SB304: License plates; display of a single plate on registered vehicles.

SENATE BILL NO. 304
Offered January 11, 2012
Prefiled January 10, 2012
A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 46.2-711 and 46.2-715 of the Code of Virginia, relating to display of license plates on vehicles.
Patron-- Blevins

Referred to Committee on Transportation

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1.  That §§ 46.2-711 and 46.2-715 of the Code of Virginia are amended and reenacted as follows:

§ 46.2-711. Furnishing number and design of plates; displaying on vehicles required.

A. The Department shall furnish one license plate for every registered motorcycle, tractor truck motor vehicle, semitrailer, or trailer, and two license plates for every other registered motor vehicle, except to licensed motor vehicle dealers and persons delivering unladen vehicles who shall be furnished one license plate. The license plates for trailers, semitrailers, commercial vehicles, and trucks, other than license plates for dealers, may be of such design as to prevent removal without mutilating some part of the indicia forming a part of the license plate, when secured to the bracket.

B. The Department shall issue appropriately designated license plates for:

1. Passenger-carrying vehicles for rent or hire for the transportation of passengers for private trips;

2. Taxicabs;

3. Passenger-carrying vehicles operated by common carriers or restricted common carriers;

4. Property-carrying motor vehicles to applicants who operate as private carriers only;

5. Applicants who operate motor vehicles as carriers for rent or hire;

6. Vehicles operated by nonemergency medical transportation carriers as defined in § 46.2-2000; and

7. Trailers and semitrailers.

C. (Effective until July 1, 2012) The Department shall issue appropriately designated license plates for motor vehicles held for rental as defined in § 58.1-2401.

C. (Effective July 1, 2012) The Department shall issue appropriately designated license plates for motor vehicles held for rental as defined in § 58.1-1735.

D. No vehicles shall be operated on the highways in the Commonwealth without displaying the license plates required by this chapter. The provisions of this subsection shall not apply to vehicles used to collect and deliver the Unites States mail to the extent that their rear license plates may be covered by the "CAUTION, FREQUENT STOPS, U.S. MAIL" sign when the vehicle is engaged in the collection and delivery of the United States mail.

E. Pickup or panel trucks are exempt from the provisions of subsection B with reference to displaying for-hire license plates when operated as a carrier for rent or hire. However, this exemption shall not apply to pickup or panel trucks subject to regulation under Chapter 21 (§ 46.2-2100 et seq.) of this title.

§ 46.2-715. Display of license plates.

License plates assigned to a motor vehicle, other than a motorcycle, tractor truck, trailer, or semitrailer, or to persons licensed as motor vehicle dealers or transporters of unladen vehicles, shall be attached to the front and the rear of the vehicle. The license plate assigned to a motorcycle, trailer, or semitrailer shall be attached to the rear of the vehicle. The license plate assigned to a tractor truck shall be attached to the front of the vehicle. The license plates issued to licensed motor vehicle dealers and to persons licensed as transporters of unladen vehicles shall consist of one plate for each set issued and shall be attached to the rear of the vehicle to which it is assigned.