S 0359 General Bill, By Anderson

Similar(H 3159)
 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 TO BE MADE OF AN INEXPENSIVE AND IMPERMANENT MATERIAL; TO PROVIDE FOR A
 FIVE DOLLAR 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 CARD WITHIN FIVE
 DAYS OF PURCHASING THE VEHICLE; TO PROVIDE FOR PENALTIES; AND TO REPEAL
 SECTION 56-3-220, RELATING TO DEALER "SOLD" CARDS.

   01/20/99  Senate Introduced and read first time SJ-3
   01/20/99  Senate Referred to Committee on Transportation SJ-3

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 TO BE MADE OF AN INEXPENSIVE AND IMPERMANENT MATERIAL; TO PROVIDE FOR A FIVE DOLLAR 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 CARD WITHIN FIVE DAYS OF PURCHASING THE VEHICLE; TO PROVIDE FOR PENALTIES; AND TO REPEAL SECTION 56-3-220, 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, as last amended by Act 497 of 1994, is further 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 five dollars each. A dealer may charge the purchaser five dollars for the interim license plates for which the dealer made payment to the department. The department must design the license plate to be 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 other information the department may require.

It is unlawful for a dealer to issue interim license plates or registration cards containing a misstatement of fact or to insert 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 card 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 other information the department may require. The department may charge a fee of five dollars 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, must 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, 1999.