The definitive QQ/Collector's Registration thread

[WildBillyT]

I am going for my QQ registration for the Nova and when I searched on here there was a lot of conflicting information.

Here is what it says on the DMV's web site.

Collector vehicles
Effective September 1, 2007

To be classified as a "collector vehicle" you need to apply when you register and make sure that the vehicle is:
A limited production vehicle or a vehicle made in limited quantities
Less than 25 years old
Not registered as a "historic vehicle" or a "street rod"
Not driven more than 3,000 miles per year
Insured as a limited use "collector vehicle"
To be classified as a collector vehicle, your vehicle cannot be registered as a "historic vehicle" or a "street rod." Download our fact sheet [23k pdf] for more information.

Vehicles applying for collector vehicle status must be approved by MVC. Follow these steps to apply:
Complete the collector vehicle application [41k pdf]
Submit a letter from the vehicle manufacturer, recognized car club or a collector organization attesting to the vehicle’s limited production status. Must be printed on official letterhead
Show proof of limited-use insurance
Include photographs of front, driver side, passenger side and rear of the vehicle
Mail all materials and photos to:

Motor Vehicle Commission
Collector Vehicle Status
I/M Support Unit
P.O. Box 680
Trenton, NJ 08666-0680

Applications can only be processed through the mail and will take approximately two weeks. Once you receive an approval letter from the MVC, take the original letter with raised seal, the original application, and $25 (check, money order, credit card or cash) to any MVC Agency to purchase a collector vehicle status voucher which will be issued immediately.

Call (609) 633-9474 or 9472 for additional information.

Vehicles exempt from inspection
RELATED LINKSCollector Car application [pdf] Certain vehicles are exempt from inspections, but they do vary, so be sure to check what is required for yours.

The following vehicles are exempt from diesel emission inspection requirements:
Contractor equipment in transit
Farm vehicles
Vehicles operated by a county, municipality, fire district, or duly incorporated non-profit organization and used for first aid, emergency, ambulance, rescue or fire-fighting purposes

Historic vehicles
General inspections are not required for historic or collector vehicles. To be classified as a "historic vehicle" it must be:
At least 25 years old
Specially registered and display QQ plates (1945 and earlier models are required to displayone plateon the rear of the vehicle. 1946 and newer models will be issued two plates and both plates must be displayed, 1 on the front and one on the back of the vehicle).

Collector vehicles
To be classified as a "collector vehicle" you need to apply when you register and make sure that the vehicle:
Is not registered as a "historic vehicle" or a "street rod"
Is not driven more than 3,000 miles per year
Is insured as a limited use "collector vehicle"
To qualify for an exemption:
Visit an MVC Agency to purchase a voucher for a special decal to mark the vehicle exempt from safety and emission inspection; fee is $25 for an initial voucher and $10 to renew
Take the collector vehicle to a State Inspection Station where the inspector will verify the odometer reading
You must provide approval letter from the MVC I/M Support. Vehicle must be prequalified as a collector vehicle
Submit completed application to:


Motor Vehicle Commission
Collector Vehicle
P.O. Box 016
Trenton, NJ 08666-0016

However there is no information on getting QQ tags. For those of you that have done it, please fill me in. I need the information myself and then I'm going to clean up this thread and make it a sticky in the resto section.

Firsthand knowledge only please! Don't say you know a guy who blah blah. That stuff is all over this and other forums. I just want to get as concrete a description as I can for easy future reference.

[JL8Jeff]

You will need to register it as historic since it's more than 25 years old. Make sure you have the title signed over properly, previous owner registration helps if they were willing to give it to you, do a pencil tracing of the VIN tag on the dash, if you can get a bill of sale from the previous owner and have it notarized it will make it a lot easier at dmv(if the vehicle is from out of this country, they will want it notarized from that country), they want pictures of the car both from the outside and the interior and try to get pictures of the dash/gauges to show nothing has been altered. I can't remember for sure, but if the car is a project, they might want it to be 80-90% finished(I might be mixing that up with the collectors insurance requirements). Take at least 2 checks to dmv downtown Trenton because they will want separate payments for the tax to the state and the registration/title for dmv. If the vehicle is from out of the country, it gets tougher as you need import papers, and other paperwork.

[BonzoHansen]

It is easiest to go to Trenton.

[79CamaroDiva]

go to trenton, bring all your stuff with you, along with pictures of the vehicle (i don't know why, but i remember needing them). If you try to mail the stuff in it takes forever to get back, much easier just to go to trenton. and you don't go to the main office, you go to the other one around the corner from it.

[BonzoHansen]

Yes, pics. And it is not the main building, it is another building. Call and ask.

[LS1Hawk]

I don't understand this:

"Take the collector vehicle to a State Inspection Station where the inspector will verify the odometer reading. You must provide approval letter from the MVC I/M Support. Vehicle must be prequalified as a collector vehicle. Submit completed application to..."

