We have discussed this many times. The declaration you are required to sign to apply for the histotic plates is straight forward and outlines the criteria required. It is my opnion that if you sign the declartion in all honesty then you have nothing to worry about. If you feel that in signing the declaration your are not being truthful then don't do it. So far to date we have determined that enforcement of  the rules around Historic plates lies with the Ministry of Transportation at the time the plates are issued. We have found no evidence of any penalty for having these plates on a non qualifying vehicle. It is the Ministry's responsibility for vehicle registration and if they issue you the plates you are good to go. We believe the only time a police officer or provincial offenses officer may charge you under the Highway Traffic Act is if your validation sticker is out of date and in that case it would be a charge for out of date registration NOT using historic plates incorrectly.

I will check with my son and see what he says, he may come home this week on his days off. He has a hard copy of the Highway Traffic Act that he is required to keep in his vehicle while on patrol for reference and issuing offence notices.

AS LUCK WOULD HAVE IT HE CALLED TODAY SO HERE IS THE REGULATION:

ONTARIO REGULATION 331/01

made under the

HIGHWAY TRAFFIC ACT

Made: July 19, 2001
Filed: August 22, 2001
Printed in The Ontario Gazette: September 8, 2001

Amending Reg. 628 of R.R.O. 1990

(Vehicle Permits)

Note: Since the end of 2000, Regulation 628 has been amended by Ontario Regulation 123/01. Previous amendments are listed in the Table of Regulations published in The Ontario Gazette dated January 20, 2001.

1.  (1)  The definition of historic vehicle in section 1 of Regulation 628 of the Revised Regulations of Ontario, 1990 is revoked and the following substituted:

historic vehicle means, despite the definition in subsection 7 (1.1) of the Act, a motor vehicle that,

(a) is at least 30 years old,

(b) is operated on a highway in parades, for purposes of exhibition, tours or similar functions organized by a properly constituted automobile club or for purposes of repair, testing or demonstration for sale,

(c) is substantially unchanged or unmodified from the original manufacturers product, and

(d) does not have attached to it year-of-manufacture plates;

This is a direct excerpt from the ACT so no offense to anyone one but these are the regulations that apply to the use of Historic Plates. This being the case my post here is probably the most accurate on board.