§ 304. Registration certificates; number plates; vanity and other special plates
(a) The Commissioner shall issue to the registrant of a motor vehicle a certificate of
registration in the form the Commissioner may prescribe, on which shall appear the
name of the registrant, his or her address, a brief description of the vehicle registered,
and the date of registration. The Commissioner shall also assign to each motor vehicle
registered a distinctive number and issue a number plate or plates showing the assigned
number. The number plate or plates issued shall be of the material, size, shape,
and color, and with the numerals or letters thereon, the Commissioner may determine,
and shall be reflectorized in part or in whole. The certificate and number plates
shall be delivered free of charge by the Commissioner to the registrant as soon as
may be after receipt and acceptance of application for registration.
(b) The authority to issue vanity motor vehicle number plates or special number plates
for safety organizations and service organizations shall reside with the Commissioner.
Determination of compliance with the criteria contained in this section shall be within
the discretion of the Commissioner. Series of number plates for safety and service
organizations that are authorized by the Commissioner shall be issued in order of
approval, subject to the operating considerations in the Department as determined
by the Commissioner. The Commissioner shall issue vanity and special organization
number plates in the following manner:
(1) Vanity plates. Subject to the restrictions of this section, vanity plates shall be issued at the
request of the registrant of a motor vehicle unless the vehicle is registered under
the International Registration Plan, upon application and upon payment of an annual
fee of $58.00 in addition to the annual fee for registration. The Commissioner shall
not issue two sets of plates bearing the same initials or letters unless the plates
also contain a distinguishing number. Vanity plates are subject to reassignment if
not renewed within 60 days of expiration of the registration.
(2) Special organization plates.
(A) For the purposes of this section:
(i) “Safety organizations” are groups that provide police and fire protection, rescue
squads, the Vermont National Guard, organizations required to respond to public emergencies,
and amateur radio operators licensed by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission.
To qualify for a special organization plate, safety organizations must have at least
100 in-state members in good standing.
(ii) “Service organization” includes congressionally chartered or noncongressionally chartered
U.S. Military Service veterans’ groups and any group that:
(I) has as a primary purpose service to the community through specific programs for the
improvement of public health, education, or environmental awareness and conservation
and is not limited to social activities;
(II) has nonprofit status under Section 501(c)(3) or (10) of the U.S. Internal Revenue
Code, as amended;
(III) is registered as a nonprofit corporation with the Office of the Secretary of State;
and
(IV) except for a military veterans group, has at least 100 in-state members in good standing.
(B) The officer of a safety organization or service organization may apply to the Commissioner
to approve special plates indicating membership in a qualifying organization to be
issued to organization members for a $21.00 special fee for each set of plates in
addition to the annual fee for registration. The application shall include designation
of an officer or member to serve as the principal contact with the Department and
a distinctive name or emblem, or both, for use on the proposed special plate. The
name and emblem shall not be objectively obscene or confusing to the general public
and shall not promote, advertise, or endorse a product, brand, or service provided
for sale. The organization’s name and emblem must not infringe on or violate a trademark,
trade name, service mark, copyright, or other proprietary or property right, and the
organization must have the right to use the name and emblem. After consulting with
the principal contact, the Commissioner shall determine the design of the special
plate on the basis that the primary purpose of motor vehicle number plates is vehicle
identification. An organization may have only one design, regardless of the number
of individual organizational units, squads, or departments within the State that may
conduct the same or substantially similar activities.
(C) After the plate design is finalized and an officer or the principal contact provides
the Commissioner a written statement authorizing issuance of the plates, the organization
shall deposit $2,600.00 with the Commissioner. Of this deposit, $500.00 shall be retained
by the Department to recover costs of developing the organization plate. Notwithstanding
32 V.S.A. § 502, the Commissioner may charge the actual costs of production of the plates against
the fees collected and the balance shall be deposited in the Transportation Fund.
Upon application, special plates shall be issued to a registrant of a vehicle registered
at the pleasure car rate or of a truck registered for less than 26,001 pounds (but
excluding trucks registered under the International Registration Plan) who furnishes
the Commissioner satisfactory proof that the registrant is a member of an organization
that has satisfied the requirements of this subdivision (b)(2). For each of the first
100 applicants to whom sets of plates are issued, the $21.00 special plate fee shall
not be collected and shall be subtracted from the balance of the deposit. When the
$2,100.00 balance of the deposit is depleted, applicants shall be required to pay
the $21.00 fee as provided for in subdivision (2)(B) of this subsection. No organization
shall charge its members any additional fee or premium charge for the authorization,
right, or privilege to display special number plates, but any organization may recover
up to $2,100.00 from applicants for the special plates.
