Thread: Thinking about buying a HotRod in NJ

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Originally Posted by rspears

66vette, I'd go visit your NJ DMV and pose the question to them regarding any inspections or special requirements that you can expect, bringing in a car previously registered in another state. Like Bill pointed out I would think it might make a difference how it's registered now in Wisconsin, but I also know that if it's registered as a vintage car now, but it's not truly vintage (fiberglass reproduction, or even Brookville steel on repro rails) and you bring it into Kansas chances are it will be re-registered as an assembled vehicle in the year of construction, or 2015 if you cannot show the construction information to their satisfaction. It will then be taxed as a newer vehicle. Your DMV will decide the rules you'll play by, IMO.

NJ is not Kansas and is a "reciprocal" state. By that, I mean they will take the other states title at face value, just as long as the words "assembled vehicle" or "kit" are not branded on the other states title. If either is, then they will flag it, and you'll have to go through the "kit car" process. Not difficult to do (and the car is emissions exempt at that point for life) , but a pain as the OP will have to trailer the car down to the Asbury Park (since Morristown is permanently closed after 11 feet of Hurricane Sandy sewage/flood waters) specialty inspection station for it's initial safety inspection.

However, once the OP responds to how the current title reads, we can then guide him further.

Bill S.

PS: NJ no longer has annual safety inspections, just emissions inspections so that they do not lose their Federal funding. Yet has a program in place for scratch built, never titled, highly modified vehicles (hot rods, race cars, lifted vehicles, etc).