Anyone know if I have to register a parts car in VA? I think that I only need to title it...right??

THANKS!!

IF you park it in a garage or where it can't be seen, no. If you leave it in the driveway without plates though you could get a fined for having an "abandoned" vehicle. Stupid law.

You don't even need to title it. Just leave it sitting there.

Matt

IF you park it in a garage or where it can't be seen, no. If you leave it in the driveway without plates though you could get a fined for having an "abandoned" vehicle. Stupid law.

It's not a stupid law if you've ever lived in an area where people just park their non-running cars on the street instead of paying to have them hauled away. That kind of stuff just ruins a neighborhood.

In MD you can leave them anywhere that isn't public. So a driveway is fine... so is the front yard. :( Also, you can't leave a trailer parked on the street in MD without it attached to the tow vehicle... but again, you can leave an unregistered and not running POS car in the front yard. :mad

I would imagine VA has something close to that.

It's not a stupid law if you've ever lived in an area where people just park their non-running cars on the street instead of paying to have them hauled away. That kind of stuff just ruins a neighborhood.


The street is one thing -- an unregistered car on the street could actually be abandoned.

A guy I know in the cobra club had a beautiful '65 mustang parked in his driveway with no plates (had the engine out for a rebuild). He came out one morning to a fine on the windshield for having an "abandoned car" on his property.

The street is one thing -- an unregistered car on the street could actually be abandoned.

A guy I know in the cobra club had a beautiful '65 mustang parked in his driveway with no plates (had the engine out for a rebuild). He came out one morning to a fine on the windshield for having an "abandoned car" on his property.

Yeah, that's unfortunate.

I think these kinds of laws are in place to prevent "project" vehicles - like vehicles that haven't run for years but the owners are "working" on them.

For someone to get a fine on a car parked in their driveway, they had to piss off a neighbor who called the police and complained. I'll have to talk to a cop I know and ask him about the laws.

Yeah, that's unfortunate.

I think these kinds of laws are in place to prevent "project" vehicles - like vehicles that haven't run for years but the owners are "working" on them.

To one extent that is understandable... On the other hand, though, it is your property ... It seems pretty absurd to be fined for parking something you own on your property.

I don't think it had anything to do with pissing offf a neighbor.. In virgina you pay yearly 'property tax' on your cars. An unregistered car cannot be assessed a property tax.. :rolleyes.

To one extent that is understandable... On the other hand, though, it is your property ... It seems pretty absurd to be fined for parking something you own on your property.

I don't think it had anything to do with pissing offf a neighbor.. In virgina you pay yearly 'property tax' on your cars. An unregistered car cannot be assessed a property tax.. :rolleyes.

It's the same thing as laws that govern the height of your grass, the condition of your house, etc. Nearly every city (even if they're not "communities" with associations) has these laws.

A project vehicle is one thing, a junker sitting under a tarp in the yard for years is another...

A project vehicle is one thing, a junker sitting under a tarp in the yard for years is another...

It's a fine line for folks that aren't "car people"

It's the same thing as laws that govern the height of your grass, the condition of your house, etc. Nearly every city (even if they're not "communities" with associations) has these laws.

True to an extent -- the difference is if your grass looks bad b/c it's too long, you cut it and then it looks better. If your house looks bad b/c it's falling apart, you fix it and it looks better...

If you have an old rusty clunker in your front yard, you pay registration fees and taxes, slap a plate on it it, and it's no longer illegal. It still looks the same -- whether it's a beautiful muscle car or a rusty parts bucket. The law is based on an 'eyesore' factor, yet does nothing to solve this problem. :dunno.

True to an extent -- the difference is if your grass looks bad b/c it's too long, you cut it and then it looks better. If your house looks bad b/c it's falling apart, you fix it and it looks better...

If you have an old rusty clunker in your front yard, you pay registration fees and taxes, slap a plate on it it, and it's no longer illegal. It still looks the same -- whether it's a beautiful muscle car or a rusty parts bucket. The law is based on an 'eyesore' factor, yet does nothing to solve this problem. :dunno.

But in many states (MD included) it's tough to get a car like that registered and be in non-running condition.

JV

Maryland is actually the only state I've ever lived in that requires the inspection to be done before registration...

PA, VA, NC, FL -- all you have to do is pay your registration fee to get a plate. If you don't get it inspected you may get pulled over and issued a ticket, but if it's a parts car you won't be driving it anyway. :dunno.

Maryland is actually the only state I've ever lived in that requires the inspection to be done before registration...

PA, VA, NC, FL -- all you have to do is pay your registration fee to get a plate. If you don't get it inspected you may get pulled over and issued a ticket, but if it's a parts car you won't be driving it anyway. :dunno.
Add GA to that list.

Matt