[RUSHNBOBO]

I have read excerpts from several state codes re VIN tag removal. All that I have seen say it is a crime to remove VIN tags as part of an illegal enterprise or to get around the law. I have not seen any that say it is illegal for a person to remove and reattach a VIN tag under any circumstances. If there is such a law I would like to see the quote, not just a paraphrase. By my reading, the Mustang case cited above revolved around the possibly illegal/haphazard use of the tags, not around the simple fact of their removal to facilitate restoration. An improperly reattached VIN certainly might arouse suspicion but that doesn't mean it's a crime.

Bottom line ......in the process of a restoration it is not illegal to remove and replace a vin tag in the benign purpose of repairing or replacing parts of a vehicle.......

All of the laws in place are for consideration of fraud, theft or emissions tampering ....the guy working in his back yard with a pile of vintage parts which do not meet this criteria and is not intentionally attempting to fraud the system is in his right to work on around or if need be remove and replace the tag on a different part if it is in the intent of restoration

All of the state laws do differ but vin.tampering is considered a federal statute which would eventually trump state variations......