GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2007
S 1
SENATE BILL 673
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Short Title: Require Dual License Plates on Vehicles. |
(Public) |
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Sponsors: |
Senator Cowell. |
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Referred to: |
Transportation. |
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March 13, 2007
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to require the division of motor VEHICLES to issue dual registration plates for vehicles and for registered owners to display both registration plates on the vehicle, one in the rear and one on the front.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1. G.S. 20-63(a) reads as rewritten:
"§ 20-63. Registration plates furnished by Division; requirements; replacement of regular plates with First in Flight plates; surrender and reissuance; displaying; preservation and cleaning; alteration or concealment of numbers; commission contracts for issuance.
(a) The Division upon
registering a vehicle shall issue to the owner one registration plate for a
motorcycle, trailer or semitrailer semitrailer, or truck-tractor and
two registration plates for every other motor vehicle. Registration
plates issued by the Division under this Article shall be and remain the
property of the State, and it shall be lawful for the Commissioner or his duly
authorized agents to summarily take possession of any plate or plates which he
has reason to believe is being illegally used, and to keep in his possession
such plate or plates pending investigation and legal disposition of the same.
Whenever the Commissioner finds that any registration plate issued for any
vehicle pursuant to the provisions of this Article has become illegible or is
in such a condition that the numbers thereon may not be readily distinguished,
he may require that such registration plate, and its companion when there are
two registration plates, be surrendered to the Division. When said registration
plate or plates are so surrendered to the Division, a new registration plate or
plates shall be issued in lieu thereof without charge. The owner of any vehicle
who receives notice to surrender illegible plate or plates on which the numbers
are not readily distinguishable and who willfully refuses to surrender said
plates to the Division shall be guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor.
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SECTION 2. 20-63(d) reads as rewritten:
"…
(d) Registration plates
issued for a motor vehicle other than a motorcycle, trailer, or semitrailer trailer,
semitrailer, or truck-tractor shall be attached thereto, one in the front
and the other in the rear:rear with expiration or renewal stickers displayed
on the plate placed on the rear of the motor vehicle. Provided, that
when When only one registration plate is issued for a motor vehicle
other than a truck-tractor, said registration plate shall be attached to the
rear of the motor vehicle. The registration plate issued for a truck-tractor
shall be attached to the front thereof. Provided further, that when only one
registration plate is issued for a motor vehicle and this motor vehicle is
transporting a substance that may adhere to the plate so as to cover or
discolor the plate or if the motor vehicle has a mechanical loading device that
may damage the plate, the registration plate may be attached to the front of
the motor vehicle.
Any motor vehicle of the age of 35 years or more from the date of manufacture may bear the license plates of the year of manufacture instead of the current registration plates, if the current registration plates are maintained within the vehicle and produced upon the request of any person.
The Division shall provide registered owners of motorcycles and motorcycle trailers with suitably reduced size registration plates.
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SECTION 3. G.S. 20-66(c) reads as rewritten:
"§ 20-66. Renewal of vehicle registration.
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(c) Renewal Stickers. - A registration renewal sticker issued by the Division must be displayed on the registration plate that it renews in the place prescribed by the Commissioner and must indicate the period for which it and the registration plate on which it is displayed are valid. If a motor vehicle is issued only one registration plate the sticker shall be placed on the plate the sticker renews. If a motor vehicle is issued two registration plates the sticker shall be placed on the registration plate attached to the rear of the motor vehicle. Except where physical differences between a registration renewal sticker and a registration plate render a provision of this Chapter inapplicable, the provisions of this Chapter relating to registration plates apply to registration renewal stickers.
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SECTION 4. This act becomes effective January 1, 2008.