Inspection Exemption

[Little G]

I am interested in applying for an inspection exemption for my car. The DMV's website says it needs to be insured as a limited use "collector vehicle". Anyone done this? Do I really need limited use insurance or can I just have it as a secondary car on my regular policy? Please only respond if you have actual experience with this, not just what you have heard.

Thanks,
g

[EchoMirage]

you need collector insurance. otherwise, if you could use regular insurance, everyone would be calling their car a 'colllector' just so you wont have to inspect it. you need the right insurance, probably proof that its stored on your property or in a locked garage, send pictures, and limit your miles. the DMV gives you i think 2500 a year, and they check when you go for your inspection. its not really an 'exemption', but they dont hold you to the same standards as a daily driver. if you were thinking about historic vehicles, then they dont get inspected at all, but of course have to be 25yrs or more older.

[NJSPEEDER]

you can use any form of limited use policy that your insurance company writes. i think the mileage restriction has to be under 5k per year for the state to consider it limited use.
just having it listed as secondary is not enough, there is other language in limited use/collector policies that make the difference as well.

[Squirrel]

like tim was saying, limits like when and where you can drive it...like "weekend only" or just 'to car shows' and back, but usually thats just historic collectors insurance ala haggerty...the mileage limits are whatever, because unhooking a odometer cable isnt too big of a task

[Savage_Messiah]

unhooking a odometer cable isnt too big of a task

Electric. To "unhook" it on late models, that involves disabling all the gauges

[slugger27nj]

My old boss has this on his Viper, and it has to be insured as a limited use collector vehicle. The only thing they check at inspection is that the odometer works, and you get a triangle insepction sticker.

[Squirrel]

Electric. To "unhook" it on late models, that involves disabling all the gauges

doesnt his tuning software take control of all aspects of teh compruter?

[Fast92RS]

I am going through that process now. I have the applications for collector car. According to the apps, you must have proof of insurance that the vehicle is insured as a limited use collector car, the car may not be driven more than 3000 miles per year and the vehicle is not qualified as an historic vehicle or street rod. For the vehicle to be designated as a collector car the owner muct apply at time of registration or renewal. The vehicle is exempt from safety and emissions inspection.

[Savage_Messiah]

doesnt his tuning software take control of all aspects of teh compruter?

Not sure which way you're going with this, I don't have HPT myself but from what I know in theory yes one could unplug the gauges and use a laptop to see the speedo/tech/etc.... but that's really friggin impractical.

If you're saying disable the odometer through HPT, I doubt you can do that

[BigAls87Z28]

I guess they changed the law. I had the old 87 registerd as a "collectors car" but they did not demand any sort of special insurance. I know several people who have recieved collectors insurance, but there is a milage restriction per year, which they look at durring inspection. They are emissions exempt. You could, in theory, have any car registerd for collectors.

[WayFast84]

If you get collectors plates can you still pay for custom plates?

[BigAls87Z28]

If you get collectors plates can you still pay for custom plates?

You can get custom historic plates, yes. Or you can be like me, and drive out to Trenton and pick them up right there.

[iamsickofitall]

I am going through that process now. I have the applications for collector car. According to the apps, you must have proof of insurance that the vehicle is insured as a limited use collector car, the car may not be driven more than 3000 miles per year and the vehicle is not qualified as an historic vehicle or street rod. For the vehicle to be designated as a collector car the owner muct apply at time of registration or renewal. The vehicle is exempt from safety and emissions inspection.

i have done this in the past year and this info is accurate. no special plates, no special insurance. proof of insurance means that there is more than one car on the policy and the "collector car" is listed as a pleasure/secondary vehicle. FWIW they didn't even ask me to show them my insurance policy to prove it was a secondary vehicle when i went. all they asked for was my insurance card.

they check the mileage every two years. you get 6000 miles to use over the span of the two years.

[Squirrel]

craig, ill ask my dad tomorrow how he has the vette...it has regular plates and he can drive it whenever but its not regulary insured

[79CamaroDiva]

craig, ill ask my dad tomorrow how he has the vette...it has regular plates and he can drive it whenever but its not regulary insured

doesnt regular plates mean regular inspection as well?

[Tru2Chevy]

doesnt regular plates mean regular inspection as well?

No, collector's registration does not involve any special license plates. Just a triangle sticker in the windshield (less weight than square ;) ) and a check at the DMV inspection station every other year that your odometer is working correctly.

- Justin

[Savage_Messiah]

This concept is beginning to interest me...

