CHAPTER 41. REGISTRATION CRITERIA Sec.
41.1. Purpose.
41.2. Definitions.
41.3. Station wagons, vans and multipurpose vehicles criteria.
41.4. [Reserved].
41.5. Bus registration plate types.
41.6. Fee exemptions.Authority The provisions of this Chapter 41 issued under the Vehicle Code, 75 Pa.C.S. § 6103; amended under the Vehicle Code, 75 Pa.C.S. § § 1304 and 6103, unless otherwise noted.
Source The provisions of this Chapter 41 adopted November 4, 1977, effective November 5, 1977, 7 Pa.B. 3272, unless otherwise noted.
§ 41.1. Purpose.
This chapter establishes criteria for registering certain types of vehicles, including station wagons, vans, multipurpose vehicles or buses.
Source The provisions of this § 41.1 adopted November 4, 1977, effective November 5, 1977, 7 Pa.B. 3272; amended January 18, 1991, effective January 19, 1991, 21 Pa.B. 228. Immediately preceding text appears at serial page (127573).
§ 41.2. Definitions.
The following words and terms, when used in this chapter, have the following meanings, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
Fixed route—A designated route which is traversed in designated regularly scheduled time periods, for the purpose of transporting persons from one place to another. The term does not include routes that are scheduled for informational, educational or general tours and sightseeing trips.
Hospital—An organization having an established location with inpatient facilities, whose primary function is the treatment and care of injured, infirm or handicapped persons.
Humane society—A nonprofit organization whose primary function is to prevent cruelty to animals, to provide food or shelter to mistreated or homeless animals or to provide, without compensation, food or shelter to human beings.
Multipurpose vehicle—A motor vehicle designed to carry no more than six passengers, including the driver, which is constructed either on a truck chassis or with special features for occasional off-road operation.
Nonprofit youth center—A nonprofit organization whose primary function is to promote the welfare of youth at an established location.
Ridesharing arrangement—The term includes one or more of the following forms of transportation:(i) The transportation of not more than 15 passengers, exclusive of the driver, where the transportation is incidental to another purpose of the driver who is not engaged in transportation as a business. The term includes ridesharing arrangements commonly known as carpools and vanpools, used in the transportation of employes to or from their place of employment.
(ii) The transportation of employes to or from their place of employment in a motor vehicle owned or operated by their employer.
(iii) The transportation of persons in a vehicle designed to hold no more than 15 passengers, exclusive of the driver, and owned or operated by a public agency or nonprofit organization for that agency’s clientele or for a program sponsored by the agency.
Urban mass transportation system—A person holding a certificate of the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission or a municipality authority, port authority or transportation authority established under the laws of the Commonwealth that transports persons on schedule over fixed routes and derives over 80% of its intrastate scheduled revenue from scheduled operations within the county in which it has its principal place of business, or contiguous counties.
Source The provisions of this § 41.2 adopted November 4, 1977, effective November 5, 1977, 7 Pa.B. 3272; amended December 16, 1977, effective December 16, 1977, 7 Pa.B. 3807; amended January 18, 1991, effective January 19, 1991, 21 Pa.B. 228. Immediately preceding text appears at serial pages (127573) to (127574).
§ 41.3. Station wagons, vans and multipurpose vehicles criteria.
(a) Optional truck registration. A station wagon or van may be registered as a truck, at the option of the registrant.
(b) Passenger car registration. A station wagon, multipurpose vehicle or van may be registered as a passenger car if:
(1) It has permanently-installed fullsize seats for at least the driver and three passengers. Seats may be convertible to cargo space, for example, by folding, but may not be designed to be readily removed and reinstalled.
(2) It has windows on both sides and in the rear. Windows may not be separated by opaque areas wider than 12 inches.
(3) It is not designed or adapted for use as a mobile dwelling or office.
(4) It is not designed, used or maintained primarily for the transportation of property.
(5) It is a van having a seating capacity for more than ten persons but no more than 15 persons, including the driver, and is owned by a natural person and used solely for noncommercial purposes, or is used in a ridesharing arrangement.
(c) Motor home registration. A van shall be registered as a motor home if it is designed or adapted for use as a mobile dwelling and contains permanently installed equipment, such as carpeting, beds, stoves, closets, refrigerator, sink, and the like, or as an office, and not designed, used or maintained primarily for the transportation of property.
(d) Bus registration. A van shall be registered as a bus if it has a seating capacity for more than 16 persons, including the driver, unless it is owned by a natural person and used solely for noncommercial purposes; or is used in a ridesharing arrangement.
(e) Mandatory truck registration. A van that does not qualify for registration as a passenger car, motor home or bus shall be registered as a truck. A multipurpose vehicle that does not qualify for registration as a passenger car shall be registered as a truck.
(f) Registration requirements for a van. To register a van as a passenger car or a motor home, the registrant shall certify on a form furnished by the Department that the vehicle complies with this section.
Source The provisions of this § 41.3 adopted November 4, 1977, effective November 5, 1977, 7 Pa.B. 3272; amended January 18, 1991, effective January 19, 1991, 21 Pa.B. 228. Immediately preceding text appears at serial page (127574).
§ 41.4. [Reserved].
Source The provisions of this § 41.4 adopted November 4, 1977, effective November 5, 1977, 7 Pa.B. 3272; amended January 26, 1979, effective January 27, 1979, 9 Pa.B. 345; reserved January 18, 1991, effective January 19, 1991, 21 Pa.B. 228. Immediately preceding text appears at serial pages (127574) to (127575).
§ 41.5. Bus registration plate types.
(a) Mass transit registration plates. A bus other than a school bus registered by an urban mass transportation system will be issued a registration plate containing the words ‘‘mass transit,’’ a registration card and a sticker indicating the month and year of expiration. The registration plate issued to a municipal government or a transportation authority will contain a sticker indicating the registration is permanent, as will the registration card issued with the plate.
(b) Omnibus registration plates. A bus which is operated for the transportation of persons not for hire and for which neither a certificate of public convenience from the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission nor certification of approval from the Interstate Commerce Commission is required, will be issued a registration plate containing the word ‘‘omnibus.’’
(c) Standard bus registration plates. A for-hire bus for which a certificate of public convenience from the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission or a certification of approval from the Interstate Commerce Commission is required and which is not registered by an urban mass transportation system or under the apportioned registration program, will be issued a registration plate containing the word ‘‘bus.’’
(d) School bus registration plates. A bus used exclusively for the transportation of children and their chaperones to or from public, private, parochial or Sunday school or in connection with any public, private, parochial or Sunday school related activity, will be issued a registration plate containing the words ‘‘school bus.’’
(e) Apportioned bus registration plates. A bus which is registered under the apportioned registration program, as outlined in Chapter 63 (relating to proportional registration of fleet vehicles), will be issued a registration plate containing the word ‘‘apportioned.’’
Source The provisions of this § 41.5 adopted January 18, 1991, effective January 19, 1991, 21 Pa.B. 228.
§ 41.6. Fee exemptions.
Vehicles registered by a humane society, nonprofit youth center, hospital and other entities enumerated in 75 Pa.C.S. § 1901(c) (relating to processing fee in lieu of registration fee) are exempt from payment of the regular registration fee but are subject to pay a processing fee of $10 in lieu of the registration fee. Applicants for exemption under this section shall establish their qualifications by completion of the appropriate form furnished by the Department.
Source The provisions of this § 41.6 adopted January 18, 1991, effective January 19, 1991, 21 Pa.B. 228.
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