Anytime I had my collector vehicle (the Firehawk) re-inspected, I just give the inspector the decal, he checks the odometer, slaps a new sticker on and off I go. I never heard anything about approval letters or sending in an application. Is this a new rule of some sort?

[BonzoHansen]

that is new and for new apps. If you already have CR then you are ok.

[BigAls87Z28]

Collector and History are two very different things

QQ plates are for Historic cars. You will need 3 pictures, 1 of the front, 1 of the back, and 1 of the interior.
I went to Trenton, and probably spent about 30 mins total, with plates.

[BonzoHansen]

I only needed 2 pics for QQ plates.

Billy, call them.

[PolarBear]

Billy, Maybe you should call them

[sweetbmxrider]

sorry to hijack but i am looking at an 82 isuzu I-mark diesel. would this qualify as a historic vehicle? i know its more than 25 years old but it wasn't limited production or anything. same process as above? thanks guys

[BonzoHansen]

Originally Posted by sweetbmxrider

sorry to hijack but i am looking at an 82 isuzu I-mark diesel. would this qualify as a historic vehicle? i know its more than 25 years old but it wasn't limited production or anything. same process as above? thanks guys

QQ plates. But you'd have to get collectors insurance and can't drive it everyday. So what the hell is the point.

[WildBillyT]

Originally Posted by BonzoHansen

QQ plates. But you'd have to get collectors insurance and can't drive it everyday. So what the hell is the point.

And he is probably too young for insurance coverage... and if he has a number of moving violations or a reckless on his record within the past 7 years they won't write him (or at least Hagerty will not).

[BigAls87Z28]

Historic is any car over 25 years. Collectors is any car that you can show prof its collectible.

[sweetbmxrider]

could the insurance be in my parents name with me as a secondary driver? or does that not fly? odometers can be disconnected/reconnected so mileage limitations

[WildBillyT]

Originally Posted by sweetbmxrider

could the insurance be in my parents name with me as a secondary driver? or does that not fly? odometers can be disconnected/reconnected so mileage limitations

Sure. But then when you have to make a claim they just deny you coverage.

[69RSZ]

Go to trenton,the special plate division is on the left after you make the left onto main st. Make sure you have pics of the car from each corner showing the car, They will want to see them.Bring your TITLE and your license, tell them you would like a historic registration application and plates.you will get them there.I pay cash so bring 45.00 with you at least,im not sure if the price went up this year.Also bring insurance card,they may ask for that also but you have to put the policy number on the reg application,Good luck. P.S. have someone go with you so they can find a parking spot for the car while you go inside to take care of business!!

[sweetbmxrider]

Originally Posted by WildBillyT

Sure. But then when you have to make a claim they just deny you coverage.

really? why is that?

[BonzoHansen]

Ron! He knows it by heart!

Originally Posted by sweetbmxrider

could the insurance be in my parents name with me as a secondary driver? or does that not fly? odometers can be disconnected/reconnected so mileage limitations

Most CC insurance wants 25+ drivers with no points.

Originally Posted by sweetbmxrider

really? why is that?

For that scenario they may pay & cancel. And getting canceled makes it hard to get insurance sometimes. But technically that may constitute insurance fraud, which is now a felony in NJ. And if you read a policy it usually states there is no coverage when the vehicle is used outside of the policy terms. Like hagerty won't pay me if I hit the wall at Atco if I did it racing. If I hit a pit wall I'm ok. It is clearly spelled out in the policy docs.

Plus if they do deny coverage, then your folks are on the hook! Nice.

Stop being an ass, liability is like $500 for that POS.

Originally Posted by BigAls87Z28

Historic is any car over 25 years. Collectors is any car that you can show prof its collectible.

..and is not eligible for QQ...so the car for CR must be <25 years old at the time of the initial application.

[sweetbmxrider]

Originally Posted by BonzoHansen

Stop being an ass, liability is like $500 for that POS.

not for me

i'd probably just insure it as a main car. can my 95 z28 be eligible for collector's? its not an ss or anything special

[Knipps]

Originally Posted by sweetbmxrider

not for me

i'd probably just insure it as a main car. can my 95 z28 be eligible for collector's? its not an ss or anything special

a year or 2 ago, yes. Now? No.

[sweetbmxrider]

yeah thats what i thought....damn

[BigAls87Z28]

Yeah, the deffiniton for collectors car was very loose.
Cleaning my room last weekend, I found the collectors reg form for the 87 I filled out 5 years ago.

[WildBillyT]

In case anybody was wondering about the Trenton DMV and historic reg:

Contrary to what you may be told over the phone, and what other DMV offices may tell you, you cannot go to Trenton on a Saturday and get a historic reg. They are closed on the weekends.

[Featherburner]

Hey Bill, Trenton MVC is closed on weekends.