Does anyone have an SVO tagged in Delaware?

[jkboyd]

Hello

I live in Maryland but have a second home in Delaware. I'd like to get my SVO tagged and titled in Delaware. When I called Motor Vehicle they said I would have to bring it in to be inspected before they would issue a Delaware tag and title. Anyone know what the inspection process consists of and if they inspect emissions? The only thing emissions wise I don't have is a catalytic converter.

Thanks,

Kevin

[svono50]

No direct experience, but here is a FAQ page to check out:

https://dmv.de.gov/VehicleServices/i...ns/index.shtml

Based on these notes, you are going to have to throw a cat of some sort on it:

"A typical automobile inspection consists of a safety inspection covering such items as tires, brakes, windows and an exhaust emissions inspection that analyses the vehicle's exhaust and a test of the fuel system for leaks."

"Most gasoline-powered automobiles and light trucks model year 1981 and newer will receive a low and high speed (two-speed) exhaust emissions test."

When my SVO used to be required to do a low speed (idle) and high speed (high idle) emissions test, it could easily pass w/o a cat so long as you advance the ignition timing to 0 deg. But, when the introduced the dyno/roller test, it would fail when above 3000 rpm due to my 4:10 gears and when the system told them to shift, which was based on the stock gears and would have kept it in closed-loop. Luckily they only test OBD-II vehicles in my area now, so I am free of that nonsense now.

[gbeaird]

Wow, Delaware still checks for emissions on pre-OBDI cars? That's annoying. Is there any kind of 'classic' or 'antique' tag you can get for the car that doesn't require that?

[Erics SVO]

Wow, Delaware still checks for emissions on pre-OBDI cars? That's annoying. Is there any kind of 'classic' or 'antique' tag you can get for the car that doesn't require that?

I'd look into historic there also. Heck, why not a MD historic??

[svono50]

Looks like Delaware offers up Antique plates:

https://dmv.de.gov/VehicleServices/t..._title_antique

The Antique designation exempts the vehicle from annual inspection/emissions after initial designation. Unfortunately, they are like Antique plates here in Illinois where the restrictions are a bit much for anyone wanting to take the car to work for the day or out on a sunny day drive per the following excerpt:

"(c) Any antique motor vehicle, registered pursuant to this section, shall be used only for participation in club activities, exhibits, tours, parades and similar uses, but in no event shall it be used for general transportation."

Various village Police forces around me have been known to ticket folks taking their cars to work (i.e.- general transportation), which is a really cheap shot. It got to the point that Illinois now offers Expanded Antique plates that extends the available operating months, yearly mileage and allows 'general transportation', with a reduced cost over regular plates. This is what I switched to for my SVO as soon as the "EA" plates were created here. A call to the Delaware DMV would likely be the best bet to figure out all the options available.

[gbeaird]

Same restrictions for antique tags in Texas. Speaking to a friend who owns a handful of antique vehicles, he states that restriction is rarely enforced. If stopped, tell them you're on your way to a shop for some sort of work, or an appraisal, or estimate for something.

Our antique vehicles are all parked in our shop, and I have to move the truck/trailer out of the way to get them out, so they're not convenient for DD. I do need to get them on the road more often than I do now, though.

[Erics SVO]

Come around here in MD you will see at least a dozen ****boxes a day driving around with "Historic" tags... Work tucks, rusty pos's, former taxis, camry's, corollas, accords, civics, you name it... All so they don't have to pay for inspection/get it repaired to pass.

[jkboyd]

Ted

Thanks for the information! I called the Delaware DMV and was thoroughly confused by what I was being told. I should have just gone to their site. So it looks like I can get historic tags but will still have to have an initial inspection since I'm transferring from another state. Thanks again.

Kevin

[jkboyd]

Eric

I have MD historic tags and yeah we don't have to do anything except send a check to MVA every two years. I'm looking to retire in DE in a few years and was going to start getting vehicles tagged there.
Maryland supposedly has restriction on Historic tags, you're not supposed to drive it to work etc. but it doesn't seem to be enforce. I see an old Dodge minivan driving around town. Come on a minivan with historic tags! Lol

Thanks,

Kevin

[jkboyd]

Gene

Yeah I can't believe DE still checks emission on pre-OBDI cars. I had to do it once in MD before I got historic tags and the kid working at the emission station couldn't hold a steady speed so they just passed it!

[gbeaird]

It’s hit or miss here, too. The last 5 years, or so of of tags for our OBDI cars, it started getting hard to find a station with a working dyno. Some times they’d turn me away, and other times (at the same station) they’d do a two stage idle test in park. Go figure.

luckily, OBDI has aged out (24 years), so our OBDI cars are safety-only. At 25 years, they’re eligible for antique tags, so I’ve just started doing that since we have other DDs. I think we get 3 years on the antique tags.