When Is a VIN Changed?
Thread Starter
1967 Pedal Car Champion
Joined: Mar 2020
Posts: 9,027
Likes: 4,174
From: US-PNW
Generally, under Federal law, it is not illegal to remove and reattach a VIN tag, if it's necessary to do while making repairs, but I believe some states may have laws that are more restrictive. What you can't do though, is move a VIN tag from one car to another. Where the issue gets a little more murky, is when you start talking about things like, birdcages or whole bodies. Being of body on frame construction, it's probably not as much of an issue with a Corvette, as it is with a unibody car like a Camaro or Mustang, but it still brings up the question of which body does the VIN technically belong too.
(To any law enforcement listening
: I have no need to do this to my car, it's purely a curiosity question!) 
I swear!
Last edited by barkingrats; May 2, 2021 at 02:25 PM.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 14,321
Likes: 8,124
From: Napa Valley California
If you swap a VIN with the “INTENT” to defraud the DMV or with the “INTENT” to commit grand theft, you have committed a crime.
If you are restoring or repairing a vehicle it is not unlawful to remove a VIN plate from one vehicle and place it onto another.
The vehicles must be the same year and model, which will need to be verified buy the State motor vehicle department after a VIN verification is conducted by the state law enforcement agency.
The law enforcement agency and DMV will provide you all the proper paperwork and you may end up with a salvaged title.
Custom vehicles or vehicles built from the ground up will be issued a new assigned VIN plate or sticker for the vehicle based on the year of the body style and may be licensed as a “special construction vehicle”.
Throughout my career, I have found many vehicles which the front half of one vehicle and the rear half of another vehicle have been welded together and the seller was using the VIN from one or the other vehicle.
It is very common in in-home body shops when buying and selling wrecked and salvaged vehicles purchased cheap at actions.
All legal as far as licensing the vehicles, not so legal is the work done unlicensed in someone’s garage.
If you are restoring or repairing a vehicle it is not unlawful to remove a VIN plate from one vehicle and place it onto another.
The vehicles must be the same year and model, which will need to be verified buy the State motor vehicle department after a VIN verification is conducted by the state law enforcement agency.
The law enforcement agency and DMV will provide you all the proper paperwork and you may end up with a salvaged title.
Custom vehicles or vehicles built from the ground up will be issued a new assigned VIN plate or sticker for the vehicle based on the year of the body style and may be licensed as a “special construction vehicle”.
Throughout my career, I have found many vehicles which the front half of one vehicle and the rear half of another vehicle have been welded together and the seller was using the VIN from one or the other vehicle.
It is very common in in-home body shops when buying and selling wrecked and salvaged vehicles purchased cheap at actions.
All legal as far as licensing the vehicles, not so legal is the work done unlicensed in someone’s garage.
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2018
Posts: 10,533
Likes: 8,278
From: San Antonio, TX/Mahopac, NY
2024 Corvette of the Year Finalist - Modified
2024 Corvette of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2023 C7 of the Year Winner - Modified
I have one word for you - Dynacorn.
https://www.dynacornclassicbodies.com
The real question is, how much of the car can you replace before you cross the line? The answer is all of it as long as the vin is legitimate and you own the title. Dynacorn has been legally supporting it for 15 years. I’ve used several of their bodies.
https://www.dynacornclassicbodies.com
The real question is, how much of the car can you replace before you cross the line? The answer is all of it as long as the vin is legitimate and you own the title. Dynacorn has been legally supporting it for 15 years. I’ve used several of their bodies.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2018
Posts: 979
Likes: 258
From: Maryland
I have one word for you - Dynacorn.
https://www.dynacornclassicbodies.com
The real question is, how much of the car can you replace before you cross the line? The answer is all of it as long as the vin is legitimate and you own the title. Dynacorn has been legally supporting it for 15 years. I’ve used several of their bodies.
https://www.dynacornclassicbodies.com
The real question is, how much of the car can you replace before you cross the line? The answer is all of it as long as the vin is legitimate and you own the title. Dynacorn has been legally supporting it for 15 years. I’ve used several of their bodies.
shells that you bought? You always hear stories of poor fit for these re-stamped chassis parts...
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2018
Posts: 10,533
Likes: 8,278
From: San Antonio, TX/Mahopac, NY
2024 Corvette of the Year Finalist - Modified
2024 Corvette of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2023 C7 of the Year Winner - Modified
You know, the expense paid to buy an older classic such as a '66 Mustang convertible and then to have to strip it down and fix hidden issues, it might well be a better route to get a DMV re-issue VIN and use these shells and build your car. How good were the
shells that you bought? You always hear stories of poor fit for these re-stamped chassis parts...
shells that you bought? You always hear stories of poor fit for these re-stamped chassis parts...
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,116
From: Crossville TN
As I stated... If you own the VIN, there is nothing illegal in using it to build a vehicle. Folks replace frames, transmissions and engines all the time. Those just have a 'reference' stamping for identification. The only thing that counts in the "legal" world is the VIN....
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 13,082
Likes: 3,399
From: SW Florida.
in a way you are right. most of the vin tag inspection is on 2 to 8 year old cars. mainly because of their values, but insurance companies do not like to pay off on the same totalled car if it gets totalled again. but any 40 plus year car that is getting rebuilt ain't chopped liver value-wise. and people DO get them stolen. and it is much easier to pop out a windshield and replace a vin tag than to restore a car complete. and when your car gets re-sold, the wrong rivets or too-new looking rivets may send buyers running away.
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