[id10t]

California black plates stopped in the early 60s... lots of discussion about this on 356talk. If you have a set of plates (must have both) and they are original to the car, and you can prove it, you are good to go. Otherwise, it can get to be a big hassle. I've also read that the AAA can do the whole thing on your behalf, and there are some private companies that deal with it for a small fee.

Here in Florida, you can use YOM plates if your car is more than 30 years old, you have a plate appropriate for the year your car is, and that plate must be inspected at the DMV office in Tallahassee to make sure it is genuine and in good enough condition to be read by law enforcement, etc.