§ 20-84. Permanent registration plates; State Highway Patrol. - North Carolina Statutes

§20‑84.  Permanent registration plates; State Highway Patrol.

(a)        General. – TheDivision may issue a permanent registration plate for a motor vehicle owned byone of the persons authorized to have a permanent registration plate in thissection. To obtain a permanent registration plate, a person must provide proofof ownership, provide proof of financial responsibility as required by G.S. 20‑309,and pay a fee of six dollars ($6.00). A permanent plate issued under thissection may be transferred as provided in G.S. 20‑78 to a replacementvehicle of the same classification. A permanent registration plate issued underthis section must be a distinctive color and bear the word"permanent". In addition, a permanent registration plate issued undersubdivision (b)(1) of this section must have distinctive color and design thatis readily distinguishable from all other permanent registration plates issuedunder this section.

(b)        PermanentRegistration Plates. – The Division may issue permanent plates for the followingmotor vehicles:

(1)        A motor vehicleowned by the State or one of its agencies.

(2)        A motor vehicleowned by a county, city or town.

(3)        A motor vehicleowned by a board of education.

(4)        A motor vehicleowned by an orphanage.

(5)        A motor vehicleowned by the civil air patrol.

(6)        A motor vehicleowned by an incorporated emergency rescue squad.

(7)        A motor vehicleowned by an incorporated REACT ("Radio Emergency Association of CitizenTeams") Team.

(8)        A motor vehicleowned by a person and used exclusively in the support of a disaster reliefeffort.

(9)        A bus owned by achurch and used exclusively for transporting individuals to Sunday school, tochurch services, and to other church related activities.

(10)      A motor vehicle ownedby a rural fire department, agency, or association.

(11)      A motor vehicle inthe form of a mobile X‑ray unit operated exclusively in this State forthe purpose of diagnosis, treatment, and discovery of tuberculosis, and ownedby the North Carolina Tuberculosis Association, Incorporated, or by a localchapter or association of the North Carolina Tuberculosis Association,Incorporated.

(12)      A motor vehicle ownedby a local chapter of the American National Red Cross and used for emergency ordisaster work.

(13)      A motor vehicle ownedby a sheltered workshop recognized or approved by the Division of VocationalRehabilitation Services.

(14)      A motor vehicle ownedby a nonprofit agency or organization that provides transportation for oroperates programs subject to and approved in accordance with standards adoptedby the Commission for Mental Health and Human Services.

(15)      A bus or tracklesstrolley owned by a city and operated under a franchise authorizing the use ofcity streets. This subdivision does not apply to a bus or trackless trolley operatedunder a franchise authorizing an intercity operation.

(16)      A trailer owned by anationally chartered charitable organization and used exclusively for paradefloats and for transporting vehicles and structures used only in parades.

(c)        State HighwayPatrol. – In lieu of all other registration requirements, the Commissionershall each year assign to the State Highway Patrol, upon payment of six dollars($6.00) per registration plate, a sufficient number of regular registrationplates of the same letter prefix and in numerical sequence beginning withnumber 100 to meet the requirements of the State Highway Patrol for use onDivision vehicles assigned to the State Highway Patrol. The commander of thePatrol shall, when such plates are assigned, issue to each member of the StateHighway Patrol a registration plate for use upon the Division vehicle assignedto the member pursuant to G.S. 20‑190 and assign a registration plate toeach Division service vehicle operated by the Patrol. An index of such assignmentsof registration plates shall be kept at each State Highway Patrol radio stationand a copy of it shall be furnished to the registration division of theDivision. Information as to the individual assignments of the registrationplates shall be made available to the public upon request to the same extentand in the same manner as regular registration information. The commander, whennecessary, may reassign registration plates provided that the reassignmentshall appear upon the index required under this subsection within 20 days afterthe reassignment. (1937, c. 407, s. 48; 1939, c. 275; 1949, c. 583, s.1; 1951, c. 388; 1953, c. 1264; 1955, cc. 368, 382; 1967, c. 284; 1969, c. 800;1971, c. 460, s. 1; 1975, c. 548; c. 716, s. 5; 1977, c. 370, s. 1; 1979, c.801, s. 9; 1981 (Reg. Sess., 1982), c. 1159; 1983, c. 593, ss. 1, 2; 1987 (Reg.Sess., 1988), c. 885; 1991 (Reg. Sess., 1992), c. 1030, s. 11; 1997‑443,s. 11A.118(a); 1999‑220, s. 3; 2000‑159, s. 7.)