How Old Does Your Car Have To Be An Antique. (you'll want to consult your state's specific laws to see its guidelines.) for insurance and registration purposes, the age of a classic car, in most cases, is at least 20 years old but not more than 40 years old. On the average, though, for a car to be considered a classic car it must be at least 25 years old, and 50 years old for it to be considered an antique car.

Classic cars have a permanent registration but require yearly inspection, says brian padnes, who owns a 1984 land rover.

Some states, though, allow cars to be classified as antique or classic in just 20 years, while others require it to be older. The antique automobile club of america, founded in 1935, defines classic cars as those that are more than 25 years old. By contrast, american collectors insurance says an antique car is one manufactured in 1975 or earlier. It should be in excellent condition, driven 10,000 kilometres or less a year, and used as a second car. The restrictions define occasional use of a classic or antique vehicle as no more than one day a week (in bold letters), which seems extremely restrictive. However, some states consider anything made after the end of the forties a classic, and anything from 1949 back to be an antique.