Provides that historical vehicles manufactured without a front number plate display area need only display such a plate on the rear of the vehicle

BILL NUMBER:S5319

Title of bill

An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to authorizing certain historical motor vehicles to display a number plate only on the rear of the vehicle

Purpose

To allow for historical motor vehicles not manufactured with a number plate display area on the front of the vehicle to display such number plate on the back of the vehicle only.

Summary of provisions

Section 1 amends paragraph (a) of subdivision 1 of section 402 of the vehicle and traffic law, as amended by chapter 109 of the laws of 2005.

Section 2 sets forth the effective date.

Justification

Requiring owners of historical motor vehicles to affix number plates to the front of their vehicles, where the manufacturer included no such number plate display area, damages the vehicle and decreases the vehicle's market value.

Classic and historical cars are collected by many New Yorkers for, in some instances, nostalgic reasons, as well as for the vehicle's aesthet- ics, rarity, and historical significance. These vehicles often increase in value as they age, serving as an investment for the vehicle's owner. These vehicles which were manufactured without a front number plate area should not be required to have front license plates that will cause damage to the vehicle such that the vehicle's value would be decreased.

This bill would help eliminate the devaluing of classic and historical cars that were manufactured more than 25 years before the current calen- dar year by preventing damage to the vehicle by allowing them to be affixed with a single rear number plate.

Legislative history

New Bill.

Fiscal implications

None.

Effective date

This act shall take effect on the 1st of January.