(D) When an individual’s membership in a qualifying organization ceases or is terminated,
the individual shall immediately surrender any special registration plates issued
under this subsection to the Commissioner. However, a retired member of the Vermont
National Guard may renew or, upon payment of a $10.00 fee, acquire the special guard
plates after notification of eligibility for retired pay has been received.
(c) The Commissioner shall issue registration numbers 101 through 9999, which shall be
known as reserved registration numbers, for pleasure cars, trucks registered for less
than 26,001 pounds, and motorcycles in the following manner:
(1) A person holding a reserved registration number may retain the number for the ensuing
registration period, provided application is made at least 60 days prior to expiration
of the registration.
(2) If the registrant does not renew the registration, the number may be reassigned to
a member of the immediate family if application is made at least 60 days prior to
expiration of the registration. As used in this subsection, “immediate family” means
the spouse, household member, grandparents, parents, siblings, children, or grandchildren
of the registrant.
(3) The Commissioner shall restrict the issuance of these registrations to residents of
this State and may restrict issuance to applicants who do not already have such a
registration issued to them.
(4) A person holding a reserved registration number on a pleasure car, a truck registered
for less than 26,001 pounds, or a motorcycle may be issued the same reserved registration
number for the other authorized vehicle types, provided that the person receives not
more than one such plate or set of plates for each authorized vehicle type.
(d) Vanity or special organization number plates, whether new or renewed, shall be issued
in any combination or succession of numerals and letters, provided the total of the
numbers and letters on any plate taken together does not exceed seven, and further
provided the requested combination of letters and numerals does not duplicate or resemble
a regular issue registration plate. The Commissioner may adopt rules for the issuance
of vanity or special organization number plates to ensure that all plates serve the
primary purpose of vehicle identification. The Commissioner may revoke any plate described
in this subsection and shall not issue plates with combinations of letters or numbers
that objectively, in any language:
(1) are vulgar, scatological, or obscene, or constitute racial or ethnic epithets;
(2) connote breast, genitalia, pubic area, or buttocks or relate to sexual or eliminatory
functions;
(3) refer to any intoxicant or drug; to the use, nonuse, distribution, or sale of an intoxicant
or drug; or to a user, nonuser, or purveyor of an intoxicant or drug;
(4) refer to gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, or disability status;
(5) suggest a government or governmental agency;
(6) suggest a privilege not given by law in this State; or
(7) form a slang term, abbreviation, phonetic spelling, or mirror image of a word described
in subdivisions (1) through (6) of this subsection.
(e) [Repealed.]
(f) Upon the request of a registrant of a motor vehicle with the previous issue number
plates, the Commissioner shall issue current issue number plates bearing the same
number as shown on the previous issue plates that are being replaced. The initial
one-time fee for the plates shall be $29.00 in addition to the regular registration
fee. Official plates and plates with numbers of 9999 or lower are specifically exempted.
(g) Number plates bearing the Vermont Coat of Arms may be issued only to the Governor,
members of the Vermont congressional delegation, and members of the General Assembly.
(h) The Department, on a quarterly basis, shall provide information to licensed inspection
stations for distribution to the owners of motor vehicles during the annual inspection
of their motor vehicles. That information shall encourage the proper management of
used oil and shall include the telephone number of a recycling hotline that residents
may call to determine the availability of a collection service that accepts used oil
at the curb or otherwise to find the nearest location to recycle used oil.
(i) The Department and the Agency of Natural Resources shall work cooperatively regarding
opportunities to provide information to the public with respect to the proper management
of used oil and shall take appropriate steps to implement efficient and effective
information distribution measures mutually agreed upon by the Department and the Agency.
(j) The Commissioner of Motor Vehicles shall, upon proper application, issue special plates
to Vermont veterans, as defined in 38 U.S.C. § 101(2) and including an individual disabled during active military, naval, air, or space
service, as defined in 38 U.S.C. § 101(24), and to members of the U.S. Armed Forces, as defined in 38 U.S.C. § 101(10), for use on vehicles registered at the pleasure car rate, on vehicles registered
at the motorcycle rate, and on trucks registered for less than 26,001 pounds and excluding
vehicles registered under the International Registration Plan. The type and style
of the plates shall be determined by the Commissioner and the Vermont Office of Veterans’
Affairs. An applicant shall apply on a form prescribed by the Commissioner, and the
applicant’s eligibility as a member of one of the groups recognized will be certified
by the Office of Veterans’ Affairs. The plates shall be reissued only to the original
holder of the plates or the surviving spouse. The Commissioner may adopt rules to
implement the provisions of this subsection. Except for new or renewed registrations,
applications for the issuance of plates under this subsection shall be processed in
the order received by the Department subject to normal workflow considerations. The
costs associated with developing new emblems shall be borne by the Department of Motor
Vehicles.
