Today I received a Tennessee Antique license for my T. Since it was a long, round-about ordeal, I hope telling about it will be instructive to some who are having similar troubles, perhaps in other states. Here goes:
Tennessee does not require emissions testing in order to get a license plate, but some municipalities within the state do, including Memphis where I live.
When I went to the License Bureau (a State agency) with a filled-out application for an Antique license, I was told the vehicle needed to be inspected. The inspection includes lights, wipers, etc. and emissions.
I went to the Vehicle Inspection Station. After all the gawking and commenting and creation of a phantom VIN number for my vehicle (a sticker on the windshield that they can read with a scanner), the fellow tried to stick a probe into the tailpipe to measure emissions, then reported to me that he couldn't get a satisfactory reading because "there isn't a tailpipe." He opined that he didn't think an antique needed to pass the emissions test anyway, but the computer spit out a "FAILED" form. He advised me to go back to the License bureau and explain that the equipment couldn't measure my emissions, and see if they would overlook the "Failed".
The License Bureau demurred, claiming that only someone at the "main office" downtown had the authority to ignore a FAILED.
Off I went to the downtown office, $6.00 to park,etc. Stood in line for an hour, and then was told that only "Miss Linda, over there", could overrule a FAILED.
Meanwhile, on my earlier post, a T'er from Sweden had sent me a link to the Memphis City Code of Ordinances, which I printed out, and which clearly state that Antique vehicles are exempt from emissions testing.
Miss Linda was not impressed. She said she worked for a State agency, and the rule that ALL vehicles register inside Memphis must pass emissions test was a City ordinance, and even though I showed her the City Code which said otherwise, she couldn't help me. She did, however, give me the name of the Head of the Inspection Bureau.
Off to the Main Inspection Station, in downtown Memphis. Mr. McBride was on vacation.
Back there this morning, after calling to make sure he was in.
EASY! He simply printed me another Inspection Report saying the vehicle had PASSED all the tests. He also stated unequivocally that both Tennessee State law and Memphis City Code clearly state that Antique Vehicles are NOT subject to emissions testing. Period. And he didn't have any idea why I had been given so much flak.
Back to the License Bureau this afternoon. By the luck of the draw, I got the same clerk I had gotten twice before in this saga. He said, "I KNEW you'd be here today!" I asked how he knew, and he said, "You should SEE the emails we have gotten on this subject today! We have been reprimanded for giving you flak, and told that in no instance was an Antique Vehicle to be required to have emissions tests - complete with legal and code chapters, verses, and line numbers."
I walked out with the license. No further problem.
So, what's the lesson?
I suppose it's "Keep trying." And check your State and City Codes. If Tennessee and Memphis have their laws on-line, I suspect almost every State and large city do as well. It sure saves them printing expense, if nothing else.
And now I have a VIN number! It means nothing, but I have one!
Peter,
Congrats! You must be in Memphis? Those of us in the middle part of the state have no such issues.
However! - Don't tell then you have a cut off touring/pickup truck! That apparently meets the definition of "modified" and denies the issuance of an antique tag or use of a YOM tag. So the YOM tag is on the spare tire carrier, and the regular annually paid for tag is on the back.
Spare tire rack mounted on left side.
Sorry the tag is cut off in this one but its a regular tag like my other vehicles.
Modified means modified! I even had her car Nashville and got the same answer! Ha!