TEXAS: cool & easy old license plates, no mileage restrictions

[clay68c10]

I recently decided to pony up and run 68 plates on my truck. I wanted to see just how much of a hassle it was, and I was happy to find out that it was really easy.
First of all, find some ok (cheap) condition plates. Mine were in good readable condition but definitely not mint. They were only $7 on flea-bay.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...MEWN%3AIT&rd=1

The only real worries I had was that it would be a big run around to do all of this and I would have some weird mileage/driving restrictions. It ended up being pretty simple. Go to the TX dot site, print up the Classic Truck plate form, and fill out the stuff you know. The Classic plates don't restrict your mileage, but the antique plates do.
http://www.dot.state.tx.us/services/...nbr=73&type=AC

Next, you have to get the old plates inspected. All they want for classic old plates is that they are readable and in decent shape. They also run the # to make sure it is useable.
**This is the only extra step beyond getting new regular plates. You have to go to the county main district license office to get the plates looked at and approved** In my case, I had to go to the office in Arlington instead of my local Bedford joint. This inspection costs $15 and is the ONLY extra charge.

After that, jam down to your local license office and get your registation renewed. If your registration isn't due yet, they pro-rate you whatever portion of the year is left and you get a new sticker with whatever the current month is. Mine came out to $20 to shift from March to Sept.
And that's all .....
A lot of states don't even let you run old plates, and here it's easy and cheap!!

[smbrouss70]

That's cool, hmmm, I wonder if you can do that in Louisiana?

[N2TRUX]

That's great unless you have something later than 74...

[clay68c10]

That's not cool, I thought the time limit was 25yrs.

[N2TRUX]

What I was referring to was they quit stamping the year on the plates in 74. Only specialty plates are stamped after that. I "think" they will allow you to use year stickers, but I haven't verified that yet.

[mtm_seven]

I'm running '72 year of make plates registered as a Antique on my Blazer. I've never been hassled by the element, the registration is good for 5 years and no inspection necessary. (in Texas)

Legally, you can drive to and from club events, to the shop and in parades. I can pretty much fit one of those situations into any of my drives. Who's going to argue that you're not headed to a club event anyway? The law doesn't specify anything about what a club or event is or what route you take to get there.

Fact of the matter is my truck is actually going to the shop most of the time. :/

From what I understand, these loose restrictions were originally passed for all of the old War Vets that have military truck collections and want to cruise them around. Luckily, anyone can take advantage.

[Longhorn Man]

one of the few things I miss about texas.

[jugernot]

We can't do it in California because the old plates are not reflective.....

[70c10]

I have them on my 70'. I just have to keep my regular historic plates under the seat and have both registrations with me at all times. I paid $13.50 (one time fee) 5 years ago.

[dallas71]

Hey Clay68 did you even bother mounting the metal tag that they gave you??? not really a good place to mount it, mine is in my glovebox.....Cops dont even know what these old plates are probably! HAHAHA

[nutsforchevys]

Originally Posted by mtm_seven

I'm running '72 year of make plates registered as a Antique on my Blazer. I've never been hassled by the element, the registration is good for 5 years and no inspection necessary. (in Texas)

Legally, you can drive to and from club events, to the shop and in parades. I can pretty much fit one of those situations into any of my drives. Who's going to argue that you're not headed to a club event anyway? The law doesn't specify anything about what a club or event is or what route you take to get there.

Fact of the matter is my truck is actually going to the shop most of the time. :/

From what I understand, these loose restrictions were originally passed for all of the old War Vets that have military truck collections and want to cruise them around. Luckily, anyone can take advantage.

I just put the antique vehicle plates on my 78 4x4 I dont drive it much just on the weekends and occasionally during the week if my daily driver is broke. They were around $35.00 I think. i didnt know about the inspection part though.

[project1971]

Originally Posted by jugernot

We can't do it in California because the old plates are not reflective.....

Few years ago at a local swap meet they had a guy from somewhere in Texas that would redo your classic plate to look new again. Like $65 i think, may you could get one done with adding the reflective material? I got mine at the same swap meet for $7 would like to have it redone some day but have to find the company to do it first.

[jsbgump]

I have ran mine that way for years on my 68. I just recently changed mine to antique with the 68 plates since mine don't hardly get drove anymore.

[clay68c10]

dallas71, I didn't get any metal tag. It was pretty much the same as regular plates with an extra dmv visit.

As far as the reflective paint, these are original, non-reflective, and even have a couple of rusty spots. I had half expected that they would want me to paint the #'s with reflective paint, but that wasn't a problem either.

[bucket]

you can run old plates here in kansas too. i paid like a 45 dollar one-time fee. registration is 17 bucks a year after that. only requirement is that the plate has to have been issued the same year as the title and major truck components (ie engine) have to be original.

[TruckinDaddy]

I am running the world's ugliest license plate on my truck. (The TX Antique plate)

No hassles yet, but I have only had it on for a month or so. $32 for registration until March 08.

[Hook'em]

I am running 1969 Texas Truck plates. The process was easy as Clay described and I wasn't given a metal plate either. I bought mine, NOS, for about $45-50 off of E-bay. There was even faded paper between the plates that advertised for the Huntsville Prison Rodeo (I might get that framed).

Mike you really need to find some really old plates and get rid of that antique thing.

[bretcopsey]

Originally Posted by Longhorn Man

one of the few things I miss about texas.

Ohio allows model year plates too, as long as the vehicle is registered with historic plates-which of course restricts driving.

http://www.bmv.ohio.gov/pdf_forms/4853.pdf

http://www.bmv.ohio.gov/vehicle_regi...historical.htm

[TruckinDaddy]

Originally Posted by Hook'em

Mike you really need to find some really old plates and get rid of that antique thing.

I bought a set off of Ebay, but they are Farm trucjk plates, so I could not get it registered with those. I'll get some 68 truck plates for it eventually. But for now the ugly plate matches the ugly truck.

[cwilli84]

Old plates are legal here in Michigan, $35 one time fee for life as long as it stays with owner and vehicle.

[Stroker]

Originally Posted by bucket

you can run old plates here in kansas too. i paid like a 45 dollar one-time fee. registration is 17 bucks a year after that. only requirement is that the plate has to have been issued the same year as the title and major truck components (ie engine) have to be original.

Just my luck. I picked up a mint condition still in the envolope 72 truck tag last year at a swap meet. Original engine was a 6 now V8. Oh well........

[67Mach1]

Originally Posted by mtm_seven

I'm running '72 year of make plates registered as a Antique on my Blazer. I've never been hassled by the element, the registration is good for 5 years and no inspection necessary. (in Texas)

The no Inspection part? Are you positive about this? I just registered my 70 suburban and got regular plates on it
1) because the Antique ones are not very Cool and
2) the lady at the DMV said I still had to get it inspected....



Thomas

[70shortnphat]

I was able to register "Texas Farm Truck" plates for my 1949 Chevy with no problem?

[clay68c10]

I passed up some really nice farm truck plates because I assumed you had to have property with an ag exemption.
I had asked the dmv and you can register the old plates as either classic or antique. They can inspect the plates for antique use at the local dmv, but you have to go to the district office for the classic plate inspection . It still wasn't a big deal, it only took about 10 min for them to check the plates. They make a photocopy of the actual plate, call Austin to run the #, and fill out the paperwork for you to give to your local office. I spent more time playing games on my phone waiting in line than I did at the counter.

[bucket]

stroker,

they didn't try to verify originality....they just asked.

if you said "i think it's original", i can't imagine them trying to question it.