Chapter 71 Oregon Laws 2005

AN ACT

HB 2825

Relating to registration plates; creating new provisions; and amending ORS 803.530.

Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:

SECTION 1. ORS 803.530 is amended to read:

803.530. Registration plates assigned to a vehicle by the Department of Transportation shall remain with the vehicle to which the plates are assigned and are valid only during the registration period for which the plates are issued except as provided in the following:

(1) The department may allow registration plates to be transferred to another vehicle upon receipt of an application [therefor together with] and payment of a plate transfer fee under ORS 803.575 in addition to any required registration fee. The department shall [refuse to] transfer registration plates under this subsection [if] unless the department determines that the plates are: [not from a current issue of registration plates, are not customized registration plates described under ORS 805.240 or are]

(a) So old, damaged, mutilated or otherwise rendered illegible as to be not useful for purposes of identification[.]; or

(b) Not any of the following:

(A) From a current issue of registration plates;

(B) Customized registration plates described under ORS 805.240;

(C) Oregon Trail commemorative registration plates issued under section 113, chapter 741, Oregon Laws 1993; or

(D) Special registration plates issued under ORS 805.255, 805.260 or 805.263.

(2) The owner of a registered vehicle to which a plate is assigned may replace a registration plate that is illegally altered or that is lost, destroyed or mutilated in a manner that renders illegible any identification on the plate. The following apply to this subsection:

(a) To replace a plate under this subsection, the owner must apply to the department for replacement of the damaged or lost plate in a form prescribed by the department and pay the replacement plate fee established under ORS 803.575.

(b) The application must state the facts of the damage, destruction or loss of the plate.

(c) The department, in lieu of replacement, may issue duplicate plates for the same fee as charged for replacements.

(d) The plates issued under this subsection are valid only for the period of the plates replaced.

(3) This section does not apply to special interest registration plates approved under ORS 805.210.

SECTION 2. If an owner of Oregon Trail commemorative registration plates issued under section 113, chapter 741, Oregon Laws 1993, transferred the registration plates under ORS 805.242 before the effective date of this 2005 Act, the Department of Transportation shall consider those plates as transferred under ORS 803.530 and shall no longer consider those plates customized registration plates.

Approved by the Governor May 18, 2005

Filed in the office of Secretary of State May 19, 2005

Effective date January 1, 2006

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