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Eric, you are basing your judgement on just a few facts and don't know much about PA. and they way they handle antique cars. We are exempt from state inspection which used to be twice yearly but now is once a year. I paid $25.00 for my purple plate in 1974 and have not had to pay any renewal fee. The cost now is either $75.00 or $100.00 but either figure is a bargain as it is a one-time fee. All in all Pa. treats antique cars well. Now, the regular vehicles don't fare as well depending on where you live.
We also have a governor who decreed that all plates have to be the same color and threw out the purple plates. Then some dork in the Pa DOT thought that having some AACA's official car on the plate would be "nice". It is an ugly plate, but I know several fellows who tape a picture of their own car over the ugly 23 Olds roadster picture. Looks good unless you are caught. We have to deal with bureacrats like every other state - just a fact of life. All in all antique cars are treated well in the Keystone state.

Chuck -

Thanks for the additional details.

I'm not sure whether a trail of ownership pointing back to and dead-ending at Canada might bog things down, as I've only ever brought a couple cars in from out of state but only within the continental USA.

However, I don't think it matters that the title was already branded as an antique (or classic) - even on a PA title. They always want a new set of pix, application and fees anytime there is any change in the ownership details for such vehicles - even within family. Not to defend bureaucracy, but I undertsand their point as a lot can happen to a vehicle since the last time it was titled.

If the title was still in the previous owner's name, you might have tried to contact the previous owner to obtain a written release to use the old purple plate.

Yes, the one-time registration fee for antique registration in PA sure is a bonus if you're gonna own the vehicle for more than a couple years. Plus, registered antiques are exempt from the annual state safety and emission inspection. While safety inspection was a good idea, more and more vehicle owners in PA these days call it a license to steal.

Kansas only charges you a one time fee as well, and it's $10 for the title, $45 for the registration and the tag. (Unless you go with YOM plates or personalized plates) There is no renewal in Kansas, and judging by what Chuck has gone through, it's a hell of a lot easier to get it on the road legally here too.

We also don't need pictures of the car to get it on the road legally.

Randy -

As far as I'm concerned, the change in antique plates was a crock of crap. I feel that the purple plate could have easily been brought into conformance for whatever "federal" uniformity that was lacking. I suspect the bureaucrats just wanted a one- size-fits all stamping die to cover all specialty plates - where they could paint whatever image for whatever special purpose - but collect that extra fee.

Yet, why would anyone - other than an Olds owner - like being stuck with that particular image on the antique plate? Heck, I've even heard owners of muscle-era Olds complain about it. The only thing worse would have been a mug-shot of ol' "Fast Eddie" himself.

Eric -

The pix and the extra step and paperwork are ONLY required for special cases like antique or classic registration.

Registration for a daily driver only requires proof of ownership and insurance, and you can get a temp tag on johnny-on-the-spot to drive away with until the permanent tag arrives in your mailbox. Annual state safety and emission inspections are separate issues.

In view of the terrible condition of many vehicles that I've seen rolling across the the roads of NE OH, where no such inspection exists, an annual safety inspection for daily drivers in PA does have some merit, but emission tests are a joke. Not surprisingly, used vehicles with a current inspection sticker on PA lots tend command higher resale value than vehicles on lots across the state line.

Meanwhile, you might be interested to know that annual registration fees for daily drivers in some states are based as a percentage of their value. In some states, vehicle values are determined by the state, NOT the market or the owner/buyer.

So, enjoy the low cost of vehicle ownership in Kansas. PA is a lousy place to try and make a living, but I enjoy life in a somewhat rural area, within reasonable proximity to services you can only find in cities like Pittsburgh and Cleveland.

New York requires an annual "safety" inspection for cars with Historic plates. New Jersey does not. (EDIT - ..but perhaps should)

Quote:

That's the way it is here, too. They go off of the original purchase price that YOU bought it for, and figure in depreciation. (at their own level, I would presume.)

