[caropepe]

With my 2007 FFR Mk III coming up for registration renewal in April - and needing to pass emissions since it's now 5 years old (although only the road since 2009) - now was the time to see how well our state agencies understand SB 5585.

First up, some phone calls & email to see what I was up against. My local licensing agency (the one I've always used) really didn't have a clue. At my request, they called Olympia, but reported that re-titling wasn't allowed, the law applied only new registrations (which is just wrong).

Then I exchanged email with Ballard Licensing. Their response:

The vehicle will have to have a WSP inspection to verify the VIN number and we would have to put the car into a RES (restore) use class. Custom vehicles and street rods are not to be used for daily transportation. They are limited to occasional transportation, exhibitions, club activities, parades, tours and similar uses.

Call the state partrol to make an appointment (425) 401-7730. You would bring the state patrol inspection to us.

Ballard Licensing

Cool - I can work with that! (This also essentially matched an email I received from the DoL in Olympia, almost word-for-word).

I scheduled an appointment with King County WSP in Bellevue for Tuesday at 7:30 AM. The inspector there knew the law, and was wonderful (even giving me a little good-natured verbal abuse for not having a front plate, "Don't get caught!"). She filled out the Certificate of Vehicle Inspection with the comments:

Changing year of vehicle per new custom vehicle law from a 2007 to a 1965.

Today I went back to Ballard Licensing with the WSP certificate and my old title. 10 minutes and $124.00 later I was walking out with a temporary collector vehicle plate and registration. The new plate should be here in about a week.

Very much a painless process. Thanks to everyone here and SEMA for making this possible!

Joe