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New York State and Mini trucks

Discussion in 'Suzuki Carry' started by H Privetts, Jan 4, 2020.

  1. Koffer

    Koffer Active Member

    As for inspection, every out of stater just doesn’t worry about it , I know the last one I had I sold it and when the renewal came up they send me the forms to renew the registration so they didn’t seem to care I never had it inspected in their state
     
  2. matt167

    matt167 Active Member

    Antique plates only get one. Congrats it worked for you. Oh and nys can inspect it with VT plates
     
  3. Koffer

    Koffer Active Member

    Didn’t know about the antique only having one in VT , here in NJ you get 2 for antique and no inspection,just have to have it renewed when they send the notice but it’s free every once and awhile
     
  4. H Privetts

    H Privetts Member

    I just checked, they do sometimes send only one plate
     
  5. Duke Selinium

    Duke Selinium New Member

    This thread has been very interesting. Right now, if you call the NYS DMV tech services, and ask them about "mini trucks", they will say "you can't register these, we're not supposed to talk about them due to pending litigation." As mentioned before, theres a suit going on from some mini truck enthusiast. Does anyone know if there's been any progress with this case? It seems wrong that the DMV would refuse to answer questions to the general public. They ought to be sued for that too.
     
  6. matt167

    matt167 Active Member

    There is pending litigation and that's why.. They are not "mini trucks" if they are over 25 years old and have the right paperwork. They are FMVSS/ US. DOT exempt motor vehicles.

    The easiest way is the Vermont back door.
     
  7. Duke Selinium

    Duke Selinium New Member

    Yes, they are confused. They have been denying 25 year old ones with the appropriate paperwork. Vermont has been doing this occasionally too.
     
  8. Duke Selinium

    Duke Selinium New Member

    The controversy is due to the out dated and vague AAMVA report on mini trucks. They recommend denying them, and NY has been citing the law. NY-400-A.

    The article states that mini trucks may lack:

    AS1/As2 glass (personally never never seen a mini truck without safety glass)
    DOT tires (easily changed)
    3rd brake lamps (this is for passenger cars, pickups didn't have this until 1994)
    Catalytic Converters (25 years old is exempt form OBDII -- must have emissions equipment that it was originally designed with). I believe they often do have CATs anyway.

    There's more but those are some of the problems they have cited with them meeting NYS inspection. Not all of the safety standards are redundant in NYS inspection requirements.




    https://www.aamva.org/uploadedFiles...ModelLegislation(1)/MiniTruckBestPractice.pdf

    https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/VAT/400-A
     
  9. Jigs-n-fixtures

    Jigs-n-fixtures Well-Known Member

    The problem goes back to the 80s when most states banned the off-road minitrucks bing imported as off road vehicles, not designed for on road use, and limited to 25-mph maximum speed.

    Now that we are importing 25-year old trucks designed as on-street vehicles, and exempt by their age from EPA emissions standards, and FHA safety requirements. The old law is causing problems.
     
  10. Duke Selinium

    Duke Selinium New Member


    I don't understand what you mean by 'most states banned them". From what I can tell, only a minority of states--16 or so have actual laws written on them which don't mention the 25/FMVSS exempt ones.
     
  11. matt167

    matt167 Active Member

    Some states banned them through the term " mini truck " so their DMV has laws against " mini trucks ". that should theoretically not apply as the paperwork is different for a legally imported road vehicle. But you tell a DMV it's a mini truck and that's what you get
     
  12. Duke Selinium

    Duke Selinium New Member

    Actually, the states that have laws on them didn't ban them. They are typically allowed on road but only under certain stipulations. The laws often describe the physical characteristics of a mini truck very clearly and they often state that no mini truck shall be registered as an antique vehicle regardless of age. Whether a freshly imported 25 year old mini truck is seen as an exempt motor vehicle in the eyes of the state is typically left ambiguous. I agree that they shouldn't be classified as the same type, but it is difficult to win the argument in the few states that have actual laws written about them. Most DMV workers are clueless about this anyway.

    The states seem to classify them in a lot of different ways, LSV, Mini truck, Autolette, Medium speed vehicle. Its all at the bottom of this 2011 AAMVA (non governmental) article that recommends they be denied any on-road use or titles regardless of age. The reasoning is due to safety/emission concerns. They reference 2 Canadian studies that show right hand drive vehicles have a higher rate of crash when entered in to left hand drive traffic. This report is the main reason NY and other DMVs will been denying them. And they have the law NY-400-A which gives the DMV the right to arbitrarily deny registration on the grounds of safety. I dread that most states have similars law like this.

    Unfortunately, government workers can't be bothered to think critically about this. The AAMVA report makes no mention of which year make or model trucks may lack certain safety features, does not mention how many vehicles were observed, and references right hand drive crash studies that didn't even include mini trucks. It's wrong that government policy can be based on something so unscientific.

    now.https://www.aamva.org/uploadedFiles...ModelLegislation(1)/MiniTruckBestPractice.pdf
     
  13. AUTOZAMAZ1

    AUTOZAMAZ1 New Member

    I have the same problem right now. Has anyone had luck taking the VT transferrable reg and then applying for a new registration in another state afterwards in order to get a title? In my case I would like to get the VT registration then transfer to NY to obtain a title.
     