There is no safety inspection in Kansas as far as I'm aware of, and to some people it's a good thing, others it's not. The antique laws here are mainly for farmers, IMHO, as a LOT of farmers use trucks at least 35 years old and older. The only time you see a newer farm truck (meaning a 2 ton wheat truck, etc) is when you get one of the big custom cutter types that do nothing but drive around the state cutting your crops for you. Then, you might see a 1980 or newer truck.

When I first got into old cars when I was in high school back in the mid '90s, the law was at that time any vehicle 35 years or older can get an antique tag without any inspection whatsoever. About 1999 or so, they changed it to any vehicle 1950 or newer needs to be "inspected", but all they inspect is that the vehicle number matches what you have on your bill of sale, and they put that number in the 'puter to see if it's been stolen. What was happening was a lot of people had older cars on their property that were being stolen, then people would get a buddy to fill out a bill of sale, and they now have a car that's legally theirs. Apparently muscle cars were the main focus of this, and the new law effectively stopped that to an extent. (There's still ways around it, but I won't go into detail here) When I had to get my '56 Pat registered, all it took was a bill of sale, 20 minutes at the local Highway Patrol office, then back to the courthouse to show them my bill of sale and the paperwork the HP officer gave me, and I got a new antique tag and was on my way. When I did the '48, it was pretty much the same thing, except no HP officer was involved. As far as I know, the car could have been stolen, I bought it, and I still got a title for it. My '48 is missing the ID tag on the top part of the firewall, so I registered it with the anti-theft number figuring that there's no way that someone can remove it easily. If I would have known what I know now, when I wrecked my original '48, I would have taken the ID tag off of it when it was crushed, and kept it and the title, put the tag on the new one, and wouldn't have had to do a thing except pay the back taxes on it. Not exactly legal, but one would have been the wiser. This is the kind of thing that caused the 1950 and newer law in the first place, as a LOT of cars used screw on ID tags, and it's a simple matter to move said tag to a new car, hence my using the anti-theft number.

BTW, no pics are needed for any car regardless of age in Kansas. If I wanted to, I can go down to the DMV with a bill of sale and proof of insurance on my Speedster as it sits right now, and get it legal to drive on the road, even though it's just a chassis, cowl, and a junk engine. I figure there's no need to start paying insurance on a car that I can't drive yet, so I haven't done it. After hearing all you guy's horror stories on getting a car legal to drive, I'm glad I live here.

In California the only inspection required is SMOG check. Obviously all Packards are expect from that. You can get Antique (Historical Vehicle Plates) which come with usage restrictions, YOM Plates, with no restrictions (similar to Personalized Plates), and just standard plates. Standard yearly registration is based on the value of the car, plus some standard fees and taxes. So if you buy a expensive new car, the first year registration fee could literally be over $500, and progressive gets cheaper as the car gets older and loses value. Most old cars are very cheap to register (less than $50) a year.

Eric -

Sounds like every state has their own set of peculiarities, which likely evolved around their "local" needs and exceptions over many years. I guess people are used to whatever they grew up with.

BTW, in PA, you only need to validate the VIN on a vehicle if it is being brought in from outside - that is, on and out of state title. The validation requirement can met with a tracing of the VIN, which is then attached to the Application for Certificate of Title, or by visual verification by a certified inspection mechanic or notary public, who then sign-off on same form.

Of course, they had to do it that way before the advent of information sharing, when they only had records on vehicles already titled in-state, but archaic laws are rarely updated.

Eric: Like Randy stated don't judge PA. on what you have seen that has been on a tv show that was done in Philly.

I would live in no other state. I like the mountains of Central Pa, I couldn't live in a state that is as flat as pool table.

Over the last year if nothing else can be said about PA. the state is the home of pro sport championships.

1. The Steelers
2. Penguins
3. The Phillies
4. I must include on this list my Penn State Nittany Lions.



John F. Shireman