Virginia § 46.2-730.1 - License plates for military surplus motor vehicles; fee; penalty

§ 46.2-730.1. License plates for military surplus motor vehicles; fee; penalty

A. On receipt of an application and evidence that the applicant owns or has regular use of another passenger car, autocycle, or motorcycle, the Commissioner shall issue a registration card and appropriately designed license plates to owners of military surplus motor vehicles. These license plates shall be valid so long as title to the vehicle is vested in the applicant. The fee for the registration card and license plates for any of these vehicles shall be a one-time fee of $100.

B. Military surplus motor vehicles registered with license plates issued under this section shall not be used for general transportation purposes, including, but not limited to, daily travel to and from the owner's place of employment, but shall only be used:

1. For participation in off-road events, on-road club activities, exhibits, tours, parades, and similar events; and

2. On the highways of the Commonwealth for the purpose of selling the vehicle, obtaining repairs or maintenance, transportation to and from events as described in subdivision 1, and occasional pleasure driving not exceeding 125 miles from the address at which the vehicle is stored for use.

The registration card issued to the owner of a military surplus motor vehicle registered pursuant to this section shall indicate that such vehicle is for limited use.

C. Any owner of a military surplus motor vehicle applying for registration pursuant to this section shall submit to the Department, in the manner prescribed by the Department, certification that such vehicle is capable of being safely operated on the highways of the Commonwealth.

Pursuant to § 46.2-1000, the Department shall suspend the registration of any vehicle registered with license plates issued under this section that the Department or the Department of State Police determines is not properly equipped or is otherwise unsafe to operate. Any law-enforcement officer shall take possession of the license plates, registration card, and decals, if any, of any vehicle registered with license plates issued under this section when he observes any defect in such vehicle as set forth in § 46.2-1000.

D. Any law-enforcement officer may require any person operating a military surplus motor vehicle registered pursuant to this section to provide, upon request, the address at which the vehicle is stored for use and the destination of such operation. Any owner of a military surplus motor vehicle registered with license plates pursuant to this section who is convicted of a violation of this section is guilty of a Class 4 misdemeanor. Upon receiving a record of conviction of a violation of this section, the Department shall revoke and not reinstate the owner's privilege to register the vehicle operated in violation of this section with license plates issued pursuant to this section for a period of five years from the date of conviction.

E. Military surplus motor vehicles registered with the Department under any other provision of this Code prior to January 1, 2019, may continue to be registered under such provision. Such vehicles shall be considered to be registered under this section for the purpose of § 46.2-1158.01. In the event that any such vehicle is transferred to a new owner, the vehicle must be registered pursuant to this section.

F. No military surplus motor vehicle shall be registered as an antique vehicle pursuant to § 46.2-730.

2018, c. 555.