Custom Built Car Registration

If you're trying to register a custom-made car in Maine, the Bureau of Motor Vehicles essentially treats it like you have created a brand-new car. You need to go through a specific process to register your vehicle and have it inspected before you can drive it on the road. Here are the basics:

• Keep receipts for everything as you build. The BMV is going to want to see them to make sure the parts aren't stolen.

• Fill out an application for a new VIN (vehicle identification number).

• Once the BMV receives your application, you will be notified of an inspection appointment. A BMV inspector will come look at your new vehicle―and your receipts, to make sure the numbers match the parts. If you pass this inspection, the inspector will install a VIN plate with a new number on your vehicle.

From here on, the rest of the process is similar to registering any other vehicle, but not identical. You'll need to pay sales tax, but with no bill of sale―after all, you built it―there's nothing definitive to build your tax from.

Hold onto those receipts. You'll probably need to show them at your municipal office. Add them together and you have a base cost to work from. It's not perfect, but it's a generally accepted practice in Maine.

The safety inspection is the same as for any motor vehicle. Your custom-built vehicle needs to pass a safety inspection. If you live in Cumberland County, it needs to pass an emission exam as well.