2006 Code of Virginia § 46.2-750 - Vehicles of Commonwealth, its political subdivisions, and regional jail authorities

46.2-750. Vehicles of Commonwealth, its political subdivisions, andregional jail authorities.

A. Motor vehicles, trailers, and semitrailers owned by the Commonwealth,political subdivisions of the Commonwealth, and regional jail authoritiescreated pursuant to Article 3.1 ( 53.1-95.2 et seq.) of Chapter 3 of Title53.1 and used solely for governmental purposes shall be registered and shalldisplay license plates as provided in this section. The fee for such licenseplates shall be equal to the cost incurred by the Department in the purchaseor manufacture of such license plates. The fees received by the Commissionerunder this section shall be paid into the state treasury and shall be setaside as a special fund to be used to meet the expenses of the Department ofMotor Vehicles.

License plates issued for vehicles owned by the Commonwealth, except platesissued to be used (i) on vehicles devoted solely to police work, (ii) by theVirginia Economic Development Partnership to the extent approved by theGovernor, or (iii) by the Governor and the Attorney General, shall haveconspicuously and legibly inscribed, stamped, or printed thereon wordsstating that the vehicle is for official state use only. The Commissionershall reserve a unique series of numbers for use on such license plates andshall provide for a design and combination of colors which distinguish suchlicense plates from those issued for vehicles owned by the politicalsubdivisions of the Commonwealth.

License plates issued for vehicles owned by political subdivisions of theCommonwealth and regional jail authorities, except such plates issued to beused (i) on vehicles used by any local or regional economic developmentauthority, agency, instrumentality, or organization, upon the request of thechief administrative officer of the affected locality (or, in the case ofregional organizations, the chief administrative officer of any of theaffected localities) or (ii) on vehicles devoted solely to police work, shallhave conspicuously and legibly inscribed, stamped, or printed thereon wordsstating that the vehicle is for official local government use only. TheCommissioner shall reserve a unique series of numbers for use on such licenseplates and shall provide for a design and combination of colors whichdistinguish such license plates from those issued for vehicles owned by theCommonwealth.

No other license plates shall be used on vehicles for which official useplates have been issued, except for vehicles used solely for police work andas provided in subsection B of this section.

B. In addition to any other license plate authorized by this section, theCommissioner may issue permanent or temporary license plates for use onvehicles owned by the Commonwealth or any of its departments, institutions,boards, or agencies and used for security or transportation purposes inconjunction with conferences, meetings, or other events involving theGovernor or members of the General Assembly. No state agency shall usegovernment funds to cover the costs of any license plates issued under thissubsection. The design of these license plates shall be at the discretion ofthe Commissioner. These license plates shall be issued under the followingconditions:

1. For each set of permanent license plates issued, the Commissioner shallcharge a fee of $100. The Commissioner shall limit the validity of any set oflicense plates issued under this subdivision to no more than 30 consecutivedays. The Commissioner's written authorization for use of any set of licenseplates issued under this subdivision shall be kept in the vehicle on whichthe license plates are displayed until expiration of the authorization.

2. The Commissioner shall limit the validity of each set of temporary licenseplates to no more than 14 consecutive days. For each set of temporary licenseplates, the Commissioner shall charge a fee of $25 for the first set and $2for each additional set. The Commissioner's written authorization for use ofany set of license plates issued under this subdivision shall be kept in thevehicle on which the license plates are displayed until expiration of theauthorization.

(Code 1950, 46-48; 1958, c. 541, 46.1-49; 1970, c. 66; 1974, c. 129;1982, c. 317; 1989, cc. 110, 727; 1994, 1st Sp. Sess., c. 6; 1995, cc. 432,747; 1996, cc. 590, 598, 1026; 2004, c. 721.)