Virginia Antique License Plate Scam

Virginia allows its citizens to put antique license plates on their vehicles that are over 25 years old. : Supposedly, such plates are only issued "If you plan to use your antique vehicle or trailer solely as a collector's item." You are then allowed to "1. Participat[e] in antique car club activities, exhibits, tours, parades, and similar events, and 2. Test its operation, obtain repairs or maintenance, transportation to and from events as described in number 1 above and for the occasional pleasure driving not to exceed 250 miles from your residence. You may not, however, use your vehicle for general, daily transportation." The Code of Virginia (§ 46.2-730) says the one time fee is $10. $10, incidentally, is the same price you pay to get a replacement plate on a regular, non-antique car.

Not unpredictably, I think these things are being abused. I passed a beat up old pre-1980 Chevy Pickup this morning with antique plates. I guarantee you that the driver wasn't headed to a parade; and given the work tools in the back of the truck, I don't think this was a pleasure drive. This guy knows that the antique plate law is unenforceable, and so he got to pay a one time $10 "antique" fee rather than the standard, annual registration fee of at least $30. I'm not certain, but I think he's also getting out of annual safety inspections.The code allows you to get antique plates and use the car regularly if you annually register and inspect the car AND put the current decals on the license plate; however, I have yet to see an antique with such decals. I have, however, seen a couple of "antique," unregistered and (I think) uninspected Chevy Vegas, Ford Pintos, and other "classics" on the roads of the Commonwealth. What a scam.