South Carolina General Assembly
106th Session, 1985-1986

Bill 24

                    Current Status

Bill Number:               24
Ratification Number:       452
Act Number:                409
Introducing Body:          Senate
Subject:                   Relating to motor vehicle registration
                           and licensing
View additional legislative information at the LPITS web site.

(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

(A409, R452, S24)

AN ACT AMEND CHAPTER 3 OF TITLE 56, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO MOTOR VEHICLE REGISTRATION AND LICENSING, BY ADDING ARTICLE 14 SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR A SPECIAL LICENSE PLATE FOR ACTIVE MEMBERS OF THE UNITED STATES MILITARY RESERVE, INCLUDING PROVISIONS FOR, AMONG OTHER THINGS, A FEE AND CRIMINAL PENALTIES; TO AMEND THE 1976 CODE BY ADDING SECTION 56-3-1815 SO AS TO AUTHORIZE THE ISSUANCE OF SPECIAL MOTOR VEHICLE LICENSE PLATES TO RETIRED MEMBERS OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA NATIONAL GUARD UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS; TO AMEND SECTION 56-3-1820, RELATING TO THE DESIGN AND THE PERIOD OF DURATION OF SPECIAL LICENSE PLATES FOR MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL GUARD, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT SPECIAL LICENSE PLATES FOR RETIRED MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL GUARD MUST DENOTE THE MEMBER'S RETIRED STATUS IN THE LOCATION AND MANNER DETERMINED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF HIGHWAYS AND PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION AND PROVIDE FOR THE FEE FOR THE SPECIAL LICENSE PLATES; AND TO AMEND SECTION 56-3-1830, RELATING TO SPECIAL LICENSE PLATES FOR MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL GUARD AND TO THE TRANSFER OF THE PLATES TO ANOTHER VEHICLE OF THE SAME OWNER, DISPLAY OF THE PLATES ON AN UNAUTHORIZED CAR, AND RETURN OF THE PLATES BY A HOLDER CEASING TO BE A MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL GUARD, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT IF A HOLDER OF SPECIAL LICENSE PLATES CEASES TO BE AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL GUARD HE SHALL IMMEDIATELY RETURN THE PLATES TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HIGHWAYS AND PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.

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

Special motor vehicle license plates

SECTION 1. Chapter 3 of Title 56 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Article 14

Special License Plate

Members of the United States Military Reserve

Section 56-3-1750. The South Carolina Department of Highways and Public Transportation (department) may issue a special motor vehicle license plate to active members of the United States Air Force Reserve, United States Army Reserve, United States Coast Guard Reserve, United States Marine Corps Reserve, or United States Navy Reserve who are residents of the State for a private motor vehicle registered in their respective names. The annual fee for the special license plate is the regular motor vehicle registration fee plus the personalized license plate fee provided by Section 56-3-2020 and only one plate may be issued to any person.

Section 56-3-1760. The special license plate must be of the same size and general design as regular motor vehicle license plates. The department must imprint the special license plates with the words 'United States Military Reserve' or an abbreviation selected by the department, together with numbers which the department may determine. The license plate must be for an annual period which shall expire twelve months from the month it is issued.

Section 56-3-1770. A license plate issued pursuant to this article may be transferred to another vehicle of the same weight class owned by the same person upon application being made and being approved by the department. It is unlawful for any person to whom the plate has been issued knowingly to permit it to be displayed on any vehicle except the one authorized by the department. If a holder of the plate ceases to be an active member of the United States Military Reserve he shall immediately return the plate to the department.

Section 56-3-1780. The provisions of this article do not affect the registration and licensing of motor vehicles as required by other provisions of this chapter but are cumulative to those other provisions. Any person violating the provisions of this article or any person who (a)

fraudulently gives false or fictitious information in any application for a special license plate, as authorized in this article, (b)

conceals a material fact, or (c) otherwise commits fraud in the application or in the use of any special license plate issued is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be punished by a fine of not more than one hundred dollars or by imprisonment for not more than thirty days, or by both."

Department may issue plates

SECTION 2. The 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 56-3-1815. The Department may issue special motor vehicle license plates to retired members of the South Carolina National Guard, if the applicant for a special license plate is certified as a retired member of the National Guard by the Adjutant General."

Size and design of plates

SECTION 3. Section 56-3-1820 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"Section 56-3-1820. The special license plates must be of the same size and general design of regular motor vehicle license plates, upon which must be imprinted 'National Guard' and the figure of the 'Minute Man', together with numbers as the department may determine. Special license plates for retired members of the National Guard must denote the member's retired status in the location and manner determined by the department. The annual fee for the special license plates is fifteen dollars in addition to the regular motor vehicle registration fee prescribed by Article 5 of this chapter. The plates must be issued for annual periods from November first to October thirty-first."

Plates may be transferred

SECTION 4. Section 56-3-1830 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"Section 56-3-1830. License plates issued pursuant to this article may be transferred to another vehicle of the same weight class owned by the same person upon application being made therefor and approved by the department. It is unlawful for any person to whom the plates have been issued to knowingly permit them to be displayed on any vehicle except the one authorized by the department. If a holder of special license plates ceases to be an active member of the National Guard he shall immediately return the plates to the department."

Time effective

SECTION 5. This act shall take effect upon approval by the Governor.