If you love beautiful collector or vintage vehicles, and you want to restore one from out of province for on-road operation, you are in luck.

Government, ICBC and the Specialty Vehicle Association of B.C. (which serves car clubs and enthusiasts) have been working together to improve the process for registering an unfinished collector vehicle imported from outside the province.

Starting April 9, 2015, the new registration process will come into effect. This will allow vehicle owners to register their collector or vintage vehicles purchased from out of province before completing the restorations to their vehicle. Prior to these changes, vehicle owners ran the risk of not being able to register a vehicle they had invested time, money and effort into restoring.

Vehicle owners will have peace of mind that they have met all of the paperwork requirements to register vehicles in their names. Also, when the owner completes restoration of the vehicle and it passes a safety inspection, it will be simpler to license the vehicle for on-road use because it will already be registered. 

To be eligible for registration before completing the restorations to a vehicle, the vehicle must be at least 25 years old (based on its model year) and be substantially intact, with over half the vehicle in an assembled state.

For safety reasons, the vehicle will be flagged in ICBC’s system to prevent on-road operation without a passed roadworthiness inspection. To be licensed to operate on B.C. roads, the vehicle must pass a provincial inspection and the owner must also provide the final details of the restored/completed vehicle to ICBC.

Quotes:

Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Todd Stone -

“This improved registration process is great news for collector and vintage-car enthusiasts who are looking to restore an older vehicle that they have purchased outside of B.C. The new process cuts through red tape and makes the experience smoother and simpler for owners of classic vehicles.”

Mark Francis, ICBC’s manager of provincial vehicle registration and licensing -

“Customers importing vehicles to B.C. that are 25 years or older will now have the certainty that their vehicles are registered before undertaking the restoration process. As these vehicles will continue to be required to pass roadworthiness inspections before being licensed for public roads, we’re improving the registration process while maintaining our commitment to road safety.”

Nigel Matthews, president of the Specialty Vehicle Association of B.C. (SVABC) -

“The Specialty Vehicle Association of B.C. has enjoyed a long relationship working with the provincial government and ICBC to preserve the cherished vintage and collector car hobby. The new registration process is another positive step forward for collectors of purchased or inherited out-of-province vehicles, to provide them with the peace of mind that their investments are protected throughout the restoration process.”

Bob Gieselman, president of the Vintage Car Club of Canada - Kamloops Chapter -

“We are looking forward to welcoming the new registration process for collector cars. This will bring peace of mind to the owners who will be able to register their collector vehicles prior to the completion of the vehicle restoration.”

Quick Facts:

• Approximately 25,000 collector vehicles and 9,000 antique vehicles are registered in B.C.
• If you have a collector or limited-edition collector vehicle that you just drive occasionally, you may be interested in applying for collector licence plates. Collector plates may be used on cars, light trucks and motorcycles.
• Vehicles do not need to be licensed in the Collector or Vintage program to be eligible to take advantage of registration without the initial roadworthiness inspection.
• For more information, go to: www.icbc.com/vehicle-registration/collector-mods/Pages/Collector-vehicles.aspx
• If you have a vintage vehicle (30 years old or older) you may be interested in applying for vintage licence plates. This will allow you to show your antique vehicle at special events and parades.
• For more information go to: www.icbc.com/vehicle-registration/collector-mods/Pages/Vintage-vehicles.aspx 
• If you have a cool collector or vintage vehicle that you want to showcase to the world, submit it to be featured in ICBC’s classic cars calendar: www.icbc.com/vehicle-registration/collector-mods/Pages/Autoplan-calendars.aspx

Media Contacts:

Government Communications and Public Engagement
Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure
250 356-8241