JB

Picked up a nice set of '69 plates, and I'm thinking about replacing the old RED RAT plates with 'em (tired of paying the $45 a year & ready for something new). Buddy of mine who did it some years ago seems to think I have to take the plates to TxDot first, get them approved, then take them to the county tax assessor's office to get them actually registered for my car. Is this the process?

JB

virg74

Hi JB

I just went to the registration office and they approved my plates there.

Good Luck

goinbroke

Your local tax office can inspect/approve the plates. If you're going to register as antique they will also have the paper work for you to to fill out. I believe it's around $50 for 5 years. There are some restrictions that go along with antique plates, but I've never had any problems just pleasure cruising.


[Modified by goinbroke, 11:09 PM 6/24/2004]

JB

Thanks, guys. The TxDOT thing sounded like a hassle.

Anybody on the forum ever get hassled for cruising with antique plates? The TxDOT site says a car with antique plates can only be "used exclusively for exhibitions, club activities, parades, and other functions of public interest, and is not used for regular transportation." Sounds like legally speaking, no cruising.

JB

flynhi

Carry your paperwork from the tax office with you. Some officers are not aware of how this program works.

goinbroke

Possibly the reason for the restrictions are to keep a person from registering some old wreck.....then using it as a daily driver for $10 a year. If you do use it on a daily basis (to and from work) I wouldn't recommend the antique registration. I've only known one person who was stopped while having antiques (he was stopped for something else) when the trooper ran his plates and asked about them he said he had been doing some work on it and was test driving...... he was telling the truth. The trooper said "no problem....hope you get it fixed."

goinbroke

There is a small metal expiration date tag that attaches to the upper right hand screw......not in pic. My date of mfg. is April 74 so these plates were a pretty cool find for $15. They were new/un-issued plates still in the paper wrappers.


[Modified by goinbroke, 11:03 PM 6/24/2004]

80TexasC3

What is the age qualification for the antique status? Just curious...

Guest

Hey JB, do you still have that "extra" headlight bezel I sent you? I got another vette sans these, and could use that one. G.

page62

80TexasC3: The age requirement is 25 years. So you can do it next year. However, finding "1980" plates is challenging because they were using stickers by then. You may have to go with the TxDOT-issued "antique" plate, which is a modern license plate.

JB: None of us around here has been hassled for simply cruising. Even when my '68 Mustang looked like a beater, I passed many, many cops...and none of them ever challenged my antique plates

Wamplet

The previous owner had Antique plates on mine, but I just opted for Classic plates. I doubt the police will give you a hassle, but you never know, and since I'm pretty young still, I figured that would be all the more reason to stay legit. :o

JB

Hey George. I used both the bezels you sent me on my car, since the one metal bezel I had was pretty badly cracked (as was the fiberglass one I had on the other side). I passed the cracked bezel on free to another forum member who wanted to try welding it up. Hope that was OK.

JB

JJ Deuce

Legally speaking, yes. You can't cruise with 'em. However, I've never been hassled, nor do I know anyone who has. I don't even have the little tag on the plate - I keep it in the glove pocket, because I think it looks silly.