TITLING AND REGISTRATION ACROSS THE COUNTRY

According to SEMA, 25 states now have some  favorable legislation in place or pending for titling and registration (or tried) for street rods and custom vehicles, including kit cars and replicas (or have considered same).  Under SEMA’s model legislation, eligible vehicles are titled as the production year they most closely resemble, are required  to meet the equipment standards for that model year and are exempt from periodic vehicle and emissions inspections.  Of course each state has it’s own interpretation.  We thought you’d like to see state-by-state synopsis as well as some recent pending legislation currently being proposed.  If your state isn’t one of the kit-car friendly, progressive states like those shown on this map, we urge you to become involved and encourage your representatives to adopt such laws.  You can find lots of information on the SEMA website, including a list of lawmakers in your area, www.sema.org.

1. Washington: Enacted in 1999 with portions based in the SEMA model bill.
2. Oregon: The SEMA Action Network worked with the department of Environmental Quality to adopt new state regulations that will exempt newly built street rods, custom cars, replicas and assembled vehicles from the state’s mandatory emissions inspection program.
3. California: Enacted in 2001. Allows only 500 specially constructed vehicles each year, including kit cars, to be held to the emission standards for the model year that the body of the vehicle represents.
4. Idaho: Replica vehicle portion of the SEMA model bill enacted in 2007.
5. Nevada: Replica vehicle portion of the SEMA model bill enacted in 2007.
6. Montana: SEMA model bill enacted 2005.
7. Wyoming: SEMA model bill to be reintroduced in 2009.
8. Colorado: SEMA model bill enacted in 2004.  Based on SEMA model,  kit cars are exempted from the state’s emissions inspection program.
9. Kansas: SEMA model bill introduced in 2008.
10. Iowa: SEMA model bill enacted in 2004.
11. Missouri: SEMA model bill enacted in 2004.
12. Arkansas: SEMA model enacted in 2007.
13. Illinois: SEMA model enacted in 2002.
14. Michigan: SEMA model introduced in 2007.
15. Ohio: SEMA model introduced in 2007.
16. Tennessee: Custom vehicle portion of SEMA model enacted in 2008.
17. Florida: SEMA model bill enacted in 2007.
18. Virginia: Custom vehicle portion of SEMA model enacted in 2007.
19. Pennsylvania: “Show Class” vehicle classification based on SEMA model introduced in 2008.
20. New York: SEMA model reintroduced in 2007.
21. Rhode Island: SEMA model Enacted in 2004.
22. Massachusetts: SEMA model reintroduced in 2007.
23. New Hampshire: Custom Vehicle portion of SEMA model introduced in 2008.
24. Maine: custom vehicle portion of SEMA model enacted in 2005.
25. Hawaii: Enacted in 2004.  Portions based on SEMA model.