Maryland Transportation Section 13-618
§ 13-618.
CAUTION: READ FULL TEXT OF SECTION FOR SPECIAL NOTE
(a) The Administration may issue special commemorative original or substitute registration plates for any geographical, historical, natural resource, or environmental commemoration of statewide significance.
(b) The owner of a vehicle, or a lessee of the vehicle under a lease not intended as security, or a director, officer, employee, or partner of a business entity that owns the vehicle considered eligible by the Administration may apply to the Administration for the assignment of a commemorative registration plate under this section if the vehicle is included in one of the following classes:
(1) A Class A (passenger) vehicle;
(2) A Class B (for hire) vehicle;
(3) A Class E (truck) vehicle with a manufacturer's rated capacity of one ton or less;
(4) A Class G (trailer) vehicle; or
(5) A Class M (multipurpose) vehicle.
(c) (1) An original or substitute commemorative plate may only be issued under this section for a fixed period of 2 consecutive years after its initial issuance.
(2) The Administration may only issue 1 commemorative plate under this section at any one time.
(d) (1) In addition to the annual registration fee otherwise required under this title, an owner of a vehicle assigned a commemorative registration plate under this section shall pay:
(i) An additional initial registration fee set by the Administration when the new registration plates are issued to the vehicle under this section; or
(ii) An additional renewal fee set by the Administration each time the plate is renewed.
(2) (i) The Administration shall set the additional initial registration fee at a level that will enable the Administration to recover its costs under this section.
(ii) The Administration may set the additional initial registration fee at a level that is sufficient to result in a surplus after costs are subtracted.
(iii) The Administration shall retain a portion of the additional initial registration fee that is sufficient to allow the Administration to recover any costs of issuing and distributing commemorative plates under this section.
(iv) Any surplus moneys remaining after the Administration has recovered the costs of issuing a commemorative plate under this section and moneys collected for additional renewal fees may not be retained by or transferred to any agency of the State for any purpose.
(v) Notwithstanding subparagraph (iv) of this paragraph, the surplus moneys and moneys collected for additional renewal fees may be retained for the purpose described in paragraph (3) of this subsection.
(3) The surplus moneys and moneys collected for additional renewal fees shall be disbursed by the Administration to a nonprofit organization that is:
(i) Closely related to the geographical, historical, natural resource, or environmental theme which the plate commemorates; and
(ii) Designated by the Administration under subsection (e) of this section.
(4) No portion of the additional initial registration or renewal fees may be credited to the Gasoline and Motor Vehicle Revenue Account for distribution under § 8-403 or § 8-404 of this article.
(e) (1) The Administration shall adopt regulations not inconsistent with the Maryland Vehicle Law to govern the issuance of special registration plates under this section.
(2) Before designating any nonprofit organization to receive any surplus moneys or moneys collected for additional renewal fees and before distributing the moneys to any nonprofit organization, the Administration shall adopt regulations specific to each new commemorative plate detailing:
(i) The name and nature of the nonprofit organization receiving the money;
(ii) The relationship of the nonprofit organization to the geographical, historical, natural resource, or environmental theme which the plate commemorates; and
(iii) The plan of distribution of the funds.
(3) The Administration shall consult with the nonprofit organization designated to receive moneys under this section to establish a schedule under which the Administration will transfer to the nonprofit organization revenue collected on behalf of the nonprofit organization under this section.
(f) The additional fees to the annual registration fee required by this section are not required for special registration of a vehicle that is exempt under § 13-903 of this title, or a vehicle with a special registration plate recognizing:
(1) The Maryland National Guard; or
(2) A volunteer fire department, volunteer rescue squad, or volunteer ambulance company in this State.
(g) (1) A special registration number as specified by the Administration and assigned under this section may consist of:
(i) Any combination of:
1. Letters; and
2. Numerals; and
(ii) Any design approved by the Administration that adequately reflects the geographical, historical, natural resource, or environmental theme which the plate commemorates.
