Year of Manufacture Registration Plates

(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. (4) Registration Number and Decal. (a) If the Registrar approves a request for issuance of a Year of Manufacture registration plate, then the registration number assigned to the subject antique motor car shall comprise the combination of numbers and letters shown on the Year of Manufacture registration plate, together with a unique identifier, to be determined by the Registrar, which will distinguish the letter and number combination as a Year of Manufacture registration number. The issued registration plate for the antique motor car shall be the Year of Manufacture registration plate. (b) The registration decal issued in connection with an approved Year of Manufacture registration plate need not be affixed to the Year of Manufacture registration plate for which it is issued, provided the decal is at all times carried in the antique motor car in a readily accessible place, for display upon request. (5) Surrender of Registration Plate. Pursuant to the provisions of M.G.L. c. 90 and 540 CMR 2.05(4)(q), in the event of revocation or suspension of the registration assigned to an antique motor car bearing a Year of Manufacture registration plate, the Year of Manufacture registration plate shall be surrendered to the Registrar in like manner as any other issued registration plate. If the registration is terminated under circumstances other than suspension or revocation, the Registrar in his or her discretion may elect not to require the return of the Year of Manufacture registration plate. (6) Procedures. The Registrar may adopt such further policies and procedures as in the Registrar’s judgment are necessary or desirable to implement 540 CMR 2.07.