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Bill would permit removal and re‑attachment of VIN plates on pre‑1981 vehicles for restoration; DMV cautioned about assembled‑vehicle paperwork
Summary
Sponsor and antique‑vehicle owners asked the committee to allow removal of VIN tags during legitimate restoration of pre‑1981 vehicles; DMV and title officials said the request is reasonable if the VIN remains with the same vehicle but warned that assembling parts from multiple VINs triggers a different titling process and potential fraud checks.
Representative Home introduced HB 298 to create an exception allowing removal and re‑attachment of VIN plates on vehicles manufactured before 1981 when doing necessary restoration or repair. Sponsors and hobbyist witnesses told the committee rusted or damaged body sections often include the stamped VIN plate, and restorers need a clear legal path to move a plate while replacing a corroded body panel.
Lawrence Arntz, a long‑time restorer, explained that many pre‑1968 vehicles were manufactured with manufacturer‑specific VIN formats and placements and that restoration sometimes requires temporarily removing the VIN plate to replace a corroded section. Arntz cited examples from other states such as Kansas and Arizona where owners faced seizure or lengthy legal disputes when VIN plates were removed for restoration and suggested statutory safe harbors for restorers.
Jennifer O’Leary of the Division of Motor Vehicles’ Title Bureau said DMV recognizes two distinct situations: (1) a true restoration where the VIN plate is removed and re‑affixed to the same vehicle component after repair, and (2) an assembled vehicle where major component parts carrying other VINs are combined. O’Leary explained the latter requires documentation for each donor VIN and typically results in assignment of a new New Hampshire issued VIN to prevent fraud or masking of stolen vehicles.
“...when a vehicle has a VIN removed and different major component parts added to it from a vehicle that bears a different VIN, this would be what we consider an assembled vehicle,” O’Leary said. DMV staff advised the committee any statutory carve‑out should be narrowly written so it does not create an avenue for concealing identity or enable VIN‑plate transfer between unrelated chassis.
Restorers and hobby‑group witnesses urged a narrowly drawn exception for pre‑1981 vehicles that would authorize temporary removal and re‑attachment of the original VIN plate when the plate remains with the same vehicle and the owner can document the restoration work.
The committee heard no votes; DMV staff offered to provide titling guidance to craft language that permits authentic restorations while preserving anti‑theft safeguards.
