How many of you have them for a car? My car is now 25 years old (and therefore qualifies), and I've heard the registration fee is much lower, but here is what the states website says: AFFIRMATION OF USE AND CONDITION OF ANTIQUE MOTOR VEHICLE The undersigned does hereby affirm that the vehicle for which registration is sought herein will be driven on the highways only in going to and returning from antique auto shows or exhibitions, or for servicing, or for a demonstration, and does also affirm that the mechanical condition, physical condition, brakes, lights, glass and appearance of such vehicle is the same or as safe as originally equipped. I guess I can always be driving to a Napa for a fuse or something!
Mike, I have been using antique plates on my 79 308 and I haven't been stopped yet. accoring to the Illinois website you can actually used 1979 reproduction plates with any wording or numbers as long as you carry the antique plates with you in the car. Also, according to the Illinois website, it does not specifically say that you have to use 1979 Illinois plates. I may try 79 California plates or some international plates just because I think they look cool. They sell period reproduction plates at licenseplates.tv. If you are ever stopped just say your are going to a car show... there is always a car show somewhere or carry a used and abused braided hose and tell them your are driving around searching for a replacement. Hell, these plates are a great deal and we pay enough taxes around here anyway.
Get the AV plates, enforcement is very lax as proving an infringement to the rules is very difficult.
You can always claim maintenance. My favorite is heating up the cooling system to purge air AV plates are $30 for 5 years. You will have to pay $28 for the new plates though. This is the last year in the 5 year sequence. Right now it will cost $6 (prorated) + $28. You'll have to renew in Jan 2010. Personalized and vanity are still extra but the combination rules are slightly different.
The only issue I have with the antiques plates are their extremely boring look, at least here in IL. Plain beige, yawn. I had them on the Daytona-R, but never liked the look of them. Particularly now that IL has all the very cool specialty plates. Now there is an interesting story. Put an international plate on the car. MOdena anybody? But how is the car then registered with the DMV? I still don't quite understand this. One of my fav websites. I have bought lots of fake plates from these guys for all kinds of opportunities. They're not entirely accurate, but close enough.
With black letters they really don't look to bad on a white car You can have almost anything on the car as long as you have plates in the car. The repro Modena test plates would be fine!
Doc, I have personalized AV's on my vintage Benz. Its the way to go. I don't run a front tag (another advantage - no need to) and drive it when ever I want (can always say I am heading to the shop). And as a side bonus... The design looks perfect on my Ivory car. Image Unavailable, Please Login
I was just talking with another guy about antique plates the other day..... Here is the Illinois Vehicle Code statute on them: § 625 ILCS 5/3-804. Antique vehicles Statute text Sec. 3-804. Antique vehicles. (a) The owner of an antique vehicle may register such vehicle for a fee not to exceed $13 for a 2-year antique plate. The application for registration must be accompanied by an affirmation of the owner that such vehicle will be driven on the highway only for the purpose of going to and returning from an antique auto show or an exhibition, or for servicing or demonstration and also affirming that the mechanical condition, physical condition, brakes, lights, glass and appearance of such vehicle is the same or as safe as originally equipped. The Secretary may, in his discretion prescribe that antique vehicle plates be issued for a definite or an indefinite term, such term to correspond to the term of registration plates issued generally, as provided in Section 3-414.1 [625 ILCS 5/3-414.1]. In no event may the registration fee for antique vehicles exceed $6 per registration year. Any person requesting antique plates under this Section may also apply to have vanity or personalized plates as provided under Section 3-405.1 [625 ILCS 5/3-405.1]. (b) Any person who is the registered owner of an antique vehicle may display a historical license plate from or representing the model year of the vehicle, furnished by such person, in lieu of the current and valid Illinois antique vehicle plates issued thereto, provided that valid and current Illinois antique vehicle plates and registration card issued to such antique vehicle are simultaneously carried within such vehicle and are available for inspection. I have never bothered to enforce this statute. However, I do know there are coppers out there who do. It's like anything else, a cop enforces what bothers him personally. If a guy doesn't like tinted windows, he writes people who have them. I personally hate jags who throw garbage out their windows, so when I see it I smile and write them their $75 ticket. If they don't like it, they can go to court and fight it and when they lose they can pay the higher fine of $280 for appearing in court! Secretary of State Police will also enforce the Antique Plates. A WORD