10.36.020 Definitions.

As used in this chapter:

"Collector" means the owner of one or more historic vehicles or special interest vehicles, as defied in this section, who collects, purchases, acquires, or disposes of such vehicles, or parts thereof, for his or her own use, in order to preserve, restore, and maintain such vehicles for hobby or historic purposes.

"Dismantled vehicle" means a vehicle that has had, intentionally or unintentionally, one or more critical parts removed for forty-five days or more. A critical part is any part that is needed to safely operate the vehicle, including but not limited to a wheel or tire, windshield, door, side quarter panel, trunk, hood, roof, steering wheel, motor or transmission. A vehicle can be "dismantled" whether or not it is in an inoperative condition.

"Highway" means a way or place of whatever nature, publicly maintained and open to the use of the public for purposes of vehicular travel. "Highway" includes streets.

"Historic vehicle" means any vehicle which is collected, restored, maintained and operated by a collector or hobbyist primarily for historical exhibition or similar purposes and which is either:

1. A motor vehicle with an engine of sixteen or more cylinders manufactured prior to 1965;

2. A motor vehicle manufactured in the year 1922 or prior thereto;

3. A vehicle which was manufactured after 1922, is at least twenty-five years old, and is of historic interest;

4. A vehicle described in paragraphs (1), (2), or (3) which is operated or moved over the highway primarily for the purpose of historical exhibition or other similar purposes shall, upon application in the manner and at the time prescribed by the state Department of Motor Vehicles, be issued special identification plates for the vehicle by the state Department of Motor Vehicles.

"Inoperative vehicle" means:

1. Any vehicle in such condition, as a result of mechanical and/or structural defects, however caused, that it cannot be legally or actually driven under its own power except for any vehicle which is being repaired, within a reasonable period of time; or

2. Any vehicle that has not been, for more than six months, validly registered for operation or use on the highways in this state as required under the provisions of Division 3 (commencing at Section 4000 et seq.) of the state Vehicle Code, including any "nonoperated vehicle" as defined in this section.

"Motor vehicle" means any vehicle which is self-propelled, but, does not include a self-propelled wheelchair, invalid tricycle, or motorized quadricycle when operated by a person, who, by reason of physical disability, is otherwise unable to move about as a pedestrian.

"Non-operated vehicle" means any vehicle for the which the owner of the vehicle has (1) filed a certification under penalty of perjury that the vehicle will not be operated, moved or left standing on any highway during the subsequent registration year without the owner first making application for registration of the vehicle, including full payment of all fees, and (2) obtained a certificate of nonoperation from the state Department of Motor Vehicles.

For purposes of this subsection, "vehicle" means a device by which any person or property may be propelled, moved, or driven upon a highway having intact and assembled its major component parts including, but not limited to, the frame or chassis, cowl, and floor pan or, in the case of a trailer, the frame and wheels or, in the case of a motorcycle, the frame, front fork, and engine. For purposes of this section, "vehicle" does not include a device moved exclusively by human power, a device used exclusively upon stationary rails or tracks, or a motorized wheelchair.

"Nonrepairable vehicle" means a vehicle of a type otherwise subject to registration that meets the criteria specified in subdivisions (1), (2) or (3). The vehicle shall be issued a nonrepairable vehicle certificate by the state Department of Motor Vehicles and shall not be titled or registered.

1. A nonrepairable vehicle is a vehicle that has no resale value except as a source of parts or scrap metal, and which the owner irreversibly designates solely as a source of parts or scrap metal.

2. A nonrepairable vehicle is a completely stripped vehicle (a surgical strip) recovered from theft, missing all of the bolt on sheet metal body panels, all of the doors and hatches, substantially all of the interior components, and substantially all of the grill and light assemblies, or that the owner designates has little or no resale value other than its worth as a source of scrap metal, or as a source of a vehicle identification number that could be used illegally.

3. A nonrepairable vehicle is a completely burned vehicle (burned hulk) that has been burned to the extent that there are no more usable or repairable body or interior components, tires and wheels, or drive train components, and which the owner irreversibly designates as having little or no resale value other than its worth as scrap metal or as a source of vehicle identification numbers that could be used illegally.

"Nonrepairable vehicle certificate" means a vehicle ownership document issued to the owner of a nonrepairable vehicle by the state Department of Motor Vehicles. Ownership of the vehicle may only be transferred two times on a nonrepairable vehicle certificate. A vehicle for which a nonrepairable vehicle certificate has been issued may not be titled or registered for use on the roads or highways of California. A nonrepairable vehicle certificate shall be conspicuously labeled with the word "nonrepairable" across the front.

"Owner of the land" means the owner of the land on which the vehicle, or parts thereof, is located, as shown on the last equalized assessment roll.

"Owner of the vehicle" means the last registered (and legal) owner of record.

"Parts car" means any motor vehicle which is owned by a collector to furnish parts for restoration or maintenance of a special interest vehicle, a historic vehicle, or street rod vehicle, thus enabling the collector to preserve, restore, and maintain a special interest vehicle, or a historic vehicle, or street rod vehicle, for which the state Department of Motor Vehicles has issued special plates pursuant to the state Vehicle Code.

"Special interest vehicle" means a vehicle of any age which is unaltered from the manufacturer's original specifications and, because of its significance, such as an out-of-production vehicle, or a model of less than two thousand (2,000) sold in the state in any model year, is being collected, preserved, restored, or maintained by a collector as a leisure pursuit.

"Storage" means the placement of a vehicle or other objects in a location for preservation or future use.

"Street rod vehicle" means any motor vehicle, other than a motorcycle, manufactured in or prior to 1948 which has been individually modified in its body style or design, including through the use of nonoriginal or reproduction components, and which may include additional modifications to other components, including, but not limited to, the engine, drive train, suspension, and brakes in a manner that does not adversely affect its safe performance as a motor vehicle or render it unlawful for highway use.

"Total loss salvage vehicle" means a vehicle, other than a nonrepairable vehicle, of a type subject to registration that has been wrecked, destroyed, or damaged, to such an extent that the owner, leasing company, financial institution or the insurance company that insured the vehicle considers it uneconomical to repair by or for the person who owned the vehicle at the time of the event resulting in damage.

"Vehicle" means a device by which any person or property may be propelled, moved, or drawn upon a highway, except a device moved by human power or used exclusively upon stationary rails or tracks.