If you were issued the original title of a vehicle which had the 63 black plates and you still have that vehicle and title the plates can stay on the car. Otherwise when the car changes hands OR gets retitled, the 63 plates come off.

New license plates used to be issued every year until WWII in California.

But because of metal shortages, after WWII, you just recieved a metal tag to fit over the year number on the plate - YOU GOT A NEW YEARS METAL TAB EVERY YEAR WHEN YOU REREGISTERED THE VEHICLE.

Metal Tabs were used in conjunction with the CA Black 1951 plates through 1955 to show that the vehicle was properly registered for that year.

In 1957 Stickers replaced the Metal Tabs on the Gold 1956 plates, AND THEY WERE ISSUED EVERY YEAR AT RE-REGISTRATION.

However, NOW with the YOM program, all you need to have is the proper year plate with the correct metal tag (on the black 1951 plates those would be from 52-55) and that is mounted perminently over the "51" on the Black plate as the correct YOM identifier.

Or, you need the gold 1956 plate, with the correct year STICKER for your vehicle (those stickers ranging from 57 to 62) and NOW that one year sticker is left on the plate perminently to show the correct YOM.

In addition to that, you MUST ALSO have the current year and month registration stickers which are usually mounted on metal tabs also attached to the mounting bolts because there is no space for them on the older plates.

In your case you could only use the 56 plate with the 62 sticker on it in the YOM program IF your vehicle was a 1962 vehicle. But since you are putting them on a 56 you are lucky because you can just remove all the stickers and use the 56 plate on your 56 vehicle with no stickers.

 

more info, '45/'46 (tab) was the only years you were given a single plate, 1944 you got a window sticker for registration, '43 was a "V" for victory tab, '42 was a strip along the top of the whole plate. 1948 was the start for tabs (on a '47 plate). as i understand it you should be able to run the '63 plates if you have registration proof that they were on the truck (you MUST have 2, they won't re register with only 1).....go to another dmv......also vehicles fall of the computer after 5 years. julie is correct as to the yom only needing one sticker and regular registration was a new sticker each year.

 

My 37 Airflow came with 63-69 plates. I had the title with those plates on it. I was able to re-register the vehicle with the plates because they were on the title.

By the way, here's a small tidbit about annual tags for 51-55 plates. You'd need two if you have a pair. The tags has a number stamped into them similar to the numbers on the current annual tags. If your truck has a pair of 51-55 plates, then you'd need two tags. I have a lot of 52 tags and have found a matching pair numbered tags.

 

But did you get a new title or keep the signed original? If you got a new title and re registered, then they would normally have taken the 63 plates. Moral of the story is it's not an exact science because the DMV workers are a little short in the YOM and antique Plate department.

On the Metal tags and stickers, there were two issued each year - one front and one back. So what Ilya is saying is 100% true except for 1954 & 55, for some weird reason they only issued one metal tag for those 2 years. Also, 60-62 only had one sticker (instead of 2 for the other years).

There seem to be more exceptions to the rules than there are rules themselves. That's one reason the DMV workers would prefere to "rubber stamp" your application with "NO" rather than do the research and process it.

 

Nuts!!! I wanted to leave the '62 tags where they are just for the coolness that they were put there 48 years ago and haven't moved since. Don't you think that's cool? I do.

I REALLY don't want to have to remove them.....man what a fishy situation. Thanks for the clarification an my issues.
But I must ask..........are you absolutely-positively-100% sure there is NO way in any case that they'd--if they were being really really nice--somehow let me leave the stickers on there? No way at all(like I'm breaking the law or killing someone or something....? )? I mean, they're just stickers!!!(And I want 'em to stay put)


And one more question: Is there any way that if I took the "56" plates out of my car and said "here I have them" that they could somehow legally take them from me without any reason or compensation and not give them back if I don't go through with using them?

I do NOT want to get these baby's taken away from me because of some technicality that I don't know about and end up defenseless.

 

LOL Actually NO I'm not 100% absolutely, cross my heart, sure they wouldn't let you use the plates with the sticker on them. But that's because the workers at the DMV aren't that sure of the process. The 62 stickers would probably get picked up by the "Board" in Sacremento that is the final approval on whether you can use the plates, and they MAY reject them for that. But, they may miss them or pass them as well. It depends on how observant they are - but they DO scrutinize these requests pretty thoroughly. And as much as I doubt it would ever happen, you might also find the one cop who knows his stuff and knows your truck is a 56 (reads the registration) not a 62 and makes an issue of having 62 stickers on it. I seriously doubt that would happen though especially if the DMV issues you a proper registration for the plates on your truck. That's a DMV error and you being the poor innocent citizen just did what they told you was ok, right? If you did get stopped, and a cop has doubts (like he may think you stole the plates off a 62 and put them on your truck) he may ask you if he can check the VIN to verify it against the one on the registration.

