AN ACT requiring the division of motor vehicles to provide suitably reduced size license plates to registered owners and dealers of modified utility vehicles.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  G.S. 20‑63(d) reads as rewritten:

(d)      Registration plates issued for a motor vehicle other than a motorcycle, trailer, or semitrailer shall be attached thereto, one in the front and the other in the rear: Provided, that when only one registration plate is issued for a motor vehicle other than a truck‑tractor, said registration plate shall be attached to the rear of the motor vehicle. The registration plate issued for a truck‑tractor shall be attached to the front thereof. Provided further, that when only one registration plate is issued for a motor vehicle and this motor vehicle is transporting a substance that may adhere to the plate so as to cover or discolor the plate or if the motor vehicle has a mechanical loading device that may damage the plate, the registration plate may be attached to the front of the motor vehicle.

Any motor vehicle of the age of 35 years or more from the date of manufacture may bear the license plates of the year of manufacture instead of the current registration plates, if the current registration plates are maintained within the vehicle and produced upon the request of any person.

The Division shall provide registered owners of motorcycles and modified utility vehicles, motorcycles, and property hauling motorcycle trailers attached to the rear of motorcycles with suitably reduced size registration plates, approximately four by seven inches in size, that are issued on a multiyear basis in accordance with G.S. 20‑88(c), or on an annual basis as otherwise provided in this Chapter.

SECTION 2.  G.S. 20‑79(c) reads as rewritten:

(c)      Form and Duration. – A dealer license plate is subject to G.S. 20‑63, except for the requirement that the plate display the registration number of a motor vehicle and the requirement that the plate be a First in Flight plate, a First in Freedom plate, or a National/State Mottos plate. A dealer license plate must have a distinguishing symbol identifying the plate as a dealer license plate. The symbol may vary depending upon the classification of dealer license plate issued. The Division must provide suitably reduced sized license plates for modified utility vehicle and motorcycle dealers and manufacturers.

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SECTION 3.  This act becomes effective October 1, 2023, and applies to registration plates issued or renewed on or after that date.