Help! My vehicle registration does not "exist"!

[280Z Turbo]

I don't know.

I was aware that you weren't allowed to use it as everyday transportation (to work and school), but no pleasure driving? I might as well have made my own licence plate out of cardboard.

The state cop was ignorant of the law. I was 100% within the proper use at the time and the lady said he should not have given me any trouble.

[Catman]

I don't know.

I was aware that you weren't allowed to use it as everyday transportation (to work and school), but no pleasure driving? I might as well have made my own licence plate out of cardboard.

The state cop was ignorant of the law. I was 100% within the proper use at the time and the lady said he should not have given me any trouble.

He may have been ignorant but his decision was appropriate.  It's really impossible to know 100% of the laws out there and while he knew something was wrong he gave you the benefit of the doubt.

[280Z Turbo]

He may have been ignorant but his decision was appropriate.  It's really impossible to know 100% of the laws out there and while he knew something was wrong he gave you the benefit of the doubt.

Nothing was wrong though. Authentic plates are not stored in the police system.

[280Z Turbo]

I just got my old plate renewed today.

The SOS waived the late fee and they said that the cops were wrong to hassle and intimidate me.

[TBR]

Nothing was wrong though. Authentic plates are not stored in the police system.

Then what is the point?

[280Z Turbo]

Then what is the point?

It's still a legal registration because it comes with proof on paper, but not in the system.

[rohan]

UPDATE:

WARNING: DO NOT PUT AN AUTHENTIC PLATE ON YOUR CAR!

I talked to two people from the SOS over the phone. Both of them were about as pleasant as using 60 grit sandpaper as toilet paper.

My plate is valid, but not in the police "system". This means that cops can and will pull me over whenever they want and I can't even use the car for anything other than car shows. Pleasure driving is actually illegal for this type of plate. Oddly enough, I was in a car show at the time I got pulled over.

I need to renew my old plate now. If I can't even enjoy the car, what the hell is the point?

That's absolute bullshit.  And I got mad enough that I looked up the actual statutes in my book.

We have complete access to their entire system- our LEIN system has a place to specifically run "historical" plates.  It's not in their system- period because it comes back "no record" which means it never got entered into their computer. 

And it's doubly bullshit that you can't drive it.  It's a legally issued proper historic registration plate and recognized as such by state statue . 

SOS employees are civil service - so you get what you pay for and they usually don't knwo their ass from a hole in the ground.

MCL MMVC 257.803p.
Historic motor vehicles; use of authentic Michigan registration plates, fees, registration, revocation.

Sec. 803p.
(1)  The owner of an historic vehicle may use anauthentic Michigan registration plate of the same year as the model year in which the vehicle was manufactured instead of an historic vehicle registration plated issued under section 803a(1) by presenting the authentic plate number and year to the secretary of state at the time of registration.  The owner of an historic vehicle may purchase and authentic Michigan registration plate from another person and restore the plate to its authentic original condition for use pursuant to this section.  An authentically restored plate shall be considered an authentic Michigan registration plate.

(2)  The owner of an historic vehicle applying to use an authentic Michigan registration plate under this section shall pay a fee of $35.00, shall certify that the vehicle for which the registration is requested is owned and operated solely as an historic vehicle, and shall certify that the vehicle has been inspected and found safe to operate on the highways of this state.  The registration certificate need not specify weight of the historic vehicle.  The registration issued under this section is not transferable to another historic vehicle.

(3)  A registration issued under this section shall remain valid until the registrant either sells, transfers, or scraps the vehicle or modified the vehicle in a manner that requires the issuance of a new certificate of title for the vehicle under this act.

(4)  After a hearing and for cause shown, the secretary of state may revoke a registration issued under this section  for failure of the applicant to comply with this section, for use of the vehicle for which the registration was issued for purposes other than those enumerated in section 20a(2), or because the vehicle is not safe to operate on the highways of this state.
P.A.1949, No. 300, ss 803p, added by P.A. 1996, No. 404, ss 1, Eff. Dec. 21, 1996.

[1] M.C.L.A. ss 257.803a.
[2] M.C.L.A. ss 257.20a.

MCL 257.20a.
Historic vehicle, defined.
Sec. 20a.  "Historic Vehicle" means a vehicle which is over 25 years old, and which is owned solely as a collector's item and for participation in club activities, exhibitions, tours, parades, and similar uses, including mechanical testing, but is not used for general transportation.
P.A. 1949, No. 300, ss 20a, added by P.A. 1996, No. 404, ss 1, Eff. Dec. 21, 1996.


