CHAPTER 49. PERSONAL PLATES Sec.
49.1. Purpose.
49.2. Definitions.
49.3. Personal registration plates.
49.4. Special registration plates.
49.5. Replacement and refund.Authority The provisions of this Chapter 49 issued under the Vehicle Code, 75 Pa.C.S. § 1341, unless otherwise noted.
Source The provisions of this Chapter 49 adopted December 30, 1977, effective December 31, 1977, 7 Pa.B. 3981, unless otherwise noted.
§ 49.1. Purpose.
This chapter establishes rules and procedures governing the issuance of personal registration plates to implement 75 Pa.C.S. § 1341 (relating to personal plate).
Source The provisions of this § 49.1 adopted December 30, 1977, effective December 31, 1977, 7 Pa.B. 3981; readopted December 21, 1990, effective December 22, 1990, and apply retroactively to December 21, 1990, 20 Pa.B. 6297. Immediately preceding text appears at serial page (103459).
§ 49.2. Definitions.
The following words and terms, when used in this chapter, have the following meanings, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
Personal registration plates—Registration plates, identical in design to regular registration plates, which display a registration number consisting of a combination of letters or numbers, or both, requested by the owner of the vehicle.
Special registration plates—Registration plates, issued for special groups of owners or registrants or for special types of vehicles, which may bear a special or distinctive designation.
Source The provisions of this § 49.2 adopted December 30, 1977, effective December 31, 1977, 7 Pa.B. 3981; readopted December 21, 1990, effective December 22, 1990, and apply retroactively to December 21, 1990, 20 Pa.B. 6297. Immediately preceding text appears at serial page (103459).
§ 49.3. Personal registration plates.
(a) Application. Application for personal registration plates shall be made on the appropriate form provided by the Department, and be accompanied by the prescribed additional fee.
(b) Limitations and content. Personal registration plates shall conform with the following:
(1) A personal registration plate may not contain a combination of letters or numbers, or both, which, in the judgment of the Department, has connotations offensive to good taste and decency or would be misleading. The Department reserves the right to recall a personal registration plate which it later determines to be offensive or misleading.
(2) Personal and special registration plates will be issued only for passenger cars and other vehicles with a registered gross weight of not more than 9,000 pounds.
Authority The provisions of this § 49.3 issued under the Vehicle Code, 75 Pa.C.S. § § 1341 and 6103.
Source The provisions of this § 49.3 adopted December 30, 1977, effective December 31, 1977, 7 Pa.B. 3981; amended December 20, 1985, effective December 21, 1985, 15 Pa.B. 4495; readopted December 21, 1990, effective December 22, 1990, and apply retroactively to December 21, 1990, 20 Pa.B. 6297. Immediately preceding text appears at serial pages (103459) to (103460).
§ 49.4. Special registration plates.
(a) Amateur radio operator plates. A special registration plate containing the station call letters will be issued to the holder of a Federal Communications Commission license as an amateur radio station operator, subject to the following:
(1) The vehicle for which the amateur radio operator plate is issued shall be registered by the amateur radio station licensee, or by the licensee and spouse, jointly.
(2) The applicant shall be a resident of this Commonwealth.
(3) Only one special registration plate shall be issued to any person under this subsection.
(4) Application shall be made on the form provided by the Department, and be accompanied by the prescribed additional fee.
(5) The plate may not have been previously issued to another applicant.
(b) Press photographer registration plates. A set of two special registration plates designating the vehicle as belonging to a ‘‘press photographer’’ will be issued to a person who is employed full time as a newspaper, newsreel or television photographer or cameraman, subject to the following:
(1) The vehicle for which the press photographer plates are issued shall be registered by the press photographer or by the press photographer and spouse, jointly.
(2) The applicant shall be a resident of this Commonwealth.
(3) Only one set of special registration plates shall be issued to any person under this subsection.
(4) Application shall be made on a form provided by the Department, and be accompanied by the prescribed additional fee.
(c) Other professional groups. The Department may issue special registration plates to members of other professions in cases that are deemed proper by the Department.
(d) Special organization registration plates. The Department may issue a special registration plate, which may bear a special distinctive designation, for vehicles registered by members of special organizations or for special types of vehicles.
(1) The applicant shall be a resident of this Commonwealth.
(2) The applicant shall be a member in good standing of the special organization.
(3) The vehicle shall be registered in the name of the applicant or jointly in the name of the applicant and spouse.
(4) Application shall be made on the form provided by the Department and be accompanied by the prescribed additional fee.
Authority The provisions of this § 49.4 issued under the Vehicle Code, 75 Pa.C.S. § § 1341 and 6103.
Source The provisions of this § 49.4 adopted December 30, 1977, effective December 31, 1977, 7 Pa.B. 3981; amended December 20, 1985, effective December 21, 1985, 15 Pa.B. 4495; readopted December 21, 1990, effective December 22, 1990, and apply retroactively to December 21, 1990, 20 Pa.B. 6297. Immediately preceding text appears at serial pages (103460) to (103461).
§ 49.5. Replacement and refund.
(a) Replacement of personal or special registration plates. The following applies to the replacement of personal or special registration plates:
(1) If a personal or special registration plate is defaced and the registrant desires a replacement plate containing the same combination of letters, numbers, or both, as the defaced plate, the owner shall file application for replacement of the registration plate accompanied by the fee prescribed in 75 Pa.C.S. § 1931 (relating to personal registration plates). If the plate is so defaced that it cannot be used while the replacement personal or special plate order is being processed, a replacement plate from the regular series of plates shall be obtained for use until the personal or special plate is manufactured for the fee prescribed in 75 Pa.C.S. § 1929 (relating to replacement registration plates).
(2) If a personal or special registration plate is lost or stolen, the registrant will not be issued a replacement plate duplicating the combination of letters, numbers, or both, of the lost or stolen plate. If the owner desires another personal or special registration plate, application shall be made for a new combination of letters, numbers, or both.
(3) If the registrant ceases to be a member of the special organization, the registrant shall file application for replacement of the special plate, along with the appropriate replacement plate fee prescribed in 75 Pa.C.S. § 1929 (relating to replacement registration plates) for a regular registration plate. Upon receipt of the regular plate, the special organization registration plate shall be returned to the Department for cancellation.
(4) If the Department issues a personal registration plate and then recalls the plate because it is later determined to be offensive or misleading, the registrant will be offered a choice of a free replacement personal registration plate or a refund of the fee paid for the issuance of the plate.
(b) Refund. Except as provided in subsection (a)(4) no refund of the additional personal registration plate fee will be given by the Department to a registrant after an application has been processed.
Authority The provisions of this § 49.5 issued under the Vehicle Code, 75 Pa.C.S. § § 1341 and 6103.
Source The provisions of this § 49.5 adopted December 30, 1977, effective December 31, 1977, 7 Pa.B. 3981; amended December 20, 1985, effective December 21, 1985, 15 Pa.B. 4495; readopted December 21, 1990, effective December 22, 1990, and apply retroactively to December 21, 1990, 20 Pa.B. 6297. Immediately preceding text appears at serial pages (103461) to (103462).
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