H 4958 General Bill, By J. Brown, A.W. Byrd, Clyburn, Haskins, J. Hines, 
M. Hines, Leach, Limehouse, Lloyd, Mack, McMahand, Rice, Tripp, Vaughn, Webb and 
Whipper

Similar(S 669)
 A BILL TO AMEND SECTION 56-3-210, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976,
 RELATING TO THE GRACE PERIOD FOR VEHICLE REGISTRATION, SO AS TO REQUIRE
 DEALERS TO ISSUE INTERIM LICENSE PLATES AND REGISTRATION CARDS WHEN THEY SELL
 VEHICLES; TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY TO DESIGN THE LICENSE
 PLATE MADE OF AN INEXPENSIVE AND IMPERMANENT MATERIAL; TO PROVIDE FOR A $5.00
 FEE FOR THE LICENSE PLATE; TO PROVIDE THAT IF A PERSON PURCHASES A VEHICLE
 FROM A PERSON OTHER THAN A DEALER, THEN THE PURCHASER MUST APPLY TO THE
 DEPARTMENT FOR AN INTERIM LICENSE PLATE AND REGISTRATION WITHIN FIVE DAYS OF
 PURCHASING THE VEHICLE; TO PROVIDE FOR PENALTIES; AND TO REPEAL SECTION
 56-3-220 OF THE 1976 CODE, RELATING TO DEALER "SOLD" CARDS.

   04/02/98  House  Introduced and read first time HJ-35
   04/02/98  House  Referred to Committee on Education and Public
                     Works HJ-35

A BILL

TO AMEND SECTION 56-3-210, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE GRACE PERIOD FOR VEHICLE REGISTRATION, SO AS TO REQUIRE DEALERS TO ISSUE INTERIM LICENSE PLATES AND REGISTRATION CARDS WHEN THEY SELL VEHICLES; TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY TO DESIGN THE LICENSE PLATE MADE OF AN INEXPENSIVE AND IMPERMANENT MATERIAL; TO PROVIDE FOR A $5.00 FEE FOR THE LICENSE PLATE; TO PROVIDE THAT IF A PERSON PURCHASES A VEHICLE FROM A PERSON OTHER THAN A DEALER, THEN THE PURCHASER MUST APPLY TO THE DEPARTMENT FOR AN INTERIM LICENSE PLATE AND REGISTRATION WITHIN FIVE DAYS OF PURCHASING THE VEHICLE; TO PROVIDE FOR PENALTIES; AND TO REPEAL SECTION 56-3-220 OF THE 1976 CODE, RELATING TO DEALER "SOLD" CARDS.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION 1. Section 56-3-210 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"Section 56-3-210. Unless the owner has transferred a license plate pursuant to Section 56-3-1290, a dealer must issue an interim license plate and an interim registration certificate at the time the vehicle is transferred for vehicles purchased from him that are required to be registered under this chapter. The department must provide the interim license plates to dealers in this State for a fee of $5.00 each. A dealer may charge the purchaser $5.00 for the interim license plates for which the dealer paid the department. The department must design the license plate made of an inexpensive and impermanent material. The dealers must insert clearly and indelibly on the face of the interim license plate the date of issuance, the date of expiration, the make, and the identification number of the vehicle for which issued and such other information as the department may require. It is unlawful for a dealer to issue any interim plates or registration cards containing any misstatement of fact or to insert any false information upon the face of them knowingly. If a person obtains a vehicle required to be registered under this chapter from a person other than a dealer, then the purchaser must apply to the department for an interim license plate and registration within five days of purchasing the vehicle. The department must insert clearly and indelibly on the face of the interim license plate the date of issuance, the date of expiration, the make, and the identification number of the vehicle for which issued and such other information as the department may require. The department may charge a fee of $5.00 to the purchaser. Persons newly acquiring vehicles have forty-five days to replace the interim license plate and registration with a permanent license plate and registration as required by Section 56-3-110. and owners Owners of foreign vehicles being moved into this State and required to be registered under this chapter may have not more than have forty-five days in which to register and license them pursuant to Section 56-3-110. A person who operates a motor vehicle in violation of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, may be fined not more than fifty dollars."

SECTION 2. Section 56-3-220 of the 1976 Code is repealed.

SECTION 3. Upon approval by the Governor, this act takes effect July 1, 1998.