1Amending Title 75 (Vehicles) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
2Statutes, further providing for special registration plates
3generally and for personal registration plates; and making
4editorial changes.

5The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
6hereby enacts as follows:

7Section 1. Sections 1333(b.1), 1341, 1786(h)(2) and 1931 of
8Title 75 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes are amended
9to read:

10§ 1333. Lost, stolen, damaged or illegible registration plate.

11* * *

12(b.1) Illegible registration plate.--The department may
13reissue a registration plate upon request by a registrant when
14it is determined by an authorized representative of the
15department or law enforcement that the registration plate is
16illegible from a reasonable distance. The department may select
17the style of the reissued registration plate and, except in the

1case of personal registration plates issued under section 1341
2(relating to special registration plates [generally]), the
3registration plate number.

4* * *

5§ 1341. Special registration plates [generally].

6(a) General rule.--Upon request by the applicant, the
7department may issue registration plates consisting of any
8combination of numbers, letters or numbers and letters. [These
9special plates may be issued for special groups or for special
10purposes and bear an appropriate designation. Special groups may
11charge a fee for authorization to request a registration plate
12bearing the name of the group.] They shall have the same force
13and effect as regular registration plates. The department may
14refuse any combination of letters and numbers for cause and
15shall adopt reasonable rules and regulations for the issuance of
16the plates and for carrying out the provisions of this section.
17The applicant shall comply with all laws and regulations
18pertaining to registration including the payment of any
19additional fees.

20(b) Personal registration plates.--Upon request by the 
21applicant, the department is authorized to issue personal 
22registration plates. The department is authorized to reissue a
23combination of numbers or letters for a personal plate if the
24department records reveal that no activity, such as renewal or
25transfer of the personal registration plate, has occurred for a
26period of five or more consecutive years and provided that the
27personal registration plate was never reported as lost or
28stolen. Whenever the department reissues an inactive personal
29plate, the department may purge its records of all references to
30the previous owners of that personal plate. The department

1shall, however, note upon its records the reissuance of the
2personal plate and to whom the plate was issued. [The special] A 
3personal registration plate may be used only on a passenger car 
4[or], motorcycle, truck with a registered gross weight of not
5more than [10,000] 14,000 pounds, trailer or motor home.

6(c) Organization registration plates.--Upon request by the 
7applicant, the department is authorized to issue organization 
8registration plates. Organization registration plates may be 
9issued for special groups or for special purposes and bear an 
10appropriate designation. Special groups may charge a fee for 
11authorization to request a registration plate bearing the name 
12of the group. If the vehicle is licensed to a business that is
13not a member of the special group, the department shall issue
14the plate as long as the business owner or officer making
15application is a member of that group. An organization 
16registration plate may be used only on a passenger car or truck 
17with a registered gross weight of not more than 14,000 pounds or 
18a motor home.

19§ 1786. Required financial responsibility.

20* * *

21(h) Reinstatement of voluntarily surrendered registration
22plate and card.--

23* * *

24(2) Any registration plate issued under sections 1340
25(relating to antique and classic plates) and 1341 (relating
26to [personal plate] special registration plates) shall be
27returned by the department to the owner of the motor vehicle
28upon receipt of proof of financial responsibility.

29* * *

30§ 1931. [Personal] Special registration plates.

1The fee for issuance of a [personal] special registration 
2plate shall be $20 which shall be in addition to the annual 
3registration fee. Only one payment of the issuance fee shall be 
4charged for each [personal] special registration issued or 
5replaced.

6Section 2. This act shall take effect in 120 days.