OF CAUTION........BE VERY, VERY CAREFUL ABOUT LICENSE PLATES. YOU CAN NOT JUST SLAP PLATES ON CARS AND THINK IT WILL FLY. IMPROPER USE OF REGISTRATION IS ENFORCED VERY WELL IN THIS STATE AND THERE REALLY IS NO DEFENSE. YOU WILL HAVE TO GO TO COURT (AND PAY THE HIGHER FINE SCHEDULE. MEANING, THE $75 TICKET IS MANDATED TO BE RAISED TO A MINIMUM OF $280!!). MAMMA SECRETARY OF STATE DOES NOT TAKE KINDLY TO HER CHILDREN STRAYING FROM THIS LAW AND WILL SPANK YOU ACCORDINGLY!!!! Here is the Improper Use of Registration Statute: § 625 ILCS 5/3-703. Improper use of evidences of registration or certificate of title Statute text Sec. 3-703. Improper use of evidences of registration or certificate of title. No person shall lend to another any certificate of title, registration card, registration plate, registration sticker, special plate or permit or other evidences of proper registration issued to him if the person desiring to borrow the same would not be entitled to the use thereof, nor shall any person knowingly permit the use of any of the same by one not entitled thereto, nor shall any person display upon a vehicle any registration card, registration sticker, registration plate or other evidences of proper registration not issued for such vehicle or not otherwise lawfully used thereon under this Code. No person shall duplicate, alter or attempt to reproduce in any manner a registration plate or registration sticker issued under this Code. No person shall make fraudulent use of evidences of registration or certificates of title issued erroneously by the Secretary of State. No person shall manufacture, advertise, distribute or sell any certificate of title, registration card, registration plate, registration sticker, special plate or permit or other evidences of proper registration which purports to have been issued under this Code. The Secretary of State may request the Attorney General to seek a restraining order in the circuit court against any person who violates this Section by advertising such fraudulent items. Any violation of this Section is a Class C misdemeanor.
So you're saying most likely we can get away with driving around with antique plates, but the idea of having them inside the car and some coolio Italian plates (or California or whatever) is a bad one? There goes my motivation for switching to antiques.
Not unless it's worth $75 a drive to have them on there!! You absolutely would get a ticket for putting another state's plates on your car (even if your Illinois registration is on the dash). Antique plates is your safe bet. Sorry to be the downer.........Neil
You can have old Illinois plates on the car as long as you carry the current plates in the car with the registration.
The statute does not specifically state that it must be an Illinois plate. Only that it be from or representing the vehicles model year. Or is this something that the legal community would call "implied"?
Okay, I met with both members of our traffic division and we went over the statute. Our interpretation is that as long as the plates being displayed on the vehicle are from the year (this being specified in the law) of the vehicle's model year, you can display them. It also specifies the current and valid Antique Vehicle plates and registration must be carried in the car. There is nothing that specifies the old plates be either from Illinois, or even the United States. The only catch is the must be plates from the vehicle's model year. So if you find some Italian plates on Ebay from 1963 and you have a 1963 Ferrari, you can display them as long as you carry the current plates in the car. I would assume the plates would have to have the year listed on them however. The important thing to remember, however, is that this law is specific for those with Antique Vehicle Registration only. Good learning experience for me! I never would have known about that without looking it up. This is always fun because the 2008 Illinois Vehicle Code book is 613 pages! Hope this helps, Neil
Thanks for all your comments Neil, greatly appreciated. One last question: Based on what you state above I assume the plates have to be real plates and not replica plates (like the one I'm displaying in my picture below, btw: 84 is the car's year and 52333 the s/n)?
Thanks! http://www.licenseplates.tv/ To be precise: http://www.licenseplates.tv/prod/italy_euro_square_6533.html
If you follow the letter of that statute, it doesn't say they have to be geniune license plates...........I believe this statute is filled with loop holes!!!! Between you and me,sssssssshhhhhhhhhh, that's why the police don't enforce it.....
Well, in all honesty, you guys have more important things to do than check for authenticity of a 25+ year old international license plate that one in a million doofus puts on his car.
What's the fun of that? Nobody would know what it meant. Now if I put something like this... Image Unavailable, Please Login
Personally, if I were to do this I would print out the Antique Vehicle Statute I posted previously. I would keep that printout with your vehicle's registration to show any coppers who stop you. There are plenty of guys who make traffic stops because "that just doesn't look right". Better to protect yourself and have a copy of the Statute so you can show the officer that you are really in compliance. Just my .02.
