Happy New Year
And for California Residents ---
We are looking at a new smog law that will require Honda 600's to have a
smog certificate in order to register. Unless DMV looks at vehicles with
less than 50 cubic inches as not required to have a smog check as before, as
of 1 April 05 ALL vehicles will be tested for smog. And, if you read the
small print CA Vehicle Code 259 describes the vehicle older than Model Year
1976 as having to be a collector vehicle and insured as such to qualify so
as not to forgo the visual inspection. Please read excerpts below.
BILL NUMBER: AB 2683
An act to amend Section 44011 of the Health and Safety Code, and
to amend Sections 4000.1 and 4000.2 of the Vehicle Code, relating to
air pollution.
The bill would also provide that, commencing April 1, 2005,
defined collector motor vehicles for which proof of insurance is
submitted on that basis in accordance with regulations of the Bureau
of Automotive Repair, and that are at least 35 model-years old, shall
be subject to otherwise applicable exhaust emissions standards, but
shall not be required to pass a visual and functional inspection of
emission equipment, other than a functional inspection of the fuel
cap and a visual inspection for liquid fuel leaks.
(2) Under existing law, the Department of Motor Vehicles, with
certain exceptions, is required to obtain submission of a valid smog
check certificate of compliance or noncompliance, as appropriate, in
order to register a motor vehicle previously registered outside the
state. Among other exemptions, from this requirement, existing law
exempts 1965 or earlier model-year motor vehicles.
This bill, commencing April 1, 2005, would instead apply the
model-year exemption that is applicable to vehicles registered in
this state. The bill would also make technical clarifying changes.
(3) Existing law makes any violation of the smog check
requirements a misdemeanor.
To the extent that the bill would impose the smog check
requirements on additional vehicles on and after April 1, 2005, this
bill would impose a state-mandated local program by expanding the
scope of a crime.
CALIFORNIA CODES
VEHICLE CODE
259. "Collector motor vehicle" means a motor vehicle owned by a
collector, as defined in subdivision (a) of Section 5051, and the
motor vehicle is used primarily in shows, parades, charitable
functions, and historical exhibitions for display, maintenance, and
preservation, and is not used primarily for transportation.
5052. Except as otherwise provided by local ordinance, a collector
may maintain one or more vehicles described in Section 5051, whether
currently licensed or unlicensed, or whether operable or inoperable,
in outdoor storage on private property, if every such vehicle and
outdoor storage area is maintained in such manner as not to
constitute a health hazard and is located away from public view, or
screened from ordinary public view, by means of a suitable fence,
trees, shrubbery, opaque covering, or other appropriate means.
5004. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this code, any
owner of a vehicle described in paragraph (1), (2), or (3) which is
operated or moved over the highway primarily for the purpose of
historical exhibition or other similar purpose shall, upon
application in the manner and at the time prescribed by the
department, be issued special identification plates for the vehicle:
(1) A motor vehicle with an engine of 16 or more cylinders
manufactured prior to 1965.
(2) A motor vehicle manufactured in the year 1922 or prior
thereto.
(3) A vehicle which was manufactured after 1922, is at least 25
years old, and is of historic interest.
(b) The special identification plates assigned to motor vehicles
with an engine of 16 or more cylinders manufactured prior to 1965 and
to any motor vehicle manufactured in the year 1922 and prior thereto
shall run in a separate numerical series, commencing with "Horseless
Carriage No. 1".
The special identification plates assigned to vehicles specified
in paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) shall run in a separate numerical
series, commencing with "Historical Vehicle No. 1".
Each series of plates shall have different and distinguishing
colors.
(c) A fee of twenty-five dollars ($25) shall be charged for the
initial issuance of the special identification plates. Such plates
shall be permanent and shall not be required to be replaced. If such
special identification plates become damaged or unserviceable in any
manner, replacement for the plates may be obtained from the
department upon proper application and upon payment of such fee as is
provided for in Section 9265.
(d) All funds received by the department in payment for such
identification plates or the replacement thereof shall be deposited
in the California Environmental License Plate Fund.
(e) These vehicles shall not be exempt from the equipment
provisions of Sections 26709, 27150, and 27600.
(f) As used in this section, a vehicle is of historic interest if
it is collected, restored, maintained, and operated by a collector or
hobbyist principally for purposes of exhibition and historic vehicle
club activities.
5004.1. (a) An owner of any vehicle that is a 1962 or older model
year vehicle may, after the requirements for the registration of the
vehicle have been complied with and with the approval of the
department, utilize license plates of this state with the date of
year corresponding to the model year date when the vehicle was
manufactured, if the model year date license plate is legible and
serviceable, as determined by the department, in lieu of the license
plates otherwise required by this code. The department may consult
with an organization of old car hobbyists in determining whether the
date of year of the license plate to be used corresponds to the model
year date when the vehicle was manufactured.
(b) A fee of thirty-five dollars ($35) shall be charged for the
application for use of the special plates.
(c) In addition to the regular renewal fee for the vehicle for
which the plates are authorized, the applicant for a renewal of the
plates shall be charged an additional fee of ten dollars ($10). When
payment of a regular vehicle renewal fee is not required by this
code, the holder of any license plates with a date corresponding to
the model year may retain the plates upon payment of an annual fee of
twenty dollars ($20), which shall be due at the expiration of the
registration year of the vehicle to which the plate was last assigned
under this section.
(d) Whenever any person who has been authorized to utilize the
special license plates applies to the department for transfer of the
plates to another vehicle, a transfer fee of twelve dollars ($12)
shall be charged in addition to all other appropriate fees.
5004.5. Notwithstanding any other provision of this code, any owner
of a motorcycle manufactured in the year 1942 or prior thereto
shall, upon application in the manner and at the time prescribed by
the department, be issued special license plates for the motorcycle.
The special license plates assigned to such motorcycles shall run in
a separate numerical series. An additional fee of fifteen dollars
($15) shall be charged for the initial issuance of the special
license plates. Such plates shall be permanent and shall not be
required to be replaced. If such special license plates become
damaged or unserviceable in any manner, replacement for the plates
may be obtained from the department upon proper application and upon
payment of such fee as is provided for in Section 9265. Except as
otherwise provided in this section, such motorcycles shall be subject
to the same annual registration fees and provisions of law as are
other motorcycles.
All revenues derived from the fees provided for in this section
above actual costs of the production and issuance of the special
plates for motorcycles, or the replacement thereof, shall be
deposited in the California Environmental License Plate Fund by the
department.