Title and Registration Process in MD

[BDR473]

Today, I titled, tagged and registered BDR 473 at the Maryland Vehicle Administration (MVA) office in Bel Air, MD in 35 minutes. The process was straight forward with no hassles. I thought I would relate the whole process and costs for any other Marylanders who plan to title a Backdraft or other kit car. You need to budget for these costs. Also, if you build the car from scratch, keep good records and invoices as you will need them. Before going to the MVA, I downloaded Form VR-005 off the MVA website, filled out the form, and both my wife and I signed the form. The car was defined as a ?two-stage? vehicle, make: roadster and body style: 2-door convertible. The transfer data on the back of Backdraft?s Manufacturers Certificate was filled out and signed. The Certificate had the required 17 digit VIN number with the year of manufacture encoded in the number. While the Certificate itself listed the car Model Year as 1965, MD MVA registered the car as a new 2006 vehicle, based on the date of manufacture in South Africa. This was the only contention in the process. The lady doing the paperwork had never titled a replica before and tried to register the car as a ?new? 1965 car and the software would not accept this. The manager came over and indicated that I had to register the car as a 2006 and, as I had no issue with this, the process continued. The title fee was $23. The manager?s main interest was the number of digits in the VIN as this appears to be a major issue with kit cars. Backdraft provided an acceptable VIN. The Manufacturers Certificate was not returned. I provided the invoices for the car, engine and installation ($43816.90) and the 5% Maryland Excise Tax (read legal rip off [:(!]) was computed and another $2190.84 was added to the bill. I had already gotten my automotive insurance through my current agent who utilized Metropolitan Property and Casualty Insurance at a cost of $615 per year. Mileage is 2500 miles per year, the car must be garaged and is not the primary vehicle; full value with $500 deductible. I provided the insurance certificate data and applied for a 30 day temporary registration (VR-129) so I could drive the car to get the MVA safety inspection. This is much easier than trailering the vehicle to an inspection station. After another $20 was added to the bill, they handed me the tags, temporary registration and the title will be mailed. Total cost for today was $2233.84. After I get the safety inspection, I will provide the inspection certificate, today?s receipt and another $128 and I will get a permanent two year registration. Total cost to make BDR 473 legal and drivable will be $2361.84; with insurance -$2976.84. After getting the permanent registration, you can apply for personalized plates if you want a special tag, cost $50 for two years. The last hurdle in Maryland will be the MD Emissions test (more $$) that will require an exemption. I am not sure what to expect as my 351W/400hp engine will not pass 2006 emissions standards and I will have to get an exemption. Based on what I have read in Cobra web sites, this is not a big issue and other MD vehicles have gotten permanent exemptions as the vehicles generally have restricted yearly mileage for insurance purposes. However, Maryland adopted California Emissions standards, starting on 1 June 2007 and I plan to get the emissions tested before that date. How MD MVA will interpret these new emissions requirements after that date is unknown. The total cost for titling, registration, tags and insurance was about 7% of the cost of the car itself. The car should arrive next week from Boynton Beach, FL and I will complete the last of the MD MVA hurdles. [:)][:)]

[SKINNEDR]

Hey a picture of your baby would be nice.
Dex..........

BDR #471

[h2oman]

What a pain in the a$$!
MD is getting all of your money as usual. They need it. [:(!] Hopefully the emissions thing won't be a problem for you.

As far as insurance goes, I went with Midwest Classic Insurance Co. Cost me $384/yr, and have 3000 miles with $40k replacement value. They insure a lot of Cobras and were great to work with.

Ned
BDR#212

[ROUSHAC]

<i>Originally posted by SKINNEDR</i>
Hey a picture of your baby would be nice.
Dex..........

BDR #471

Dex,

Bill already posted pics of his baby. Here's one:



Seriously, they are at:

http://www.backdraftboys.com/forum/topi ... OPIC_ID=90

Now how about some pics of #471 besides the ones on the Vintage site? [;)]

Dave
BDR#228

Nolite id cogere, cape malleum majorem - Don't force it, get a bigger hammer.

[SKINNEDR]

Here I'm BDR#471

http://www.capitalareacobraclub.com/ind ... 372.0.html

BDR #471

[Doug I]

That points to the login page.

[ROUSHAC]

Hey, Dex, we're just jerking your chain a little. [;)]

Try posting a few over here too when you get a chance. There can never be TOO many pics of Cobras, right? [:D]

Dave
BDR#228

Nolite id cogere, cape malleum majorem - Don't force it, get a bigger hammer.

