Vehicle Age Has Dropped To Obtain An Antique Plate In North Carolina

Anybody who drives a vehicle from the early to mid '90s realizes that the car is old, but would you really consider it "antique" old? If you reside in North Carolina, this could be the case soon. A provision was approved by the N.C. House, and if it becomes law, that means that any automobile that is 25 years old would qualify as an "antique auto". The current qualifying age is 35.

Why have an antique plate on your car? Certain advantages come with adding an antique tag to your vehicle. Under state law, antiques fall under a special class of property, and whether you own a rusty daily beater or a classy Cadillac, they are estimated for no more than $500 regarding taxes. Even more, antique vehicles can pass up those yearly safety and emissions inspections as they are no longer required.

View in gallery

Before you get all gung-ho for an antique tag, wait just a minute. Tagging the car as an antique is perfect for anyone who doesn't drive the car regularly. The law states that antique cars can be used primarily for "exhibitions, club activities, parades, and other public interest functions" and can be driven "only occasionally for other purposes." So, if your '90s vehicles serves daily driver duties, or you want to drive it to work more than a few times a week, then the antique tag is not for you.

This reason alone may be why antique tags aren't all that common. In fact, according to the Department of Revenue in Wake County, 915,000 cars and trucks are registered, but only 583 have acquired the antique tag. This may have show a slight influx of owners springing for an antique tag, but don't expect the floodgates to open.

North Carolina isn't the first state to change the antique vehicle to 25 years of age. Virginia and Tennessee, among others, already classify a car of that age as an antique. Even the AACA (Antique Automobile Club of America) chose that as the defining age, and the club was founded back in 1935. While the AACA didn't ask for the law change, they do see it as an opportunity for more people, including younger enthusiasts, to get involved.

Source: Newsobserver.com