California blue plates Options

[TP914]

Anyone had luck reassigning original blue California license plates, back on their
Vehicle ? I have both plates and title, showing they are from my car. I had not no luck at AAA or the DMV.

[fiacra]

Anyone had luck reassigning original blue California license plates, back on their
Vehicle ? I have both plates and title, showing they are from my car. I had not no luck at AAA or the DMV.

There is no easy mechanism for getting the original plate reassigned after the car has fallen out of the system or been re-titled out of state and then brought back into California. They will allow this for collector's cars under "special circumstances" but it is not clear how that is defined and DMV employees are often confused about what the specifics of this program are. You might try calling the DMV to speak to a specialist. Alternatively you can put the same plates back on the car through the year of manufacture program. Easy to do, but does cost $45 and then $10 per year added on to your registration. Just did that with a pair of black character on yellow background CA plates for my 1962 VW ragtop (not the original plates). Be sure to keep all the documentation to prove that these were the original plates. Not for the DMV, but for when/if you sell the car as it does matter to some people. Links below to both the specific sections of the DMV industry procedures covering YOM plates, as well as the appended update to the program to include 1970-1980 vehicles. I seem to recall reading somewhere that the specific year sticker is not needed past 1970, but I can't recall where I saw that. In any case there are reproduction stickers available if you need them.

https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/handbook/vehi...license-plates/

https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/uploads/2020/...Appendix-1E.pdf