Its about time!   Calfornia State Assembly Bill # 462 was fully passed October 11, 2007 and will take effect July 1, 2009.  It will allow year of manufacture license plates to be utilized on vehicles 1969 and older, or the owner of a commercial vehicle or pickup truck 1972 or older, and increase the fee to $45.  The entire text of the amended DMV section law is below.  Basically what the amended law does is allow YOM use of the 1963 series, California, steel, black and yellow license plates and the 1970 series, six and seven diget blue and yellow aluminum license plates for commercial vehicles and pickup trucks 1972 or older.  This opens up two classic and important California series of license plates to include YOM for rare and inportant 1960's and early 1970 vehicles.  This is absolutely fabulous because AB 462 provides YOM plate use for all the 60's muscle cars, Mustangs, Corvettes and in my case, the rare 1967 VW Bug.

The 1963 series black, steel, plates, has "63" stamped in the upper right hand corner of these plates.  This area of the plate was covered by a year sticker in 1964.  1963 series was the last of the California steel license plates. Some of the last, very late, 1969 issues of the 1963 series steel plates were made of aluminum.  The 1970 series replacement plates were aluminum, six digit, medium blue and yellow digit configuration, increasing to seven digets in 1972 and was the first time Californians were able to get a personalized seven digit license plate at extra cost.  The most sought after plate at the time was PORSCHE.

The 1963 series six digit, steel plate was configured beginning with three letters followed by three numbers.  The 1970 series, aluminum plate was configured beginning with three numbers followed by three letters.

The 1963-69 series plate began alphabetically, with three letters beginning with AAA and ending in 1969 with approximately ZZW.  Consequently, you can reasonably estimate the approximate year the plate was issued by the beginning three letters.  For example, a plate beginning with D,E, F, G or H would have been isued in 1964.  T, U or V would have been issued in 1967.  W and X, 1968, Y and Z, 1969 and so on.  So now, an entire era of great classic cars can run registered, correct year, original California plates and stickers (if you can find them). 

YOM plate transfer and retention rules appear to remain the same, so you can take the plates with you if you plan to put them on the same year vehicle.  I think this is a great change and about time.  I am not an expert but tried to get it right as best I know.  This needed amendment to the YOM section was cultivated and driven by several dedicated car club members who spent real time going after it in Sacramento.  My thanks to the Alfa Romeo Association of Northern California and others. 

Jerry,  Santa Rosa.

BILL NUMBER: AB 462 CHAPTERED
BILL TEXT

CHAPTER  497
FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE  OCTOBER 11, 2007
APPROVED BY GOVERNOR  OCTOBER 11, 2007
PASSED THE SENATE  AUGUST 30, 2007
PASSED THE ASSEMBLY  SEPTEMBER 5, 2007
AMENDED IN SENATE  JULY 17, 2007
AMENDED IN SENATE  JULY 10, 2007
AMENDED IN SENATE  JUNE 20, 2007
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  JUNE 1, 2007
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MARCH 27, 2007

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Villines
   (Coauthors: Assembly Members Galgiani, Horton, Lieber, and
Solorio)

                        FEBRUARY 20, 2007

   An act to amend Section 5004.1 of the Vehicle Code, relating to
vehicles.



LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 462, Villines. Vehicle: license plates.
   Under existing law, an owner of a vehicle that is a 1962 or older
model-year vehicle may, under specified circumstances, utilize
license plates of this state with the date of year corresponding to
the model-year date when the vehicle was manufactured. A fee of $35
is required to be charged for the application for the use of these
special plates.
   This bill instead would authorize this option for the owner of a
vehicle that is a 1969 or older model-year or the owner of a
commercial vehicle or pickup truck that is a 1972 or older
model-year. The bill would also increase the amount of the
application fee to $45.
   The changes made by the bill would become operative on July 1,
2009.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 5004.1 of the Vehicle Code is amended to read:
   5004.1.  (a) (1) Subject to paragraph (3), an owner of a vehicle
that is a 1969 or older model-year vehicle or the owner of a
commercial vehicle or a pickup truck that is a 1972 or older
model-year may, after the requirements for the registration of the
vehicle are complied with and with the approval of the department,
utilize license plates of this state with the date of year
corresponding to the model-year date when the vehicle was
manufactured, if the model-year date license plate is legible and
serviceable, as determined by the department, in lieu of the license
plates otherwise required by this code.
   (2) The department may consult with an organization of old car
hobbyists in determining whether the date of year of the license
plate corresponds to the model-year date when the vehicle was
manufactured.
   (b) A fee of forty-five dollars ($45) shall be charged for the
application for the use of the special plates.
   (c) In addition to the regular renewal fee for the vehicle for
which the plates are authorized, the applicant for a renewal of the
plates shall be charged an additional fee of ten dollars ($10). When
payment of a regular vehicle renewal fee is not required by this
code, the holder of license plates with a date corresponding to the
model-year may retain the plates upon payment of an annual fee of
twenty dollars ($20), that shall be due at the expiration of the
registration year of the vehicle to which the plates were last
assigned under this section.
   (d) Whenever a person who is authorized to utilize the special
license plates applies to the department for transfer of the plates
to another vehicle, a transfer fee of twelve dollars ($12) shall be
charged in addition to all other appropriate fees.
  SEC. 2.  This act shall become operative on July 1, 2009.