Location: Los Angeles, CA
Posts: 11
My VIN: 02947
CA vehicle registration on a Delorean
So I drive a 1981 Delorean in Los Angeles, CA. My DMV renewal fees, since I came into ownership of it in 2008, have been high for an antique car. Currently I am paying $160 to renew the registration. My question is, does this seem right? Can I go into the DMV and explain this is an antique vehicle so can my registration fees come down? I feel like I should be paying alot less than this.
Any help and advice is appreciated. Thank you.
Location: Leonardtown, MD
Posts: 9,003
My VIN: 03572
In Maryland the registration fees on my "Historic" DeLorean cost about $50 for two years. My daily driver cars run about $120 for two years.
Location: San Luis Obispo
Posts: 106
My VIN: 6235
California has historically been higher than most other states. That's about what I pay each year.
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Location: Los Angeles, CA
Posts: 11
My VIN: 02947
Not sure what you mean by "Historic" I mean I do but, is that some special title you ask the DMV to give to that type of car to get such low reg. fees? Are your daily driver cars Deloreans too? Yeah, that is super low. Wish CA had those low fees.Originally Posted by Bitsyncmaster
Last edited by Annisse; 05-11-2016 at 08:33 AM.
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Posts: 11
My VIN: 02947
Hmmmmmmm OK, thanks, I was just curious, after all these years I thought it was about time I find out. HAHA I figured the DMV is basing my reg. fees based on what the car was valued and not the year. It was appraised at $30 grand at the time I got it in '08.
Posts: 4,807
My VIN: 3937
"Historic" plates are available in Ontario too. They say "Historic" right on them. The car needs to be a certain age to qualify, probably 25 years or older. The registration or renewal cost is lower, but generally that registration comes with limitations on how or how often you can drive the car. I don't know the specifics, but that was my impression of why the rates were lower.
Sept. 81, auto, black interior
Location: Maple Grove, MN (Minneapolis)
Posts: 1,423
My VIN: 05457
California has historical plates as well. I had them when I lived in NorCal:
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David Proehl
Location: Las Vegas
Posts: 2,497
My VIN: 6585
Those prices are insane to me.
Something to consider might be just dumping the Historic plates and then just registering the car as a regular, everyday driver. If that is cheaper... Which given California's regulations and the quick online calculator they have, it looks like it would be about $30 more. Check with the DMV to be sure about that. Otherwise your best bet is to just move to where the prices are cheaper like a rural county...or another state.
The funniest thing about this is while I was doing a comparison between California registration fees and Nevada's for my DeLorean, ($193 vs. $62 for a daily driver w/normal plates because I hate mileage limitations), I came across this interesting little tidbit in Nevada's Emissions Testing requirements: Vehicles classified as "Replica" are now exempt from smog testing.
Which means if you do the paperwork correctly, a 35+ year old DeLorean from Northern Ireland has to go through smog testing. But a brand-new DeLorean from Houston is automatically exempt in my home state.
Robert
People they come together, people they fall apart...
Location: Virginia Beach, Virginia
Posts: 520
My VIN: 5312
Just moved from California. Couldnt get historic plates. that price is about right yep
Location: Burbank CA
Posts: 164
So my big question is the smog test with historic plates. Do you still need to smog the car when you have historic plates?
Right now i still have to smog my car. i pay just under $100 a year for registration.
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Dave M vin 03572
