2006 Code of Virginia § 46.2-711 - Furnishing number and design of plates; displaying on vehicles required

46.2-711. Furnishing number and design of plates; displaying on vehiclesrequired.

A. The Department shall furnish one license plate for every registeredmotorcycle, tractor truck, semitrailer, or trailer, and two license platesfor every other registered motor vehicle, except to licensed motor vehicledealers and persons delivering unladen vehicles who shall be furnished onelicense plate. The license plates for trailers, semitrailers, commercialvehicles, and trucks, other than license plates for dealers, may be of suchdesign as to prevent removal without mutilating some part of the indiciaforming a part of the license plate, when secured to the bracket.

B. The Department shall issue appropriately designated license plates for:

1. Passenger-carrying vehicles for rent or hire for the transportation ofpassengers for private trips;

2. Taxicabs;

3. Passenger-carrying vehicles operated by common carriers or restrictedcommon carriers;

4. Property-carrying motor vehicles to applicants who operate as privatecarriers only;

5. Applicants who operate motor vehicles as carriers for rent or hire; and

6. Trailers and semitrailers.

C. The Department shall issue appropriately designated license plates formotor vehicles held for rental as defined in 58.1-2401.

D. No vehicles shall be operated on the highways in the Commonwealth withoutdisplaying the license plates required by this chapter. The provisions ofthis subsection shall not apply to vehicles used to collect and deliver theUnites States mail to the extent that their rear license plates may becovered by the "CAUTION, FREQUENT STOPS, U.S. MAIL" sign when the vehicleis engaged in the collection and delivery of the United States mail.

E. Pickup or panel trucks are exempt from the provisions of subsection B withreference to displaying for-hire license plates when operated as a carrierfor rent or hire. However, this exemption shall not apply to pickup or paneltrucks subject to regulation under Chapter 21 ( 46.2-2100 et seq.) of thistitle.

(Code 1950, 46-96, 46-160; 1950, p. 625; 1954, c. 211; 1958, c. 541, 46.1-99; 1974, cc. 150, 477; 1989, c. 727; 1993, c. 290; 1995, c. 46; 1997,cc. 774, 816; 2001, c. 596; 2005, c. 140.)