  14. Koffer

    Koffer Active Member

    If you go the VT route , just rock those plates for the year , you paid for them and they are legal and maybe by the end of the year the BS issues maybe worked out by then and have a better idea of what is needed
     
  15. H Privetts

    H Privetts Member

    As I'm the one that started all this conversation about NY and our Trucks, I have to say that, from what i can understand, the state of New York, filed a Continuance on the law suit. I'm also part of that. So it will be sometime
    before we hear anything. I saw where someone mentioned 400-A, I'm not a Lawyer, but from an inside source,
    400-A is like File 13. It's all garbage. I went through Vermont and got the One plate, then a few days later got the Registration in the mail. Vermont inspection, I also did that, just to prove a point to someone, cost $60.00, period.
    the inspector, didn't know weather he was able to inspect them or not, one phone call to DMV, and yes, The inspection wasn't very much, lifted the front end up, wiggled the front tires, check the lights, done. it was very funny to watch, as they had never seen one of these trucks. Vermont only requires, Bill of Sale, Odometer and Vin,, Verification from a police officer, and your request for register, which can be filled out and printed from DMV Vermont's web page. Takes about three or four weeks to get back,, I use Hagerty Insurance, as i always have in the past with other older vehicles
    good luck everyone, please let me know if you hear anything new,, Later
     
  16. Duke Selinium

    Duke Selinium New Member

    Where have you been able to find information about this law suit? How did you find out they filed a continuance? What do you mean "I'm also part of that"?
     
  17. Bob04917

    Bob04917 New Member

    I registered mine in Maine with no problems. I have got transferable registration and "antique" plates, so is exempt from state inspection. The only problem they had at the town office was calculating the excise tax which came out to $37.60. They were happy with the receipt from the dealer out of New Jersey and proof of insurance. No title or anything. Just write out the check and they gave me the plates.
     
  18. tdrich7

    tdrich7 Member

    Can you tell me where you got yours inspected in VT? I live in VT and my mechanic just told me his boss told him inspecting it was a no go. Said I shouldn't have even been able to get it registered. Going to try my luck elsewhere, especially since I have antique plates and reading the inspection manual it seems this could fall under a "special motor vehicle," but worst case scenario I will drive wherever worked for you.
     
  19. H Privetts

    H Privetts Member

    Brattleboro, vt. Any station can do it
     
  20. H Privetts

    H Privetts Member

    Let me get this right, they refused to inspect it? You have plates? Forget inspection if you have antique plates, you don’t need it. Dive it
     
  21. Codemonkey3

    Codemonkey3 New Member

    I titled and registered my 1987 Suzuki Carry in NY in 2018 no problem. Importation paper and all that stuff, took it over the counter and gave me plates. Loved life with it, used it all the time. That thing made me happy.

    Anyway, I went to go renew my registration online; says there is a problem contact DMV. I try to mail them a check, they kicked it back and said my title has been suspended and to contact them. When the DMV was contacted they said that mini-trucks are not allowed to be registered in NY period. They told me I had to send them back the title.

    Personally, I'm not sending them back shit. Sounds like they're covering their asses after making some mistake. They said they didn't care that it fell under the 25 year federal exemption NY doesn't allow them to be titled at all. Anyone got some sources on where I could register it out of state? I barely can find any info on it, ideally if there was a service I could pay to do the leg work that'd be best but let me know.
     
  22. H Privetts

    H Privetts Member

    Go to Vermont, that’s where I did mine. Go to Vermont.gov/dmv. Fill out paperwork, send copies of your title, you will receive one antique plate, don’t worry about inspection, you will also need a Vin/mileage verification from state police, they do it for free.
     
  23. Codemonkey3

    Codemonkey3 New Member

    So, I gotta put my kei truck on a trailer and drive to Vermont and have the State police verify mileage and VIN? They just do that on the spot at a barracks or what?

    Does it matter that NY has suspended my NY title?
     
  24. H Privetts

    H Privetts Member

    No man, the NY State Police will come to your home and do it for free, just call 911, tell them none emergency, tell them you need a trooper to verify your vehicle. Done. They have the forms, or you can down load one from Vermont web page
     
  25. H Privetts

    H Privetts Member

    On their web page, download all the forms it say to for transfer of title or registration. It have a program on there that you follow and will tell you which forms you need and how much it will cost. You may want to send a copy of where you paid the tax on your vehicle, that way they don’t charge you tax
     
  26. Codemonkey3

    Codemonkey3 New Member

    Where is the program you mentioned? All the forms I'm finding for transfer of title/registration seems to imply I need to be a resident of Vermont.

    I know it might be a bit of work but if you post the forms and the process you used people would be able to find your post and it'd help a lot of folks out. There are a few of us in NY these last couple months who had our titles revoked and this is the first result on Google for this subject.
     
  27. H Privetts

    H Privetts Member

    Just put in your home address in NY, they do it all the time, Maine does it to
     
  28. H Privetts

    H Privetts Member

    I’ll try and post everything, it won’t be today.
     
  29. Bry899

    Bry899 New Member

    I live in NY and I am following this thread. I have been calling NYS DMV in Albany for approx the last 2 years. About 1 1/2 years ago I talked to a DMV rep who said they were waiting for their legal dept. to render a decision. Every time I call Albany back I get a rep that has no idea what I am talking about.
    I really want one of these trucks but not the hassle. I am contemplating the Vermont Registration route.
    I would also like to use this as a "toad" behind my motorhome when we travel. Does anyone know if other states would harass you driving these trucks on their roads even though they are registered from Vermont or NY.
    Thank
     
  30. H Privetts

    H Privetts Member

    Ok, let me see, some state do not allow these vehicles, some states do, I’m not sure which, as I never looked into it. But it is my understanding of the law, that if your vehicle is legally licensed in one state, you can drive in any other state, but that may not be true. As some states only allows these vehicles as off road use only. But NY will license a side by side to drive on the road, but not our trucks, they also won’t provide a copy of the law that they say is there.
     

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