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
- Alphanumerics were not used on passenger plates until 1949
- Only one plate is needed (if that is all that is available)
- Truck plates had a “B” prefix from 1911
- Plates issued in 1903 - 1915 were porcelain enamel over steel
- Plates issued in 1903 - 1907, were the same and UNDATED; only lettering was inscribed at the top “ Mass Automobile Register”
- Plates issued in 1916 - 1919, were FLAT steel, had no embossed numbers, and no raised border
- If no plate was issued in a particular year, a plate from the previous year can be used, but not a plate from a following year
- Some plates issued in 1942 have WHITE alphanumerics on a GREEN background
- 1966 was the last year that Massachusetts dated license plates
- Undated plates (1967 and up) do not need a registration sticker indicating the Year of Manufacture of the vehicle or the year of original issuance of the plate
- When a Year of Manufacture registration is voluntarily cancelled, the plate(s) do not have to be surrendered to the RMV
Policies
- 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.
- The plate must be physically presented to the Registrar or designee for inspection and approval.
- The plate can contain no more than six (6) characters.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.)
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 |