NOOB. Looking for a little help joining the gang.

[chenderson]

Just got off the phone with the state of Maine motor vehicles. They absolutely do not allow registration of a military vehicle. There is nothing military specific mentioned in the law just a line that states if they feel a vehicle is unsafe for the road they can deny registration. And they have deemed military vehicles unsafe. If you manage to get it passed the local town office they said its only a matter of time before the title department realizes it and pulls the registration. Anybody know any Maine politicians I can rattle?

 

[junbug]

For Washington State it depends on what licensing office you go through, and what the exact model is. I've heard of people having issues getting M998s licensed, but there are a few of us with M1123, 1097A2, or 11XX series trucks that had little difficulty with the actual licensing process.

Occasionally though you do hear about the state contacting former military vehicle owners and telling them to surrender their on road title. It's really hit or miss, but I don't expect it to get better any time soon with the dictator we keep electing (or rather Seattle keeps electing)

If you do make it up here, there are a few of us in Western Washington, enough to do our own little rally every year and various small events (usually a dozen or so vehicles is all)

 

[junbug]

Hi everyone, just reading up on issues regarding title and registration in Washington state. I purchased a m998 last year and went straight to the DMV where I paid big bucks on taxes and got a Title and registration. Then suddenly when it was close to renewal of tabs I get a letter saying they revoked it as a mistake! Paid over $1k on taxes and paper trail and now they say not valid? Anyone else has this issue and what to do?

 

[Mogman]

Hi everyone, just reading up on issues regarding title and registration in Washington state. I purchased a m998 last year and went straight to the DMV where I paid big bucks on taxes and got a Title and registration. Then suddenly when it was close to renewal of tabs I get a letter saying they revoked it as a mistake! Paid over $1k on taxes and paper trail and now they say not valid? Anyone else has this issue and what to do?

Welcome to the SS forum!! Sorry for what has happened to you, that is a real bummer.

 

[junbug]

Welcome to the SS forum!! Sorry for what has happened to you, that is a real bummer.

Yah, no explanation why which is frustrating. I
did read some post on here that “depend on which DMV” and it might be true because there are some running around here with plates on them. Wish I knew what the real deal is. Cosidering if “dirt legal” might be the only option. But they are expensive to use. Thanks for the welcome, I’m glad this website exist. -Jon

 

[ToddJK]

Yah, no explanation why which is frustrating. I
did read some post on here that “depend on which DMV” and it might be true because there are some running around here with plates on them. Wish I knew what the real deal is. Cosidering if “dirt legal” might be the only option. But they are expensive to use. Thanks for the welcome, I’m glad this website exist. -Jon

Are you wanting to plate it like a normal vehicle? If so, it might be conflicting with state laws due to weight and thus cannot be done at the DMV alone without paying for commercial plates. You can also look into log farm or historical plates depending on what your intentions with the truck are. One thing I'll add, look up the states government website and DMV, most of not all should have a mention of MV's and see what it entails. If the information online is different than what the people at the DMV are saying, be a good idea to have that website saved or a screenshot and show them that paragraph and if need be, try a different DMV, some have people who have done it before, others are full of newbies, and sometimes they are full of morons . I know getting a humvee here in MI plated can be a real pain and a friend of mine is considering the dirt legal option. It may be expensive but at least it's just updating the tags after that.

 

[junbug]

Are you wanting to plate it like a normal vehicle? If so, it might be conflicting with state laws due to weight and thus cannot be done at the DMV alone without paying for commercial plates. You can also look into log farm or historical plates depending on what your intentions with the truck are. One thing I'll add, look up the states government website and DMV, most of not all should have a mention of MV's and see what it entails. If the information online is different than what the people at the DMV are saying, be a good idea to have that website saved or a screenshot and show them that paragraph and if need be, try a different DMV, some have people who have done it before, others are full of newbies, and sometimes they are full of morons . I know getting a humvee here in MI plated can be a real pain and a friend of mine is considering the dirt legal option. It may be expensive but at least it's just updating the tags after that.

Thanks for the tip. Very helpful. I will look into all of those options. I just want to be able to drive it casually and participate in parades for Veterans and other patriotic events.

 

[junbug]

Actually, I'm not a joiner. But I joined here. Mainly because I can't find any decent info to save my life. Any chance you fine chaps might lend a hand?

I'm looking at an M998 locally (east coast of Florida), it's in pretty solid shape, I'm absolutely in love, there's just one hitch - it's titled a Prior Military Vehicle, and not a standard title.

So for the short term, I'd like to DD it as a work truck, and it would be surprisingly practical for my application, however...the PMV tag only permits use for showing it in parades and exhibitions - one must have proof of these events, or the 5-0 can Re-Po the Ta-Go.

FURTHER.

My wife and I are planning to disappear in the more long term (months, if we're lucky, but hey), and the current options are Maine, Oregon, and Washington state. Two out of those three purport to not allow HMMWV use on public roads. Thus, I arrive at a few (hopefully) simple question (I hate wasting peoples' time):

1. Can a Prior Military titled vehicle be REtitled to a normal title with any amount of backflipping or corkscrewing here in Florida and...
2. Can an HMMWV with a normal street title be driven in Maine or Washington on public roads, or is there something special about the HMMWV (as opposed to the H1, which is street legal) that prevents such? That is, if I had a normal street legal title on one here in Florida, and just went to transfer that into, say, Maine, would it be considered street legal in the same way as an H1, or is there some unique circumstance surrounding these things that prevents that?

I have read exhaustively about this, and while people say no, you can't drive a HMMWV in Maine, there doesn't seem to be any discussion whatever of specifics that explain this. I was hoping somebody here in the know could clarify this, as there must be others out there who are likewise losing their minds trying to figure it out.

Anyway, Prost für die Hilfe, und vielen Dank, meine Freunde. Ihr seid alle großartig und wunderschön...oder häßlich und teuflisch...mir egal.

-A

Hello Apebrains! Nice tag.. LOL….I’m currently in limbo with legally driving it here in Washington state. But if you have a legal street plate from any state then they can’t ticket you here unless you move and claim residence at which time you will need to transfer plates. That should be the case for any other states if you’re just “driving through”. If a cop stops you it’s probably because he’s curious… probably illegal without just cause. If I had legal street plates and maybe insurance, I would drive it anywhere. Good luck! BTW there are M998 rolling around in the streets of Seattle so that’s the mystery I’m currently trying to find out how.

 

[Coug]

Part of the issue is that the M998 is the common base model, so it's what comes up when they start looking at HMMWVs.
All the ones I know of that have been fine for years now are M1123s or M1097s, or a couple other variants that are NOT M998.
I remember talking with someone back in 2019 when I was just setting up my truck that they went into the state office or something (it's been a while so don't remember the specifics) and contested it with someone. It involved a lot of going into the RCW and code book to debate just why the reason they were trying to revoke it was nonsense. I think they managed to keep their registration, but don't remember anything else.

the problem with unelected offices like the DMV is they can do or say whatever they want to you and there really isn't a whole lot you can do to argue or hold them accountable for they consider to be their version of the rules.

 

[Coug]

For parades and such, worst case scenario is you go buy a trip permit which allows you to drive it for a couple days. Only allowed to get them like 3 times in a year for a single vehicle, but used to be ( and might still be) that you could buy the permit at an office and "forget" to fill out the dates, so you could use it until you got caught.

I know down here I have yet to be hassled about it. I know guys with bigger trucks that are licensed, but never put the plates on and been driving that way for many years never getting pulled over.
Usually it is if you aren't being stupid with it, the cops will ignore you.