All you have to do is "drive" while going to any car show, parade, tours, etc - and you don't have to be a participant just say you are.

[rohan]

I just got my old plate renewed today.

The SOS waived the late fee and they said that the cops were wrong to hassle and intimidate me.

The SOS has NOTHING to do with any police- in fact most of what they do is governed by the State police.  The officers wasn't hassleing you and intimidating you- he was doing his job.  Too bad the SOS didn't do their and enter the information like their supposed to.

[280Z Turbo]

That's absolute bullshit.  And I got mad enough that I looked up the actual statutes in my book.

We have complete access to their entire system- our LEIN system has a place to specifically run "historical" plates.  It's not in their system- period because it comes back "no record" which means it never got entered into their computer. 

And it's doubly bullshit that you can't drive it.  It's a legally issued proper historic registration plate and recognized as such by state statue . 

SOS employees are civil service - so you get what you pay for and they usually don't knwo their ass from a hole in the ground.

MCL MMVC 257.803p.
Historic motor vehicles; use of authentic Michigan registration plates, fees, registration, revocation.

Sec. 803p.
(1)  The owner of an historic vehicle may use anauthentic Michigan registration plate of the same year as the model year in which the vehicle was manufactured instead of an historic vehicle registration plated issued under section 803a(1) by presenting the authentic plate number and year to the secretary of state at the time of registration.  The owner of an historic vehicle may purchase and authentic Michigan registration plate from another person and restore the plate to its authentic original condition for use pursuant to this section.  An authentically restored plate shall be considered an authentic Michigan registration plate.

(2)  The owner of an historic vehicle applying to use an authentic Michigan registration plate under this section shall pay a fee of $35.00, shall certify that the vehicle for which the registration is requested is owned and operated solely as an historic vehicle, and shall certify that the vehicle has been inspected and found safe to operate on the highways of this state.  The registration certificate need not specify weight of the historic vehicle.  The registration issued under this section is not transferable to another historic vehicle.

(3)  A registration issued under this section shall remain valid until the registrant either sells, transfers, or scraps the vehicle or modified the vehicle in a manner that requires the issuance of a new certificate of title for the vehicle under this act.

(4)  After a hearing and for cause shown, the secretary of state may revoke a registration issued under this section  for failure of the applicant to comply with this section, for use of the vehicle for which the registration was issued for purposes other than those enumerated in section 20a(2), or because the vehicle is not safe to operate on the highways of this state.
P.A.1949, No. 300, ss 803p, added by P.A. 1996, No. 404, ss 1, Eff. Dec. 21, 1996.

[1] M.C.L.A. ss 257.803a.
[2] M.C.L.A. ss 257.20a.

MCL 257.20a.
Historic vehicle, defined.
Sec. 20a.  "Historic Vehicle" means a vehicle which is over 25 years old, and which is owned solely as a collector's item and for participation in club activities, exhibitions, tours, parades, and similar uses, including mechanical testing, but is not used for general transportation.
P.A. 1949, No. 300, ss 20a, added by P.A. 1996, No. 404, ss 1, Eff. Dec. 21, 1996.


All you have to do is "drive" while going to any car show, parade, tours, etc - and you don't have to be a participant just say you are.

Well, there were two state cops there and they could not pull up my plate on the computer.

I called the SOS, told them my plate number and it was in their computer. The SOS lady made it sound like the historical registrations are paper only.

My uncle was just telling me last night that a friend of his had the exact same issue with a 1970 Camaro.

Somebody was bullshitting me.

[rohan]

The State of Michigan doesn't do anything that's paper only- and havent' for the last few years- in fact they're trying to get away from paper altogether.  Well- except all the bullshit they stuff into your renewal envolopes at taxpayers expense.  You were bullshitted (is that a word?) big time.  SOS made a mistake on entry or didn't enter it at all.  But the next time I see a historical plate I'll run it to see what happens.

[280Z Turbo]

Doesn't matter now.

I renewed the normal plate. It was only $32 to switch back.

[Tave]

Definitely.  What is the point of a plate like that?

What's the point of any specialty plate? To make a few extra bucks.

[dazzleman]

What's the point of any specialty plate? To make a few extra bucks.

Oh, I know the point of a specialty plate from the govt's point of view, but I question why any driver would get a plate that basically curtails the legal use of their car.