You could try it with the 62 sticker on it, I guess, and see what they do. Worst thing that could happen is they reject it because of the sticker and then you will know if you will "get away" with it or not. And if not then you are right back where you are today - deciding on whether or not you want to pul the stickers off.

One last thought....You could try and find someone with a 62 car or truck who has 56 plates but not the 62 stickers and needs them. You could probably trade plates and a make a few dollars for your sticker. I'm not sure how much the original stickers would be worth - I'd think at least $50 or more. Ilya would know.

 

Do they record their viewings(the board)?

I'm saying this because let's say I got to the Arvin DMV and show them the plates with the stickers and they tell the board and they say "no". So then I drive to Shafter and tear the stickers off and go through the process there..............is there a way they could say....."hey, we just reviewed these plates earlier and they had stickers.now they don't huh?!?! NO PASS!!"

That's my last question. I think I'm ready to take the chance and get this done with............as soon as my truck is on the road that is.

Thank you so very much for walking me through yet another one of my crazy-complex issues.

 

When you go to the DMV Office, they make a Zerox copy of the plate, take your original application, type a cancellation notice in for your current plates on the truck, issue you a red temporary operating permit - and your $40. Then you go off and drive on the temporary until Sacremento approves or disapproves your request to use the plates.

If they approve it, they send you a notice and a valid registration with the YOM plate number on it. If they disapprove it they send you a letter with a reason and promise to refund your $40 in 30 days. Then, you have to go to the DMV and get NEW plates for your truck (because they cancelled the old ones or th epermit will expire).

Whether or not they keep track of the plates I'm not sure of. BUT with my trailer YOM Plate, I first tried to use it on my BOAT trailer and they rejected it because they said the trailer was "Homebuilt." But 10 months later I used the same plate for my truck trailer (which I was smart enough to register as Ford built instead of Homemade) and they accepted the same plate for use on the truck trailer.

So, I think they take each request on a case by case basis.

Frankly, if you want the plates on the truck I'd do it right rather than trying to make trouble for yourself and take the stickers off in the first place. That's just my opinion though. I guess it's a matter of priorities - being assured of having the cool YOM plates on the truck, or having a cool sticker on a cool plate sitting in the garage.

Edit note: Question - do you have the 62 stickers on BOTH plates or just one (should be just one)? If just one with the sticker, you will have to take both in to prove you have 2 of them. While still quickly showing both plates to the clerk to prove you have 2 of them and slip the one with the sticker back in your notebook or paper work so it can't be seen again. Give her the one without the sticker to photocopy and send to Sacremento. She may not realize that you have given her a little slight of hand because she probably won't know the difference and will be trying to figure out the computer and process. If she's on top of things (DMV?) and asks for the one with the sticker than you'll find out what the board has to say anyway. But understand, you can still get a ticket for having it on the 56 with the 62 sticker or be told to take it off once the plates are mounted - I'd put that one in the front if you do this.

Be smart but act stupid - and thankful!

 

^Yes it's only on one plate. That's not a bad idea at all. Thank you very much for the walkthrough. Hopefully I should be able to get this truck out-n-about within the next week.

 

Sssshhhhhh! Ilya's having a bad influence on me!

 

I re-registered with the original title signed by the previous owner. I don't remember clearly, but I believe that the clerk at the DMV tried to issue the new plates to me. I told her that the vehicle came with these plates and I'd prefer to keep them. I wasn't rude to her, but very stern with my request.

morotbreath, just take a heat gun to your plate and carefully remove the sticker. Then take the plates into DMV. When you get them back, put the sticker back on if you want to. No sense in trying to figure out whether the DMV will accept your plates with the 62 sticker. Remember, you're dealing with the DMV. From my experience, the monkeys at the zoo have more brains and common sense.

 

I don't have one that I know, will shortly holding over a stovetop flame do the job? Not in the flame, but above it to the point where it's still moderately hot, don't want to burn the paint.

Ouch!

 

Sad, but true. And unfortunately they have "the power."