Antique Car Definition May Vary

Definition Varies by State and Organization

Whether or not your car is considered an antique depends on who you're asking and what state you live in. On average, for a car to be considered an antique, it must be manufactured in 1975 or earlier (45 years old) and be either a survivor or restored in conformance to the original manufacturer.

For a car to be considered an antique, it has to be over 40 years old, with some states setting the number at 45. There are also certain organizations with their own criteria for defining an antique car.

The most commonly used criterion for defining an antique car is the 45-year rule. According to this rule, a car must be at least 45 years old to be considered an antique.

Because antique cars are at least 25 or 45 years old (depending on who you ask), vintage cars are also antique cars.