How to get Calif DMV clearance for classic plates

[jyinger]

I have a pair of 1947 plates 17 G *** that I purchased several years ago. No way to contact the former owner. Now I find that they still show up on the Calif DMV database and so cannot be used used (with '49 tags) on my 1949 Cadillac Coupe DeVille.

Any suggestions on how to proceed?

Jon Yinger  CLC#26643
]
1949 Fleetwood (2)
1949 Coupe DeVille (2)
1949 Convertible
1952 Fleetwood
1958 Eldorado Brougham

[jsanford]

YOM plates must be "Clear" to be used, your plates are not "Clear" therefore they can be hung in your garage, or something, but cannot be assigned to a car. If the seller told you they were clear, he either lied, or they were clear at that time, but have since been assigned to a vehicle.

Jeremy

[TJ Hopland]

So these plates were apparently previously registered under some sort of a classic program?   This program must be some sort of a lifetime thing?  Presumably the car they were on was sold and left the state so that was why the were removed from the car and the seller didn't not complete the process with the state of CA?

[Ken Perry]

Long shot,but I have heard of people finding the person with the plat numbers and letters and buying them out.Getting them to turn in those plates !  Ken Perry

[Glen]

Back in the day over here new license plates were issued with the same number as the previous year.  It looks to me that someone got at least two issues of the same number plate and sold them.  The other owner may have the next issue plates on their car. 

[Mike Simmons 938]

My DMV  experience was that the CA  plate I wished to clear ( a 1929 plate) was in use by a motorcycle in LA. It's a fair bet that plates up through the early 40s at least, have relatively few numbers compared to modern plates-and they are more likely to be found on the small motorcycle plates. I am still waiting for this dork to crash and free up the number.
Mike Simmons 938

[gene harl]

Hi... Talk to this lady... Donna Leek ,, 530-320-5708.. she knows the right people at the DMV .. her ad for registration services is in Cruisin  News.. a  Sacramento mag.... I have used her..   good luck..
Gene Harl

[J. Bice CLC #24805]

It's probably used as a motorcycle license plate number, which are currently similar. (as Mike said). PM or email me the plate number and I can check it for you. In some cases, the plate will take 7 years to drop out of the system if the number is no longer used (so after the dork crashes, Mike, the clock starts then, LOL). I have a pair of 37 plates I'm waiting to sell that have a few more years in the system.

[TJ Hopland]

When they become 'classic' plates is there any annual confirmation required that they are still 'in use'?

[J. Bice CLC #24805]

The plate number itself would need to be attached to a vehicle record to prevent its potential random use as a modern plate number. Otherwise, you must place a "retention" on the plate number EVERY year at $20/year. I attached the form below (DMV REG352). Depending on the plate number you want retained, it might be worth it to roll the dice and assume it won't be used. Since most YOM plates are six digit (not all though), we only need to worry about motorcycle numbers. Current M/C plates are one digit, one letter, four digits (ex "1A2345"). If your classic plate is "AB1234" or another odd number configuration for instance, you would probably have nothing to worry about.

[jsanford]

Since most YOM plates are six digit (not all though), we only need to worry about motorcycle numbers.

Many of the CA "Special Interest" plates that have become popular are 6 character plates. Firefighter, Collegiate, 9/11 Memorial, Kids, Arts, etc all get 3 letter/3 number combos if the customer chooses sequential plates.

Jeremy

[J. Bice CLC #24805]

Very true, those have exploded in the last 10-15 years. There's a plate for almost every interest now and a percentage goes to the non-profit. Most of those plates are not in the 1A2345 configuration that conflicts with older plates, though there are always exceptions (in reality the special interest plates would have the same problem of conflicting with m/c numbers). It comes down to there is always the possibility of a number configuration on your old plate being used unless you retain it each year. I've seen a lot of older CA plates and I would say of all the conflicting numbers I've seen 99% have been from motorcycle plates.