An "original black plate California car" is a car which has been registered
continuously in California since new, or at least since 1963 if older than
that, and is still wearing the original plates that were issued for it when
it or the plates were new.
There is an exception in that a car which has gone unregistered for a period
of time may be re-registered to the original plates (but not to any other
"black plate") if the current owner has proof of the fact that the
particular plates are the ones that came on the car new (either when the car
was new, if newer than 1963, or when the plates were new, if the car is a
1963 or older). The required proof is any California DMV form showing that
both the VIN and the license plate number match this car and plate, issued
anytime after 1963.
Generally, this means the car will have no rust, and has not been sold out
of state, although there is always the possibility that the car was taken
out of state for a while, but retained the original California plate. Many
people, including me, consider it a big plus when a car has its original
plates, because it usually means the car has not changed hands many times in
its life, and can be expected to have been well maintained. Of course none
of this is a substitute for careful inspection of a car - there are always a
few cars which were abused, or lived near the beaches etc.
Dick Benjamin
----- Original Message -----
From: <jdmoran2@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, March 26, 2003 8:19 AM
Subject: IML: "Black Plate"
> Good Morning!
>
> Could someone explain this term, ie. meaning etc. for me?. I guess it
dates me that I'm not familiar
> with it.
>
> Thanks much!!
>
> John Moran
>
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