Obtaining a custom or antique vehicle registration in Florida is a procedure that owners of such cars need to complete in order to legally operate their motor vehicles on public roads. The antique or custom car registration process must be completed through the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) department.

Vehicle owners need to register a custom car or antique vehicle by satisfying the specific registration requirements and submitting the necessary documents at a local FLHSMV branch. In addition to the required paperwork, motorists will be also required to pay certain fees for their custom or antique license plates. For more information about how to register an antique car or what are the steps for registering a custom car in Florida, continue reading the sections below.

Definition of a Custom or Antique Vehicle in Florida

Prior to registering an antique car or a custom-built vehicle in Florida, motorists are encouraged to get familiar with the difference between these types of vehicles and the specific requirements that they must satisfy.

Licensed Florida drivers can apply for an FL antique vehicle registration and special vintage license plates if the car they own is for private use, is at least 30 years old and has been manufactured after 1945. Vehicles that are used for private purposes and manufactured in 1945 or in the previous years will be considered ancient vehicles.

Owners of ancient vehicles may obtain special horseless carriage license plates. Custom car registrations, on the other hand, are needed for vehicles 25 years old or more and date from the years after 1948, or for cars that were manufactured with the purpose to resemble such vehicles.

Drivers may also apply for a custom vehicle registration when they own street rods. A street rod is a car from the year 1948 or older or manufactured in order to look like the vehicles from that age. Both the custom vehicles and the street rods may be modified from the original model and may have a body re-manufactured from non-original materials.

This is the main characteristic that differentiates custom-built cars from antique vehicles.

Steps in the Florida Custom Vehicle Registration Process

Obtaining a Florida custom car registration may be completed by visiting a local FLHSMV office and providing the required requirements. Vehicle owners can register custom cars or street rods by completing the following steps:

• Complete a registration application.
• Provide payment for the license tax and a processing fee of $3.
• Provide a written statement that the vehicle will be used only for occasional transportation, parades, tours, exhibitions and club activities and not for personal use.

The classic license plates for custom-built cars or street rods will be divided into separate series, beginning with either “Custom Vehicle 1” or “Street Rod 1”. In addition, vehicles that are registered as custom cars or street rods will be exempt from emission inspection.

Steps in the Florida Antique License Plates Registration Process

Owners of antique or ancient vehicles will be required to apply for FL antique license plates at a nearby FLHSMV office. They will have to provide a completed application form and payment for the license tax in order to get special license plates for their vehicles.

These classic license plates will begin with “Antique No. 1”, while the ancient vehicle plates will commence with “Horseless Carriage No. 1”.

Fees to Register a Custom or Antique Vehicle in Florida

The final step in the procedure for custom or antique vehicle registration in Florida is to submit payment for the applicable fees. Drivers who are registering an antique car will be required to pay a fee of $7.50.

However, owners of custom cars or street rods are required to contact their local DMV office in order to find out the exactly what they need to pay in order to register custom cars.

Note: Vehicle owners who renew their antique or custom vehicle registration are also required to renew car registrations for their standard passenger vehicles.

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