[Fast92RS]

Just a word on Collector insurance. From what I have read about my grundy policy. My policy has no mileage restrictions and no vehicle age limits but the car is to be garage kept, it can not be used as a primiray/ secondary vehicle for use to drive to work or school or going shoping. The car is to be used fro pleasure use only such as driving to and from shows and basic pleasure use. Check this link for more info. http://www.grundy.com/

[79CamaroDiva]

Just a word on Collector insurance. From what I have read about my grundy policy. My policy has no mileage restrictions and no vehicle age limits but the car is to be garage kept, it can not be used as a primiray/ secondary vehicle for use to drive to work or school or going shoping. The car is to be used fro pleasure use only such as driving to and from shows and basic pleasure use. Check this link for more info. http://www.grundy.com/

thats how haggerty was too.. though any time ive been stopped in my 79 the cop has never given me a hard time.. its always a 'pleasure cruise' in these cars right?

[Savage_Messiah]

i have done this in the past year and this info is accurate. no special plates, no special insurance. proof of insurance means that there is more than one car on the policy and the "collector car" is listed as a pleasure/secondary vehicle. FWIW they didn't even ask me to show them my insurance policy to prove it was a secondary vehicle when i went. all they asked for was my insurance card.

they check the mileage every two years. you get 6000 miles to use over the span of the two years.

So since on my insurance policy my dad's car is his primary, my mercedes is my primary, and the camaro is listed as being "for pleasure" and driven only 4k miles/year (they have a milage thing for every car with AIG... but don't check). So that's good enough?

[ar0ck]

http://www.state.nj.us/mvc/Inspections/VehiclesExempt.htm

I'm doing it today for the Camaro.

[iamsickofitall]

So since on my insurance policy my dad's car is his primary, my mercedes is my primary, and the camaro is listed as being "for pleasure" and driven only 4k miles/year (they have a milage thing for every car with AIG... but don't check). So that's good enough?

correct..except the state is going to limit you on the mileage so you should check with AIG and see if you could bump your camaro into a lower bracket (3k per year max) and save some money

[ar0ck]

This is a disaster, I went to the DMV and filled out a "Application for Collectors Vehicle Status" they had no clue what I was talking about and I argued with them for an hour. They wanted proof of "Collectors Car" insurance from someone like Grundy or Hagarty. I'm only 21 & I don't qualify for any of those companies. (And no, I will not put anything under my parents names to do so.)

Collector vehicles
To be classified as a "collector vehicle" you need to apply when you register and make sure that the vehicle:
Is not registered as a "historic vehicle" or a "street rod"
Is not driven more than 3,000 miles per year (proof available at odometer reading)
Is insured as a limited use "collector vehicle"
To qualify for an exemption:
Visit an MVC Agency to purchase a voucher for a special decal to mark the vehicle exempt from safety and emission inspection; fee is $25 for an initial voucher and $10 to renew
Take the collector vehicle to a State Inspection Station where the inspector will verify the odometer reading

My vehicle is not historic, or a street rod. My car is insured as a limited use car though, is that collectors? This is ridiculous, I'm only trying to legally get around inspection. My car is currently listed as the pleasure car, and my S10 is my primary. I spoke to my insurance rep and he said there shouldn't be any problems with registering my car for limited miles through the DMV. When I was at the DMV they looked at me as if I have three heads. I don't get what I did wrong. I'm on hold right now with the state dmv. I really don't want to go through the hassle of buying a sticker. They are too expensive and I don't feel safe getting them from people I don't know. Plus if I went through this legally I wouldn't have to worry about the numerous things "wrong" with my car if someone wanted to hassle me.

[396LT1SS]

I have hagerty collectors insurance on my 97 ss as stated above you are limited to 2500 mi a year .... after getting insurance you go to dmv and apply for a voucher( at which point they verify your collector ins. and you pay $20) then you go to an inspection station give them the voucher they check your dl reg and ins. they ensure you odometer works and then they slap a triangle sticker on the windshield. They insured my car b/c it has 20k orig miles and i gave them very good photos of the car showing how mint it was ...i even provided pics of my inner wheel wells...this gives them piece of mind that it isn't a race car or a car i would drive to work

[396LT1SS]

This is a disaster, I went to the DMV and filled out a "Application for Collectors Vehicle Status" they had no clue what I was talking about and I argued with them for an hour. They wanted proof of "Collectors Car" insurance from someone like Grundy or Hagarty. I'm only 21 & I don't qualify for any of those companies. (And no, I will not put anything under my parents names to do so.)



My vehicle is not historic, or a street rod. My car is insured as a limited use car though, is that collectors? This is ridiculous, I'm only trying to legally get around inspection. My car is currently listed as the pleasure car, and my S10 is my primary. I spoke to my insurance rep and he said there shouldn't be any problems with registering my car for limited miles through the DMV. When I was at the DMV they looked at me as if I have three heads. I don't get what I did wrong. I'm on hold right now with the state dmv. I really don't want to go through the hassle of buying a sticker. They are too expensive and I don't feel safe getting them from people I don't know. Plus if I went through this legally I wouldn't have to worry about the numerous things "wrong" with my car if someone wanted to hassle me.


