Definitions

Only motor vehicles meeting the definition of an "Antique motor car" may display an Antique registration plate. At 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.

An "antique motor car" is any motor vehicle over twenty-five years old which is maintained solely for use in exhibitions, club activities, parades, and other functions of public interest. This includes test drives to prepare for such functions and transportation to and from repair facilities, and not used primarily for the transportation of passengers or goods over any way. A motorcycle is eligible for an Antique registration plate.

A "Year of Manufacture Plate" is a registration plate (in the possession of the Applicant) originally issued by the Commonwealth in the exact year of manufacture of the antique motor car to which it is proposed to be attached. If no registration plate(s) was issued in a particular year, a registration plate originally issued in a prior year may be approved by the Registrar for use as a Year of Manufacturer Plate on the "antique motor car" to which it is proposed to be attached. Year of Manufacture Vanity Plates or Year of Manufacture Antique Plates are not available.

Facts

Policies

  1. The vehicle owner must complete an "Application for an Antique Motor Vehicle Plate or Year of Manufacture Registration Plate" form and sign it in the presence of a Notary.
  2. The plate must be physically presented to the Registrar or designee for inspection and approval.
    1. The plate can contain no more than six (6) characters.
    2. The plate must be in good repair and in original condition. Its letters, numbers and markings must be clearly legible. Any indication that the plate has been repainted or otherwise altered will cause the Registrar to reject use of the plate.
    3. The plate must be sufficiently distinctive in appearance so as not to be confused with currently issued plates. If the Registrar has already approved the use of a plate as a Year of Manufacture plate, which contains a specific combination of letters and numbers (or letters or numbers alone), that same combination on a different Year of Manufacture plate is not sufficiently distinctive and will not be approved as another Year of Manufacture plate.
    4. A Year of Manufacture plate may be approved by the Registrar for use on an antique motor car of a different type than that for which the registration plate was originally issued. For example, a truck plate may be approved for use on an antique automobile and an automobile plate may be approved for use on an antique truck. (A motorcycle plate can only be used on a motorcycle, however.)
    5. The Registrar may approve of the display of only one (1) Year of Manufacture plate (if that is all that is available) even though the RMV issued two (2) plates per vehicle in the year the plate was originally issued.
    6. A Year of Manufacture plate must be displayed pursuant to Chapter 90, § 6 of the General Laws but the registration decal for the current registration period need not be attached to the plate. If it is not attached to the plate it must be carried in the antique vehicle at all times and presented at the request of a Police Officer.
    7. A plate displaying the word "Antique" cannot be used as a "Year of Manufacture Plate."

    Note: If a Year of Manufacture plate is ever suspended or revoked, the Registrar may require the plate be turned in to the Registry of Motor Vehicles.

Year of Manufacture Reference List

Year
Plate Issued
Background
Alphanumerics
1903 Y Navy Blue White Numbers
1904 Y Navy Blue White Numbers
1905 Y Navy Blue White Numbers
1906 Y Navy Blue White Numbers
1907 Y Navy Blue White Numbers
1908 Y White Dark Blue Numbers
1909 Y Navy Blue White Numbers
1910 Y White Dark Blue Numbers
1911 Y Navy Blue White Numbers
1912 Y White Dark Blue Numbers
1913 Y Navy Blue White Numbers
1914 Y White Dark Blue Numbers
1915 Y Navy Blue White Numbers
1916 Y White Dark Blue Numbers
1917 Y Navy Blue White Numbers
1918 Y White Dark Blue Numbers
1919 Y Navy Blue White Numbers
1920 Y White Dark Blue Numbers
1921 Y Navy Blue White Numbers
1922 Y White Dark Blue Numbers
1923 Y Navy Blue White Numbers
1924 Y Cranberry White Alphanumerics
1925 Y Black White Alphanumerics
1926 Y Blue White Alphanumerics
1927 Y Cranberry White Alphanumerics
1928 Y Green White Alphanumerics
1929 Y Blue White Alphanumerics
1930 Y Cranberry White Alphanumerics
1931 Y Green White Alphanumerics
1932 Y Cranberry White Alphanumerics
1933 Y Green White Alphanumerics
1934 Y Cranberry White Alphanumerics
1935 Y Green White Alphanumerics
1936 Y Cranberry White Alphanumerics
1937 Y Green White Alphanumerics
1938 Y Cranberry White Alphanumerics
1939 Y Green White Alphanumerics
1940 Y Cranberry White Alphanumerics
1941 Y Green White Alphanumerics
1942 Y Cranberry White Alphanumerics
1943 N N/A N/A
1944 N N/A N/A
1945 Y Blue White Alphanumerics
1946 Y Black White Alphanumerics
1947 Y Green White Alphanumerics
1948 Y Cranberry White Alphanumerics
1949 Y Black White Alphanumerics
1950 N N/A N/A
1951 Y Cranberry White Alphanumerics
1952 N N/A N/A
1953 Y Black White Alphanumerics
1954 N N/A N/A
1955 Y Cranberry White Alphanumerics
1956 N N/A N/A
1957 Y Black White Alphanumerics
1958 N N/A N/A
1959 Y Cranberry White Alphanumerics
1960 N N/A N/A
1961 Y Green White Alphanumerics
1962 N N/A N/A
1963 Y Black White Alphanumerics
1964 Y Cranberry White Alphanumerics
1965 N N/A N/A
1966 Y Green White Alphanumerics
1967 Y White Blue Alphanumerics
1968 N N/A N/A
1969 N N/A N/A
1970 Y White Blue Alphanumerics
1971 Y White Blue Alphanumerics
1972 Y White Blue or Red Alphanumerics
1973 Y White Blue or Red Alphanumerics
1974 Y White Red Alphanumerics
1975 Y White Red Alphanumerics
1978 Y White Red Alphanumerics
1979 Y White Red Alphanumerics