Special Interest Plates

[IFBwax]

THE BELOW INFORMATION APPLIES TO OREGON!!!


We had talked about this a few months back when someone was having trouble passing smog. Well my registration for Charlie is due in Feb and I just downloaded the forms and filled them out to get special interest plates.

In case you're wondering the form numbers are #6577 and #268. I'm going to head down to DMV probably tomorrow and see what happens.

My registration would have been $186 this year, plus the hassle of getting it smogged.. then the money for the smog certificate.

Guy on the phone told me the total cost for the Special Interest plate and registration is $93 dollars and IT'S GOOD FOR LIFE!!!!!!!

If anyone else has done this before me, let me know!!!!

Wish me luck.

Wayno

[Westy78]

I'm due in March. I'll let you be trail blazer. I hope it's as easy as it sounds.

[Mike Boell]

IFBwax,
That is how my bus is licensed. There are two ways you can go. First, you can maintain your original plates if they pass DMV inspection and you get a small special interest sticker in place of the year sticker. Or two, you get new plates that say special interest vehicle. It is a one time fee.
I don't think there is any regulation on how many miles you drive but with special interest you are saying it is not your daily driver and it is used for shows, events, that sort of thing. I kept my original plates and went with the sticker. The special interest plates stuck out too much for me making it harder to fly under the rador on those sunny days you just feel like driving the bus.
Mike

[vdubyah73]

aren't the sunny day drives the definition of special interest? i'm pretty sure i looked it up once, thre was picture of bus toodling down a country lane under a nearly cloudless sky, the few clouds in sight looked like fantastical creatures and shtuff

[Mike Boell]

aren't the sunny day drives the definition of special interest?

They are in my book, especially when you live in Oregon.

I'm just saying I'd stick with the sticker and stay way from the special interest plates. I don't want to draw attention where it is not needed.
Mike

[IFBwax]

IFBwax,
That is how my bus is licensed. There are two ways you can go. First, you can maintain your original plates if they pass DMV inspection and you get a small special interest sticker in place of the year sticker. Or two, you get new plates that say special interest vehicle. It is a one time fee.
I don't think there is any regulation on how many miles you drive but with special interest you are saying it is not your daily driver and it is used for shows, events, that sort of thing. I kept my original plates and went with the sticker. The special interest plates stuck out too much for me making it harder to fly under the rador on those sunny days you just feel like driving the bus.
Mike

Hey MIke.. did you fill out the form for new plates and then just asked for the sticker? I'd like to keep my plates if possible. Thanks!

[Mike Boell]

Hey MIke.. did you fill out the form for new plates and then just asked for the sticker? I'd like to keep my plates if possible. Thanks!

IFBwax,
I forgot to mention one thing. The DMV may not consider your bus old enough to be a special interest vehicle. We brought along something showing we were a member of the Wet Westies camping group just in case they needed something.
We did not fill out a form for new plates. We brought our plates in for inspection and told them we wanted special interest tags and that the vehicle was used only for events.
Hope this helps.
Mike

[IFBwax]

Hey thanks Mike.. yeah it's old enough. Only has to be 25 years old.

[kiltgy]

PLEASE keep this updated. I am up in February as well (but, being a '74, I don't need to do the smog check).

[deschutestrout]

so to confirm. this is like a lifetime registration? no more paying to register after getting the sticker?

[Westy78]

so to confirm this is like a lifetime registration? no more paying to register after getting the sticker?

That's how I understood it.

[IFBwax]

So I paid my $94 bucks after waiting about an hour at the DMV. They would not let me keep my plates though. They didn't know about the sticker that could go over regular plates. So they gave me a temporary sticker and said new plate is in the mail. I'll let you know when I get it. But yep... that's the last time I have to register Charlie and no more SMOG CHECKS!!! Woot.

[sped372]

We have Collector Plates here in WI that sound about the same. Not having an annual renewal is great.

[Mike Boell]

[quote="IFBwax"] They would not let me keep my plates though. They didn't know about the sticker that could go over regular plates. So they gave me a temporary sticker and said new plate is in the mail. I'll let you know when I get it. quote]

IFBwax,
I'm sorry you had to give up your original plates.
I have been in contact with Don and Tamara Brown who operate <oregonplates@bendbroadband.com> in Bend, Oregon. I contacted them checking on the cost of having my original plates restored. They confirmed that I can keep my original plates and go with the special interest sticker which is what I currently have, only, my plates are not restored.
I'll take a picture of the sticker I was assigned and post it here later.
Mike

[IFBwax]

Mike thanks for the info. I'm sure it all depends on which agent you walk up to and how well they know the rules. I didn't want to push it after being there for over an hour already and then have her start to hold up the whole process so I just went with it as that's what I'd originally planned anyway. Pickle's plates are coming up in another year, maybe I can find out more about what to say or what bylaw allows you to keep your plates. Also my plates are not original, they are crater lake custom's which supposedly require a fee every year just for those plates so that may have been part of it too.

I'm still jazzed about this though. Getting through DEQ every 2 years is an experience I'd rather not have to do if I don't have to.