You SHOULD be elligible for hagerty when you turn 22 i believe they only require 5 yrs driving experiance but i;m not sure

[BonzoHansen]

You SHOULD be elligible for hagerty when you turn 22 i believe they only require 5 yrs driving experiance but i;m not sureIIRC, it is 25.

[Tru2Chevy]

Yes, I think Hagerty is 25 as well. I couldn't get it when I was 23 and looking into collector's insurance companies. Every company I found either wouldn't insure me at 23, or wouldn't insure the '87 since it was too new.

- Justin

[396LT1SS]

i was 23 when i started my policy at hagerty for my 97 SS fwiw

[iamsickofitall]

This is a disaster, I went to the DMV and filled out a "Application for Collectors Vehicle Status" they had no clue what I was talking about and I argued with them for an hour. They wanted proof of "Collectors Car" insurance from someone like Grundy or Hagarty. I'm only 21 & I don't qualify for any of those companies. (And no, I will not put anything under my parents names to do so.)



My vehicle is not historic, or a street rod. My car is insured as a limited use car though, is that collectors? This is ridiculous, I'm only trying to legally get around inspection. My car is currently listed as the pleasure car, and my S10 is my primary. I spoke to my insurance rep and he said there shouldn't be any problems with registering my car for limited miles through the DMV. When I was at the DMV they looked at me as if I have three heads. I don't get what I did wrong. I'm on hold right now with the state dmv. I really don't want to go through the hassle of buying a sticker. They are too expensive and I don't feel safe getting them from people I don't know. Plus if I went through this legally I wouldn't have to worry about the numerous things "wrong" with my car if someone wanted to hassle me.

you should be fine with what you have now. i went to wayne when i got mine. i just walked up to the receptionist and asked for the card, filled it out, went to the counter with my check, registration card and a copy of my insurance policy. they didn't ask any questions or even ask to see my insurance policy. when i went to the inspection office, they did ask to see my insurance card for the car but that was it. then all i had to do was drive around the parking lot to prove that my odometer rolls over.

[BigAls87Z28]

This begs the question....do I need to have my car brought in for inspection?

[ar0ck]

I'm going to another DMV office tomorow and fill out the form, and take it to Ridgewood. I was at Wycoff today.

[84HOtransam]

alex lemme know how it goes....if this all holds true could i insure my t/a as collector, be exempt from registration...and drive around with open headers?

[BonzoHansen]

alex lemme know how it goes....if this all holds true could i insure my t/a as collector, be exempt from registration...and drive around with open headers?

I don't think it exempts you from MV laws, just inspection.

[iamsickofitall]

I don't think it exempts you from MV laws, just inspection.

yeah, you only get out of inspections...you can still get nailed by the cops for bald tires, loud exhaust, etc.

[WildBillyT]

Yes, I think Hagerty is 25 as well. I couldn't get it when I was 23 and looking into collector's insurance companies. Every company I found either wouldn't insure me at 23, or wouldn't insure the '87 since it was too new.

- Justin

Yep, I went through the same thing. I couldn't get my '78 insured because at the time I was too young. I also didn't have coverage if I drove my dad's Vette- insurance companies will deny coverage if you get in an accident and you are too young. Hagarty may have changed since then.

Edit:

http://zhome.com/Classic/CCInsur.htm


Are young drivers covered in a specialty insurance policy? It depends. Many specialty insurance companies require that all drivers be 25 and older; some even require that a person be 30 years old. While Hagerty generally will not consider an owner/applicant who is younger than 21, we are somewhat more flexible when a family of collectors has teenage drivers with clean driving records.

396LT1SS has it exactly right regarding the voucher, insurance, and process. That's the deal.

[ar0ck]

yeah, you only get out of inspections...you can still get nailed by the cops for bald tires, loud exhaust, etc.

Now you have me wondering if its even worth it. I figured you might be able to scape past the cops if the car passed an inspection as is.

[WildBillyT]

Now you have me wondering if its even worth it. I figured you might be able to scape past the cops if the car passed an inspection as is.

I think you would run into trouble because you have a modern car. For the most part, cops have been known to let older stuff slide because they can be pretty sure that it's a partial use/cruise night/show vehicle. With a modern car there is a greater possibility of it being used as a DD- with or without the triangular sticker.

JMHO

[396LT1SS]

my mom has a 64' and a 72' vette i wasn't covered under the insurance till i was 25 w/ her company and they wouldn't insure me til i was 25