I have been told, and also saw it mentioned in the list, that repainting the
plates in California is illegal. How, then, would one go about restoring
the plates to look new? Are there places authorized to restore them?
Mark
'69 2000
Sacramento, CA
----- Original Message -----
From: Gary Ward <gary.ward@scccd.com>
To: Datsun Email List <datsun-roadsters@autox.team.net>
Sent: Monday, December 11, 2000 8:58 AM
Subject: California Black/Gold Plates
> California currently has three color combinations for
> its license plates:
>
> Gold on black, issued from 1963 until 1970;
> Gold on blue, issued from 1970 to 1987; and
> Blue on white, issued 1982 - present.
>
> Plates issued in 1962 or earlier are no longer in use, because
> in 1963, California replaced all existing license plates.
>
> Existing law authorizes the State Department of Motor
> Vehicles (DMV) to issue to motor vehicles 1962 and older
> "year-of-manufacture" license plates, which are license
> plates "with the date of year corresponding to the model
> year date license plate when the vehicle was
> manufactured" in lieu of the license plates otherwise
> required by this code." A permanent sticker tab for the
> display of the current registration sticker is placed
> behind and extended above the upper corner of the license
> plate. Specified additional fees are required for the
> issuance of these license plates.
>
> Note that for vehicles after 1962, unless the black/gold plate was the
> original one licensed to the vehicle, you are out of luck. You cannot use
> the black/gold plates, even if you have them, unless they were licensed to
> the car originally.
>
> Assemblyman Briggs attempted to change the law to allow "year of
> manufacture" plates to be placed on cars from 1963 to 1973. Thus, under
his
> proposal, if you acquired a black/gold plate, you could use it on your
> vehicle if your auto was manufactured and/or registered before 1971. The
> bill passed both houses in California but the good Governor Davis vetoed
the
> bill. Wasn't that nice?!
>
> So, you can't do much about it. However, occasionally you will find some
> friendly California DMV official that either doesn't know the law or
chooses
> to ignore it. That's great when it happens, but I wouldn't count on it
too
> often.
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