Code of Massachusetts Regulations › 540 CMR - REGISTRY OF MOTOR VEHICLES › Title 540 CMR 2.00 - Motor Vehicle Regulations › Section 2.07 - Year of Manufacture Registration Plates

Current through Register 1525, July 5, 2024
(1)
Authority, Purpose and
			 Scope
.
			 540
			 CMR 2.07 is issued by the Registrar of Motor
			 Vehicles pursuant to M.G.L. c. 6C, § 56 and c. 90, §§ 6A and 31,
			 to allow the display of Year of Manufacture registration plates on antique
			 motor cars under certain circumstances and conditions, as determined by the
			 Registrar.
(2)
Definitions
. In
			 540
			 CMR 2.07, the following definitions apply:
Antique Motor Car
. A motor vehicle
				that meets the definition of antique motor car in M.G.L. c. 90, §
				1.
Year of Manufacture Registration
				Plate
. A registration plate originally issued by the Commonwealth
				in the exact year as the model year designated by the manufacture of the
				antique motor car to which it is proposed to be attached under
				540
				CMR 2.07. If no registration plates were
				issued in a particular year, Year of Manufacture Registration Plate shall mean
				a registration plate originally issued in a prior year and originally approved
				by the Commonwealth for use in the model year of the antique motor car to which
				it is proposed to be attached under
				540
				CMR 2.07.
(3)
Use of Year of Manufacture
			 Registration Plates
. In the discretion of the Registrar, a Year of
			 Manufacture registration plate may be issued for display on an antique motor
			 car in place of an Antique registration plate, in the following circumstances:
(a) The owner of the antique motor car shall
			 submit to the Registry a request for issuance of a Year of Manufacture
			 registration plate on a form prescribed by the Registrar.
(b) The owner shall physically present the
			 Year of Manufacture registration plate to the Registrar or his or her designee
			 for approval, and, the Registrar or the designee shall find, in his or her
			 judgment, that the plate:
1. contains a
			 combination of alphanumeric characters that is compatible with the data system
			 in use by the Registry during the specific year or period as applicable;
			 and;
2. is recognizable by the
			 Registrar as being consistent with the format and style originally issued
			 during that specific year or period as a Massachusetts registration plate and
			 is in good condition, reasonable wear and tear excepted, with its numbers and
			 markings clearly legible; and except further, that the Registrar may refuse to
			 authorize the use of a plate as a current registration plate if it has been
			 repaired, refurbished, repainted, refinished or otherwise altered;
			 and
3. is of sufficiently
			 distinctive appearance that it would not likely be confused with any currently
			 issued registration plate. A plate bearing a combination of alphanumeric
			 characters that has already been approved as a Year of Manufacture registration
			 plate shall not be deemed to be sufficiently distinctive in
			 appearance.
(c) The
			 Registrar may, but need not, approve a Year of Manufacture registration plate
			 for display on an antique motor car of a different type than that for which the
			 registration plate was originally issued (
e.g
., a truck plate
			 approved for display on an automobile).
(d) Notwithstanding the fact that during a
			 particular year of manufacture it was the practice to issue two registration
			 plates, the Registrar may in his or her discretion authorize the display of
			 only one Year of Manufacture registration plate, if only one such plate is
			 available and found to meet the standards set forth in
			 540
			 CMR 2.07(3)(b). Such plate
			 or plates, as the case may be, shall be displayed in accordance with the
			 provisions of M.G.L. c. 90, § 6.