Trip to the Delaware DMV

50C8DAN

A few years ago we moved from MD to DE.  Being a bit lazy and hating to go to the DMV I let my tags/plates just stay with MD.  MD has no charge after a vehicle is 50 years old, so I was in no hurry, however, I said last week I had better just bite the bullet and get it done and move the title and registration over to Delaware.  DE requires you to present your antique vehicle for an initial one-time inspection, plus verification of the VIN to make sure it is not stolen.  This brings up another reason I was dreading going to the DMV.  MD does not check anything so just bring in your title and boom it is done, no inspection or anything else.  My C8 is a bit of a mystery car as it has a 502XXXX VIN on the door jam, but a 504XXXX on the engine, being an 8.  The original title from NJ had the 504XXXX number, and MD just copied it over, but I was afraid DE would be picky about it.  My theory is that the car was built in June 1950, either the buyer ordered an 8 and as the last cars rolled down the line after they had a VIN on the door, or they had an overabundance of I8s, so they really built a C8.  It has Supermatic so for a dealer to do a complete rebuild of a C6 to a C8 would have been expensive requiring a completely different wiring harness for some of the underhood stuff.  There is also no evidence anywhere that it was ever anything else but an 8.  Anyway, I got in the inspection line and the woman said where is your VIN.  I said on the front of the engine block.  A bit of a frown and she said OK is the number right on the MD title, "yep", so she waves me to the next station.  The guy said where is the VIN, "on the engine block" ugh, OK I am going to use what the MD title has.  Yeh!!!  I am home free.  Well not quite.  So I go in and present my paperwork for the new title.  DE, again unlike MD charges a tax based on appraisal value using the NADA book.  The woman looks up C8 and said wow it is worth $25,400!!!  I said no way that can be correct.  I wish mine was worth that and it is a survivor with 41K miles on the odometer, but it would be really hard to probably get even $18K for it.  I did not argue but when she said the tax is $1,XXX I said wow!!!!!!  I said no way that can be correct!!  She looks again and either my disappointment and she had pity or she really made a mistake, she said no I got the wrong line in the book, it is only $12,500!  I said that sounds about right.  Still, it was $530 tax, but it was a lot better than over a grand.  So finally my C8 is all nice a legal. Sorry for the long story!

tombia

And that my friend is one of the reasons I moved back to Iowa instead of the Eastern shore when I retired.

superwasp

More and more states are headed down this same path. They've become addicted to revenues from the DMV. My state has 16-23 taxes and fees for annual registration, and don't get me started on the title process....

BigSky

Originally being from Nebraska I can attest to Iowa’s much less expensive licensing of vehicles as many Nebraskan’s would try to get titled in Iowa.  Omaha was so greedy for every dollar they even had a campaign 15 or more years ago to turn in your neighbors who don’t have Nebraska plates!

While there aren’t many old cars or parts available the one good thing about Montana is no vehicle sales tax & permanent licensing of my 37 was only $150 with an original 37 plate.  

superwasp

BigSky said:

Originally being from Nebraska I can attest to Iowa’s much less expensive licensing of vehicles as many Nebraskan’s would try to get titled in Iowa.  Omaha was so greedy for every dollar they even had a campaign 15 or more years ago to turn in your neighbors who don’t have Nebraska plates!

While there aren’t many old cars or parts available the one good thing about Montana is no vehicle sales tax & permanent licensing of my 37 was only $150 with an original 37 plate.  

Yes, I see a fair number of high dollar classics in shows with MT plates. They form a Whitefish LLC, put the cars in that and stop feeding the local 🐖s.

RichardD

MY TAX IN NC IS $4.55. 
EVEN IF YOUR CAR IS APPRAISED AT ONE MILLION DOLLARS, IT IS VALUED ONLY AT $500. BY THE DMV. IF IT IS 25 YEARS OLD OR 30, CAN'T REMEMBER WHICH NOW.
THIS THANKS TO ACCA PEOPLE IN NC YEARS AGO.
COME ON DOWN !!!! 

superwasp

RichardD said:

MY TAX IN NC IS $4.55. 
EVEN IF YOUR CAR IS APPRAISED AT ONE MILLION DOLLARS, IT IS VALUED ONLY AT $500. BY THE DMV. IF IT IS 25 YEARS OLD OR 30, CAN'T REMEMBER WHICH NOW.
THIS THANKS TO ACCA PEOPLE IN NC YEARS AGO.
COME ON DOWN !!!! 

We used to have a somewhat similar structure until we ended up with an attorney for a governor who figured out he could side-step our tax limitation laws if he called something a 'fee'. After that we turned into Fee-a-rado. It only takes one bad administration...

RichardD

Follow up on NC antique car tax: here is the statute>>>>>
"AV-66 Application for Antique Automobile Value Exclusion under North Carolina General Statute 105-330.9 (a) Definition. - For the purpose of this section, the term "antique automobile" means a motor vehicle that meets all of the following conditions: (1) It is registered with the Division of Motor Vehicles and has an historic vehicle special license plate under G.S.. 20-79.4. (2) It is maintained primarily for use in exhibitions, club activities, parades, and other public interest functions. (3) It is used only occasionally for other purposes. (4) It is owned by an individual. (5) It is used by the owner for a purpose other than the production of income and is not used in connection with a business. (b) Classification. - Antique automobiles are designated a special class of property under Article V, Sec. 2(2) of the North Carolina Constitution and must be assessed for taxation in accordance with this section. An antique automobile must be assessed at the lower of its true value or five hundred dollars ($500.00)."

bull_islander

VA is similar to NC.  If you put antique tags or YOM tags on your vehicle, it's a one time $50 registration fee (or close to that).