- Minnesota’s controversial collector car bill received no committee hearings.
- Current rules for classic and collector-plated vehicles remain unchanged.
- Lawmakers could revisit the proposal during a future legislative session.
Minnesota classic car owners can stop worrying, at least for now. The bill that sparked fears of weekday driving bans and sunset curfews for collector vehicles is effectively dead for 2026 after failing to receive a single committee hearing. In other words, classics will stay unaffected in the state for at least the rest of this year.
Earlier this month, HF 3865 drew plenty of attention because it appeared to sharply restrict when vehicles with collector, classic, pioneer, street rod, and military plates could be driven. Under the proposal, those vehicles would have only been allowed on public roads during daylight hours on weekends unless they were headed to a show, parade, club event, or some other officially recognized collector activity.
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According to a quote from Rep. Meg Luger-Nikolai to Fox 9, the bill was actually a good thing for classic car owners.
“It is important to note that if you buy a regular plate, you can take a classic car anywhere you want, any day you want, and at any time of day,” said Luger-Nikolai. “Had (my bill) been heard and passed, the classic plate you purchase would also have enabled you to drive around in daylight hours on weekends — as well as to shows, parades, and club activities at any time.”
Under current law, a collector-plated car is technically supposed to be used only as a collector’s item. That generally means driving to and from car shows, club events, exhibitions, maintenance trips, or similar uses. The reality, of course, is that many owners stretch those rules. A quick cruise on a Tuesday evening or a Saturday night drive to grab ice cream rarely seems to attract much attention.
Ultimately, nothing is changing for now, and plenty of enthusiasts are excited. Local shop Knish Kustomz told its followers on Facebook that lawmakers “must have received enough messages from the community to pull it from today’s docket!”
That reaction highlights just how much confusion surrounded the proposal. Enthusiasts saw it as an attempt to further restrict classic cars, while the bill’s author insists it was supposed to give them more freedom on weekends. For now, it’s not going anywhere in 2026.
