Historic Vehicle Plates: Pros/Cons in Ontario, Canada

[Stuart Fedak]

From the MTO


...."A slow-moving vehicle (SMV) sign warns other road users that your vehicle is moving at 40 km/hour or less. Find out if you need one and how to display it on your vehicle......"



Vehicles that need a slow-moving vehicle sign

You need to display a slow-moving vehicle sign if your vehicle is not capable of reaching and sustaining a speed greater than 40 km/hour.

Vehicles that need a slow-moving vehicle sign include:
•construction equipment
•farm equipment
•street sweepers
•fork lifts
•low-speed vehicles

If your slow-moving vehicle is towing something, you need to display the sign at the rear of the object being towed.

Vehicles that do not need a slow-moving vehicle sign

You do not need a slow-moving vehicle sign for:
•bicycles
•mopeds
•disabled vehicles being towed
•vehicles directly crossing a road, as when a farm tractor crosses a road to move from one field to another
•horse-drawn vehicles driven by people whose religious beliefs do not permit them to use the sign. Instead, the back of the carriage must be outlined with reflective tape visible from at least 150 meters (approximately 500 ft).

Slow-moving vehicle signs are for vehicles only. You can't use them on fixed objects like mailboxes or driveway markers if they can be seen from the road.

Property owners or tenants displaying a slow-moving vehicle sign on fixed objects may be subject to a fine.

Placing a slow-moving vehicle sign

The sign should be placed on the rear of the vehicle between 0.6 meters (2 ft.) and 2 meters (6 ft.) above the roadway. It should be centred from left to right as much as possible.

Ref: http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/veh...cle-sign.shtml


Robin, you may be a part time farmer, as is Gordon, that is true. It is not true that the Slow Moving Sign is for exclusive use of farmers (agriculture community). It may be used most often by farmers, as it should as they pull hay bails on trailers using agro trailers that weave in and out as they move-about.

it is for....

Vehicles that need a slow-moving vehicle sign include:
•construction equipment
•farm equipment
•street sweepers
•fork lifts
•low-speed vehicles

Cheers!
Stuart

[chris vickery]

BUT... it does not replace Provincially required license plates and insurance as some users deem.
Period
Farmers and construction firms have insurance policies in effect which cover them which are outside of what most of us aquire for vehicles registered under the HTA.

[Stuart Fedak]

Originally Posted by chris vickery

BUT... it does not replace Provincially required license plates and insurance as some users deem.
Period
Farmers and construction firms have insurance policies in effect which cover them which are outside of what most of us aquire for vehicles registered under the HTA.

3RD Echelon Wksp

1968 M274A5 Mule Baifield USMC
1970 M38A1 CDN3 70-08669
1971 M38A1 CDN3 71-08889
1953 M38A1 CDN 53-33136
1981 MANAC 3/4T CDN trailer
1953 M101 3/4T CDN trailer
1953 M100 1/4T CDN trailer
1943 Chevy M6 G506
and trucks and stuff and more stuff and and.......

MLU, MVPA, G503, Willys Forum, Steel Soldiers

Chris, nice to hear from you. As the OMVA rep, what was/is the position of OMVA working with the insurance industry and MTO on the issue of "Historic Vehicles" and co-ordinating events?

Cheers!
Stuart

[chris vickery]

Other than being an area rep for the Club, I am no longer sitting President of the Club.
Please refer your queries to the current OMVA Executive.

[Eric B]

Hello

Its nice to see a discussion about plates etc.

There are lots of good points brought up.

If you want to read the actual law it can be found on e-laws Ontario under the Highway Traffic Act.

I have "Year or Manufacture" (YOM) plates on my WW2 Jeep. (These are original Ontario issue licence plates issued the year of the manufactured date of the vehicle) The vehicle must meet the classification of an Historic vehicle but the plates permit me to do anything as they are a regular plates. You can still get Historical vehicle insurance, which will create conditions to taking the vehicle out.

Historic plates create limitations on the use of the vehicle (not for everyday use) but you have a reduced registration fee.

The OMVA and other auto clubs were part of the Ontario Specialty Car Association when a joint submission was made to obtain Historic plates and later Year of Manufacture plates.

Year of manufacture plates are still not permitted on trailers... I know as I tried.

The clubs are encouraged to do their own policing and to make sure their members follow the rules, which we pushed for. I.e not putting historic or YOM plates on a modified vehicle (eg. hot rod) (which is not a historic vehicle). Not putting YOM plates as decoration on a vehicle which already has a valid licence plate attached etc.

Violating the historic or YOM plates usage actually does discredit to the clubs that fought to get them for members. (They also have consequences if stopped by the police, charges of misuse of plate, plates seized, vehicle towed etc.)

CFR, DND, WD numbers will never be permitted as they were never as an Ontario vehicle registration. When required DND used Ontario issued licence plates prior to the DND plates.
You need to mail in the original plates for verification prior to MTO approving it.

If you want to use a WD/ DND number you can buy the vanity plates with that number ... but the issued plates must be attached to the vehicle. Painting it on the vehicle will not be accepted.

Those with vehicles that are not plated such as carriers drive on the road at their own peril. They are not deemed as construction equipment, implement of husbandry etc., so
they also do not meet the criteria for plates, or vehicle insurance.

If caught on the road outside of an official parade, the driver/owner could be charged with no plates ($110.00) , no insurance (minimum of $3,000.00 fine) and incur a tow fee amongst other things.

If involved in a collision then civil action can also take place by the other party or those injured. You won't have a leg to stand on.

just my feedback and reinforcement of comments made by a few others in earlier posts.

thanks

Eric

[Robin Craig]

Greg,

You obviously can't be a bad guy as you are into Land Rovers like myself.Can you PM or email me please?

I am insured through Lant and their policy but I have regular plates.

I recently had an OPP officer talk to a bunch of farmers at a farm related event, real nice guy and really knew his HTA and the various over riding clauses and sections.

Eric B you would have enjoyed him.

Robin

[Robin Craig]

Got the PM Greg

[Gordon Yeo]

Stuart
My point about agricultural use of a SMV sign was that the farm liability policy covers our machinery with insurance. Putting a slow moving vehicle sign on any vehicle may not automatically provide insurance coverage in an accident. Fast or slow is a vehicle on a public road not supposed to be insured?

Gordon

[Stuart Fedak]

Originally Posted by Gordon Yeo

Stuart
My point about agricultural use of a SMV sign was that the farm liability policy covers our machinery with insurance. Putting a slow moving vehicle sign on any vehicle may not automatically provide insurance coverage in an accident. Fast or slow is a vehicle on a public road not supposed to be insured?

Gordon

Of course, a fast or slow vehicle on a public road is supposed to be insured. If the Bren Carrier in question was driving on a public highway without insurance and registration, then he deserves far worse than a ticket for the lack of a SMV sign. A Bren carrier can be on a public road without registration and insurance, if and only if, the public road has been declared a "Parade" by the local competent authority. This is also dependent on the local municipality, and I gave the example of Ottawa, that requires another fee for tracked vehicles.

Just a reminder, this thread started out about a Licensed and registered vehicle and the difference between a standard license plate and a "Historic Vehicle" plate. Both of those plates require insurance, registration and a vehicle has passed a safety at some point of time.

Just saying, that if you have a licensed and registered vehicle of any sort, that can not keep up with 40 km/hr, it should have the SMV.

The OP can comment if his Bren Carrier was actually licensed and insured at the time, and what plates (if any) it had. If he was not licensed and insured at the time (I have no idea if this is even possible for a Bren carrier in Ontario), then he deserved some sort of ticket and fine.

Stuart