Antique Auto Registration

Does anyone on here have a vehicle registered as an antique? What are the requirements/limitations? I am picking up a 1977 Jeep next week, and if I can register it as antique I won't have to have the hassles of inspection. It's currently registered normally, and passes inspection but if it's one less thing I have the state bothering me with, all the better. I know people often say there are mileage limitations, but I have yet to find any. All I know is that it can't be your primary mode of transportation, which it's definitely not lol.

As far as I know it just can't bee primary and "should" be able to pass inspection, but a lot of cops don't understand the law . a buddy got a ticket for not being on his way to a show, female officer thought that was the only time he could drive it

TJ has his Brat registered as an antique and has been pulled over for not being at/going to a show.  I believe he didn't get a ticket though. 

have 2 cars reg'd antique currently. cannot be primary car. no mileage limitations. the issue with "only driving to shows" is figment of police imagination, and I guess an occupational hazard with antique plates since so much is up to uninformed police discretion.

Just my two cents but for my '65 Barracuda I registered it as a custom vehicle (no limitations for driving) and never once got it inspected in three years and never got pulled over. And I live in the Portland area and see cops every day. I think they really just dont know the laws/maybe dont care. Easy day.

Thanks for the replies. I'm picking up a 77 Jeep Cherokee next week, and wanted a little more information before I register it. Hoping lift/tires of course but keeping it proportional and the tires covered should keep me out of trouble on the road and if I don't have to swap hired for inspection every year even better.

The "to and from a show" is an old law.   Just like the old milage limit, it is no longer a part of the law.   The affidavit that you will end up signing is really the only thing that states anything about the restrictions.

Ive been doing it for years. I got pulled over in the Mustang the day before I sold it in Lewiston. He was quite upset that I had spun my tires, and read me the riot act about antiques needing to be original, body paint engine exhaust....than ran my license, and gave me a verbal warning and checked the car out. Whole thing ended in a handshake. Anyway.    The  law requires you to sign an affidavit that the car is in near original condition. It cannot be your means of daily transportation, and you aren't supposed to be going to get groceries in it, or going to work every day. You sign that the engine is original, or original type, and the car is not heavily modified. There is no mileage, no "car shows only" or any of that. If you drive reasonable, you can drive it a lot, and go under the radar. I have a 75 Nova SS running 585 hp that's been registered as an antique for 8 of the last 13 years, and Ive only been pulled over once in the last 19 years in it, on my way to Oxford for show shine and drag, I was going 50 over near Roys in Auburn, without even realizing it (No traffic at 5 am), another verbal warning. The problem we are having, is that now some of the 80s junkers that wont take a sticker are being put on the road with antique plates. Mustangs are going to be one of the bigger problems. There are so many Fox bodies that are dangerously rusted in the strut towers, and someone is going to get killed. Also, when a 91 Civic is 25, you can imagine the morons will be putting 7" diesel exhausts on them and going antique. Just use some common sense and youll be fine, and don't do burnouts in the middle of Lewiston.....

What about reconstructed:

RECONSTRUCTED VEHICLE: a vehicle that has been reconstructed to change the original steering, braking system, suspension system or body design, including, but not limited to, a dune buggy, a street rod, a passenger car converted to a pickup truck or a manufactured vehicle body mounted on another manufactured chassis. Repair to a vehicle that replaces parts with similar parts is not reconstruction.

Although it appears that reconstructed would probably need an inspection sticker. Inspection laws are confusing.

Just antique it and never look back. Get a copy of the affidavit you sign to register it and keep that with your registration. If you get pulled over POLITELY ask the officer to read the affidavit and carry on.

"Not your daily driver"

Original engine, or engine available by the manufacturer on that vehicle that year (you'd have to find a mean ass cop having a bad day to enforce that)

No "major modifications"

I wonder if a spring over axle kit would be too major...

I would assume that it's basicly up to the cop that pulls you over to hassle you.   Registering a hotrod t-bucket as a '32 ford coupe, or something like a majorly chopped and channeled lowrider is a lot different than something with a few suspension upgrades.   At least I hope.   At what point is an autocross car considered "majorly modified".   If I dropped in a turbo ZX motor, I probably should change to the custom car plates, but as long as I don't get hassled, I'm going to stick with the antique plates.

Thanks for the tips, I did register it as antique. So far so good, even with a slight suspension tweak.

Sweet jeep! I had one as well. 360 with the 4 speed, posi rear and a lift with 33"s such a great truck! Good find!

correction: ive been pulled over 3* times in the brat.