Government Overreach???

[bhm1jvg]

I was notified today, that the Great State of Florida, my home state, is issuing a "limited use" title and registration effective September 6, 2016 for all "Former Military Vehicles". Apparently, folks buying Surplus HMMWV's with Form 97 (off road only restrictions) have been doing something to circumvent the system and get a Title and Registration for Highway use. Florida is now saying that any former Military Vehicle will be issued the limited use title and Registration. Uses are limited to: Parades, Car Shows and Static Displays and travel to and from. It remains to be seen if Our Florida MV's titled prior to the new regulation will be grandfathered or if our current titles will be rescinded and replaced with the new "limited use" version.

I know that the Florida Chapter of MVPA is on the case. Has anyone out here heard anything about this? What might be the ramifications? What could it do, if anything, to the value of our investments?

Thoughts?

[m3a1]

Oh boy.. ..here we go again. If you were on the left coast, I'd say, be concerned....be very concerned....but you're not so, whatever is going on will almost certainly sort itself out once the ignorance is shouted down. Things like this almost always do. Oddly, these issues are almost always started by a group who has absolutely no idea what they're talking about. Does that sound like any other issues that have made a lot of waves lately? Meanwhile, I'm going to be looking a bit harder at government auctions in Florida since what you've described will almost certainly give Florida residents great pause when considering whether or not to buy green machines there.

[SturmTyger380]

None of my vehicles titles say anything about being former military. My Ford M151 is listed as a Willys Jeep. When got the title changed to my name I asked the lady if it could be changed and she said no.

The M38A1 I have as a driver has some crazy number on the title that matches a vehicle plate that was added at some point so I have to keep that plate mounted even though it is not correct. Plus it looks like an OD CJ5.

The GMC 2 1/2 ton is listed as a farm truck. I don't see how they could enforce it just because something looks military.

[199th mp]

i had mine on dmv papers as a 1967 ford truck. worked out well in the end. i wonder how this will affect trailers? i had that listed as a cemco trailer, nothing about military at all. they even made me bring it in so they could look at it.

[Txjeeper81]

In Texas we have a few ways to go you can get a antique plate, Former Military Plate, or register it with just the hood numbers. All three of those option have restrictions like what Florida is coming up with. I can tell you this unless you have cops that are by the book and hate MV's you have know worries. I have Former Military plates on My M35A2 and Antique plates on my MB and don't worry about driving them just for fun and have never been stopped in the last 20 years of Driving MV's. We can also register as normal vehicles but then we have to pace safety checks and yearly registration.

[rickf]

If you are issued a Form SF-97 then you can legally obtain a full title with all legal driving rights to that vehicle. They are selling late model Hummers with this option. The ones with the off road only sales are a different sale altogether and you are not supposed to be able to register those for the street. You can obtain a title for them since you do have to prove you own it but some people are circumventing the rules and registering them for the street, a lot of people actually. I sort of figured something was going to come of it sooner or later. The next step will be they go back to crushing them I would guess. People just don't know when they have a good thing, You can't fix stupid.

[bhm1jvg]

Likewise, neither of mine have anything on the title indicating Military other than 1 does say Jeep M151, the other is a Ford M15A. This was all brought to light when a MVPA member close to me in Florida went to register his Gama Goat. I have "antique" plates for mine so I should be OK but who knows what's coming next. A guy that I know in Georgia, just recently restored a Military Jeep for one of the Florida State Senators from the panhandle area. Maybe he will advocate for our Hobby!

[rickf]

It's the guys that want to push the riles that ruin it for everyone. This was said when they first came out with the off road only sales. Everybody KNEW what was going to happen. And do you think the guys that are paying 20 grand for Humvee's that are not road legal give a rats ass about the "hobby"? NOPE! The sad part is that there are year 2000 and up Humvee's going for that price and they come with a SF-97. all nice and legal. I have seen a 2004 that was brand new go for 28,000. when you think about it that is not a bad price, not for a new Humvee.

[m3a1]

Well, let's take Farm plates as an example of a limited use-registration. Much like other "special use" registrations, Farm registrations can be had for a very low price here in Texas. Farmers have a lot of pull with the legislature and they have made good use of it. The limitations are that the vehicle registered as such can onlybe used for the furtherance of the farm business enterprise.

Or can it?

Well, many moons ago I wrote a fellow a ticket for using his Farm registered vehicle to take his date and another couple to the movie theaters (not what I stopped him for, btw). So, is going on a date in the furtherance of the farm business enterprise? It may surprise you but the state lost that case to the defendant. The judge ruled that rest and recreation is part and parcel of the farm business enterprise. The DMV says otherwise but now there is case law on the matter so that's that.

So, I'm betting there is generally going to be some latitude given to vehicles that have limitations placed upon their use, such as antique or former military vehicles or even off-road use, wherever you are but you've got to be smart about what you say or don't say, what you do or what you don't do if you're talking to Officer Friendly. If you are doing anything that pushes the envelope in a special use-registered vehicle, my suggestion is to politely decline to answer if questioned by an officer about where you are going or what you are doing.

[bhm1jvg]

Well, we have an update and it is good news. Our questions were answered and to summarize, if we have street legal vehicles with titles and proper registration we are fine driving them on the road. They are not going to pull our titles and re-issue etc. Bottom line is they are mainly going to scrutinize the HMMWVs or any other vehicles that were sold with the Form 97 Off Road Use Only. Looks like we are safe for now!