(k)(1) The Commissioner of Motor Vehicles shall, upon proper application, issue special gold
star and next-of-kin plates for use only on vehicles registered at the pleasure car
rate and on trucks registered for less than 26,001 pounds and excluding vehicles registered
under the International Registration Plan, as follows:
(A) Gold star plates shall be issued to the widow or widower, parents, and next of kin
as defined in 10 U.S.C. § 1126(d) of members of the U.S. Armed Forces who lost their lives under the circumstances
described in 10 U.S.C. § 1126(a).
(B) Next-of-kin plates shall be issued to the widow or widower, parents, and next of kin
as defined in 10 U.S.C. § 1126(d) of members of the Armed Forces not eligible for gold star plates under subdivision
(A) of this subdivision (1) who lost their lives while serving on active duty or on
active duty for training, or while assigned in a Reserve or National Guard unit in
drill status, or as a result of injury or illness incurred during such service or
assignment.
(2) The type and style of the gold star and next-of-kin plates shall be determined by
the Commissioner and the Vermont Office of Veterans’ Affairs, except that a gold star
shall appear on one side of gold star plates and a distinct emblem shall be approved
for next-of-kin plates. An applicant shall apply on a form prescribed by the Commissioner,
and the applicant’s eligibility will be certified by the Office of Veterans’ Affairs.
A plate shall be reissued only to the original holder of the plate. The Commissioner
may adopt rules to implement the provisions of this subsection. Except for new or
renewed registrations, applications for the issuance of gold star or next-of-kin plates
shall be processed in the order received by the Department subject to normal workflow
considerations.
(l) Not later than July 1, 2026, the Commissioner shall begin issuing number and vanity
plates for plug-in electric vehicles, as defined in subdivision 4(85) of this title, indicating that the vehicle is a plug-in electric vehicle. Not later than July 1,
2028, all plug-in electric vehicles registered in this State shall display plates
indicating that the vehicle is a plug-in electric vehicle. (Amended 1961, No. 54, § 2, eff. April 1, 1962; 1965, No. 154, § 1; 1967, No. 129, § 2; 1975, No. 218 (Adj. Sess.), § 7, eff. April 1, 1976; 1977, No. 258 (Adj. Sess.), §§ 1, 2, eff. April 19, 1978; 1979, No. 190 (Adj. Sess.), § 1; 1987, No. 112, § 5; 1987, No. 230 (Adj. Sess.); 1987, No. 241 (Adj. Sess.), § 13; 1989, No. 51, § 11; 1989, No. 82, § 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1990; 1991, No. 178 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. Dec. 1, 1992; 1993, No. 220 (Adj. Sess.), § 2; 1993, No. 233 (Adj. Sess.), § 93, eff. June 21, 1994; 1995, No. 49, § 3, eff. April 20, 1995; 1995, No. 112 (Adj. Sess.), § 4; 1995, No. 189 (Adj. Sess.), § 17; 1997, No. 85 (Adj. Sess.), §§ 1, 2; 1997, No. 85 (Adj. Sess.), § 3, eff. Nov. 11, 1998; 1999, No. 1, § 77c, eff. March 31, 1999; 1999, No. 155 (Adj. Sess.), § 12e; 2001, No. 102 (Adj. Sess.), § 6, eff. May 15, 2002; 2003, No. 109 (Adj. Sess.), §§ 1, 2; 2003, No. 160 (Adj. Sess.), § 62, eff. June 9, 2004; 2005, No. 175 (Adj. Sess.), § 27; 2007, No. 61, § 3; 2007, No. 181 (Adj. Sess.), §§ 1-3, eff. May 30, 2008; 2009, No. 50, § 37; 2011, No. 46, § 3; 2011, No. 128 (Adj. Sess.), § 11; 2011, No. 164 (Adj. Sess.), § 12; 2013, No. 189 (Adj. Sess.), § 2; 2015, No. 159 (Adj. Sess.), § 8; 2019, No. 131 (Adj. Sess.), § 139; 2023, No. 78, § G.103, eff. January 1, 2024; 2023, No. 85 (Adj. Sess.), § 264, eff. July 1, 2024; 2023, No. 165 (Adj. Sess.), §§ 12, 49, eff. July 1, 2024; 2023, No. 165 (Adj. Sess.), § 39, eff. June 6, 2024.)