[BDR473]

Today, I completed Part 2 in my efforts to make BDR473 legal in Maryland and I am documenting it here for others. I had already titled the car as a 2006 roadster and obtained a 30 day temporary registration. Maryland DMV requires new cars to pass a safety certification for permanent registration and I took the car to a local inspection station that passed the car for the standard safety requirements, but failed the car for lack of emissions equipment for a 2006 car. I was aware of the requirement that I would later have to apply for a waiver for emissions, but did not realize that I could not pass the safety certification for lack of emissions equipment. No safety certification, no permanent registration and in 9 days, the temporary registration expires. This was a catch-22 and the safety inspector fully agreed. As I knew that a number of local Cobra replicas were street legal, I found the solution in a detailed 2006 thread on the Capital Area Cobra Club website. I had to drive down to the local Maryland VEIP emissions office and request a form entitled ?Application for an Emissions Extension for Vehicles with Non-certified Engine Configuration or Replacement Engine?. The manager at the VEIP station was not aware of this form (No form number either) and had to call the VEIP main office and get a fax copy. The manager was very cooperative and spoke with the main office to get specific instructions. The form required me to fill out Part 1 that contained title data and then take the form to the safety inspection station and have them fill out Part 2 that indicated that car did not meet the engine configuration for a 2006 car. I then took the form back to the VEIP office, they faxed it to the main office who approved the request for an extension and faxed it back to the local office. The office manager then provided me a signed and embossed Form EP-030 ?Vehicle Emissions Inspection Program Extension/Release Notice?. This form not only granted a one year waiver for emissions testing, but also provided certification that BDR473 was in compliance with the VEIP. I took this form back to my safety inspection station and as the car was in compliance, he issued a signed safety certification. For those entering this process, get this form from the VEIP immediately upon getting your temporary registration and take it with you to the safety inspection station. This will save at least a tank of gas and the emissions that result. I then took the prized safety certification to my local DMV office and for another $128, got a permanent registration with a 2009 sticker. I also paid $50 for Maryland plates ?BDR473?, a little vanity on my part, I must admit. The process is not finished yet as Part III is applying for a permanent waiver for emissions through the VEIP for a non-complying engine in a Kit car. This will be the subject of a future thread. What is obvious is that Maryland needs to adopt a similar law that just passed for VA that titles kit cars in the year that they replicate. For Cobra replicas, this eliminates the emissions issues and would make the process much easier. I put my new sticker on the license plate and took a long drive in the country.

[ROUSHAC]

Thanks for posting this William.

Tips on getting registered and titled are invaluable, and I'm sure this will help out anyone in or planning to move to Maryland.

Congratulations on getting this far relatively unscathed and good luck with part three. [8D]

Dave
BDR#228

Nolite id cogere, cape malleum majorem - Don't force it, get a bigger hammer.

[h2oman]

Congratulations!

I had so many BS answers dealing with registration and emissions when I first started calling about Cobras. One guy with the VEIP told me that kit/replica cars were illegal. That it was a waste of time and money to buy one because MD would never register it. Wrong!

I had no where near the problems you had (thank god), but glad you're 99% there.

Time to go have fun. Be safe and enjoy! [:)]

Ned
BDR#212

[Cobra]

Very good info. If you had a 1960's engine would you have passed the MD State Inspection? or do you think it would make the perminant waiver easier to get.
It seems that it was easy enough to get the one year waiver.

Anthony
BDR#212
_______________________

?By perseverance, study, and eternal desire, any man can become great.?

[BDR473]

Cobra,
From what I encountered, the year of the engine has no bearing on the emissions process. The over-riding factor is the year that the car was registered. Maryland registers the Cobra type replicas or any replicas or kit cars as the year of Manufacture. For new cars, this is defined on the MSO (Manufacturers Certificate). The car may be identified as a 1965 Roadster, but Maryland only looks at the year of manufacture. My BDR was registered as a 2006 2-dr roadster and to pass emissions, had to have the emissions equipment for that year. Hence, the request for an exemption. For a fully built kit car from a donor car, the original donor title may have some value; I am not sure here.I do not know what will happen if you had a title from another state that identified the car as a 1965 roadster and you move into Maryland and transfer title. You may get a 1965 registration that will not require any emissions equipment (maybe a PCV filter?). There are other possibilities also. I now have my one year exemption, but I think I have to start requesting a permanent exemption to the VEIP headquarters.

BDR473
Aberdeen, MD

[Cobra]

From what I hear the VIEP works with us very well.
My car is registered as a 1965 Roadster 2 seater.


Anthony
BDR#212
_______________________

?By perseverance, study, and eternal desire, any man can become great.?

[h2oman]

I got lucky too! BDR #212 registered as '65 Ford. However, it's titled as a '65 Ford Cobra.

Ned
BDR#212

[ROUSHAC]

Almost as much fun getting a straight/consistent answer from a DMV as from the IRS. Everyone there has a different read on the 'rules' and how to interpret them.

Dave
BDR#228

Nolite id cogere, cape malleum majorem - Don't force it, get a bigger hammer.