as unregistered. When you register your car as an antique they give you a Texas antiqe plate.

 

One thing I can say is that license plates were not intended to last that long. I had my 69 F250 crewcab registered as a classic in Texas and put an unused set of 69 plates on it. After 2-3 years the front one went to hell, all the paint started coming off.

 

like " My Desoto" said....be cool....I run classic on the back and the "one nice YOM" plate I can get cheap - on the front...first set of NOS YOM 1950 Texas truck farm plates I bought 20 years ago - are still stitting in the file draw - if any one is looking for some....

 

I got my '64 plates registered to my Imperial this last week....just in time!!!

 

got damn! I have had my perfect pair of 27 texas plates hanging on the wall for when my T coupe was finished. Now they make some dumb ass law...

 

Since this thread is all about politics, maybe you can get the Tea Partys to help since they are doling so well.

 

THANKS!!!!

I generally register my vehicles as antiques so this helps clear things up....

 

LOTS of restrictions on Antique Registration in Texas.
Larry T

 

This thread has gotten really confusing.

First, it doesn't matter what anyone did last year or get's away with at the podunk Tax Assessor's office. That will likely change, or you will get lucky again. Not much use for the general public.

Second, You could previously get YOM plates for Classic AND Antique registration in Texas. As of Jan 1, it will only be possible for Antique registrations. The Grandfather point is not set in stone. TxDot could possibly invalidate your existing YOM plate at the 5 year renewal. I haven't seen anything saying they will, BUT I haven't seen anything saying they won't. That is more concerning.

Third, The law says they will no longer approve vintage plates for use as YOM registration as of Jan 1. This could be interpreted by an over zealous tax agent as NO YOM plates period, no new one, whatever. My point in this thread is that the rules just became tougher and likely will continue that direction.

Most of us that want to drive our cars a lot don't want the unknowns that come from using antique plates every day. I also know for a fact that my insurance company won't insure any car with antique registration and doesn't like the classic plates much. I also know first hand that a well known insuror of classics and antiques won't cover a car used daily. Your policy is void or claim could be denied. Don't kid yourself, if the claim investigator drops in at work, or school and says "Hey guys! That dude with the cool car, Does he drive it often?", You will be screwed.

My purpose in this post was to give anyone sitting on a set a chance to register them now. You have about 10 days left. Beyond that, write your State Rep in Austin.

 

I registered six (6) cars today at my local tax office using Y.O.M. Texas plates under the "antique" registration, including my dad's 1956 Chevy 3/4 ton truck using a 1956 Texas Farm Truck plate. They said it was no problem using the Farm Truck plate under the antique registration. I also asked if they had been informed about not being able to register Y.O.M. plates after the first of the year and they told me that they had recieved no memos, e-mails etc. at all about that subject.

 

They bumped the YOM plate law change to September 2011, and it only applies to vehicles registered as "Classic" not "Antique". I have a feeling this will be discarded all together and nobody has to worry about it.

 

That's what I have heard as well.



Marcy

 

That's good news. Where did you see that?

 

TXRat posted it above, I confirmed it with my local tax office a couple of weeks ago when I was reregistering my trailer.

 

This. Hopefully this won't become a trend with other states as well....

 

That's the same verbiage I posted originally. Plates will not be approved after Jan 1 for Classic registration and will not be issued after Sept 1. See my first post, red text. No change then.

Here's the whole code: http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/Docs/TN/htm/TN.504.htm#504.501

They may well start blocking YOM plates by the end of 2011.

 

I've read that section of Texas law before and don't see where it has changed (at all).

Besides the legislature has been out of session for two years. I find it strange they would enact laws that take effect that far in the future.

 

Actually, in Washington, it's less: you only pay a one-time regisration fee, then you're all set. No yearly registration/tabs. The reasoning is that your vehicle is a 'collector', i.e. only driven in parades, etc, LOL... maybe I'm missing something (I usually am, LOL)...

 

The change was legislated in 2009 to take effect in 2011, allowing time to train personel and publish printed materials, communicate to the public.

Last line indicates:
Amended by:
Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 1136, Sec. 32, eff. September 1, 2011.
Found here: http://www.legis.state.tx.us/tlodocs/81R/billtext/html/HB02553F.HTM

Meaning: SECTION 32. Section 504.501, Transportation Code, is amended to read as follows:
<O</O
<O</O
Sec. 504.501. CLASSIC MOTOR VEHICLES AND TRAVEL TRAILERS.<O</O
<O</O
(a) The department shall issue specialty license plates for a motor vehicle that is at least 25 years old. The license plates must include the word "Classic" or a similar designation, as appropriate.<O</O
(b) A person eligible for the license plates may instead use license plates that were issued by this state in the same year as the model year of the vehicle and are approved by the department if the plates are approved for the vehicle before January 1, 2011. The<O</O
department may require the attachment of a registration insignia to the license plate in a manner that does not affect the display of information originally on the license plate.<O</O
(c) There is no fee for issuance or approval of license plates under this section.<O</O
<O</O

They do expire every five years and must be reapproved. This reapproval may be hampered by this new act.

 

figures, i see this on Jan 1, 2011

 

I jumped thru hoops andgot mine registered before I left on vacation . Of course NO one new of this new change . I went to a local title co and they could find no changes in the law, so they sent me to DMV. Go there and they no nothing either, say changes MAY come in 2012, but sent me to our local tax office and guess what???? They have no clue either. So get pissed and go buy insurance, and go buy my tags for 75.00 just to be safe. Spent a total of 125.00 just to be thrown in a drawer to sit till I can even get truck together. I think I should have waited because NO one knows the rules here in TX at DMV. Lol

 

Howard, That doesn't surprise me one bit. I think the biggest problem will be misunderstanding when word does get out.

 

I know this doesn't help with registering as a classic, but I got mine registered as and antique on YOM plates just this week with zero hassles. they even had to build a file for the 57 since it was last plated in 89. In and out the door in less than 30 min.

 

The real reason is because they want all regular use vehicles to have the new, printed rather than stamped type plates. These plates are scannable. The law is behind you, the plate scanner pops up bad ju-ju about you on the cops moniter and you are nailed.
He doesn't have to suspect you, or see you doing anything wrong and call in your tag to check you out. Big brother is here and getting stronger every day.

 

"(b) A person eligible for the license plates may instead use license plates that were issued by this state in the same year as the model year of the vehicle and are approved by the department if the plates are approved for the vehicle before January 1, 2011. The department may require the attachment of a registration insignia to the license plate in a manner that does not affect the display of information originally on the license plate."

So, if I am renewing my Classic registration with YOM plates that were already approved and are on the car now, am I cool? I currently have two years left on a three year Classic registration. Since the plates were already approved once, one year ago, then will they be approved again?

 

Anybody's guess. Several pals have registered YOM in the last few weeks without issue. As expected, the average employee behind the counter at the Tax office is not well informed.

I suspect you'll get by, but couldn't tell you the actual intent of the revised law. If you have ever read it, it isn't very detailed.