(2) A special registration number or design assigned under this section shall be displayed on the registration plates for the vehicle.
(3) The Administration shall consult with the nonprofit organization designated to receive moneys under this section with respect to any design of the Chesapeake Bay Commemorative License Plate.
// SPECIAL NOTE: THE ABOVE SECTION WAS CHANGED BY CHAPTER 25 OF 2005 AND WILL REMAIN IN EFFECT UNTIL JULY 1, 2008 //
(a) The Administration may issue special commemorative original or substitute registration plates for any geographical, historical, natural resource, or environmental commemoration of statewide significance.
(b) The owner of a vehicle, or a lessee of the vehicle under a lease not intended as security, or a director, officer, employee, or partner of a business entity that owns the vehicle considered eligible by the Administration may apply to the Administration for the assignment of a commemorative registration plate under this section if the vehicle is included in one of the following classes:
(1) A Class A (passenger) vehicle;
(2) A Class B (for hire) vehicle;
(3) A Class E (truck) vehicle with a manufacturer's rated capacity of one ton or less;
(4) A Class G (trailer) vehicle; or
(5) A Class M (multipurpose) vehicle.
(c) (1) An original or substitute commemorative plate may only be issued under this section for a fixed period of 2 consecutive years after its initial issuance.
(2) The Administration may only issue 1 commemorative plate under this section at any one time.
(d) (1) In addition to the annual registration fee otherwise required under this title, an owner of a vehicle assigned a commemorative registration plate under this section shall pay the fee set by the Administration when the new registration plates are issued to the vehicle under this section.
(2) (i) The Administration shall set the fee at a level that will enable the Administration to recover its costs under this section.
(ii) The Administration may charge a fee that is sufficient to result in a surplus after costs are subtracted.
(iii) The Administration shall retain a portion of the fee that is sufficient to allow the Administration to recover any costs of issuing and distributing commemorative plates under this section.
(iv) Any surplus moneys remaining after the Administration has recovered the costs of issuing a commemorative plate under this section may not be retained by or transferred to any agency of the State for any purpose.
(v) Notwithstanding subparagraph (iv) of this paragraph, the surplus moneys may be retained for the purpose described in paragraph (3) of this subsection.
(3) The surplus moneys shall be disbursed by the Administration to a nonprofit organization that is:
(i) Closely related to the geographical, historical, natural resource, or environmental theme which the plate commemorates; and
(ii) Designated by the Administration under subsection (e) of this section.
(4) No portion of the fee may be credited to the Gasoline and Motor Vehicle Revenue Account for distribution under § 8-403 or § 8-404 of this article.
(e) (1) The Administration shall adopt regulations not inconsistent with the Maryland Vehicle Law to govern the issuance of special registration plates under this section.
(2) Before designating any nonprofit organization to receive any surplus moneys and before distributing any surplus moneys to any nonprofit organization, the Administration shall adopt regulations specific to each new commemorative plate detailing:
(i) The name and nature of the nonprofit organization receiving the money;
(ii) The relationship of the nonprofit organization to the geographical, historical, natural resource, or environmental theme which the plate commemorates; and
(iii) The plan of distribution of the funds.
(f) The additional fee to the annual registration fee required by this section is not required for special registration of a vehicle that is exempt under § 13-903 of this title, or a vehicle with a special registration plate recognizing:
(1) The Maryland National Guard; or
(2) A volunteer fire department, volunteer rescue squad, or volunteer ambulance company in this State.
(g) (1) A special registration number as specified by the Administration and assigned under this section may consist of:
(i) Any combination of:
1. Letters; and
2. Numerals; and
(ii) Any design approved by the Administration that adequately reflects the geographical, historical, natural resource, or environmental theme which the plate commemorates.
(2) A special registration number or design assigned under this section shall be displayed on the registration plates for the vehicle.
