Senate Bill No. 469

Senate Bill No. 469-Committee on Transportation

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422

AN ACT relating to license plates; requiring the director of the department of motor vehicles and public safety to order the redesign and preparation of motor vehicle license plates; providing for the issuance of such license plates; authorizing the refurbishment of vehicle license plates issued before a certain date; and providing other matters properly relating thereto.

[Approved July 16, 1997]

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

Section 1. Chapter 482 of NRS is hereby amended by adding thereto a new section to read as follows:
1. At the request of a person who applies for the registration or renewal of the registration of a vehicle that has motor vehicle license plates which were issued before January 1, 1982, the department shall refurbish the license plates for a fee not to exceed the actual cost of the refurbishment.
2. If a motor vehicle license plate that was issued before January 1, 1982, is delivered to the department for refurbishment, the person who applies for the registration or renewal of registration of the vehicle shall display on the vehicle a temporary permit which must be affixed to the vehicle in a form, manner and position determined by the department.
Sec. 2. NRS 482.270 is hereby amended to read as follows:
482.270 1. Except as otherwise provided in NRS 482.3747, 482.3775, 482.379 to 482.3794, inclusive, or 482.384, section 1 of Senate Bill No. 9 of this session and section 1 of [this act, or NRS 482.384,] Assembly Bill No. 32 of this session, the director shall order the redesign and preparation of motor vehicle license plates with no other colors than blue and silver. The director may substitute white in place of silver when no suitable material is available.
2. Except as otherwise provided in subsection 3, the department shall, upon the payment of all applicable fees, issue redesigned motor vehicle license plates pursuant to this section to persons who apply for the registration or renewal of the registration of a motor vehicle on or after January 1, 2001.
3. The department shall not issue redesigned motor vehicle license plates pursuant to this section to a person who was issued motor vehicle license plates before January 1, 1982, or pursuant to NRS 482.3747, 482.3763, 482.3775, 482.378 or 482.379, without the approval of the person.
4. The director may determine and vary the size, shape and form and the material of which license plates are made, but each license plate must be of sufficient size to be plainly readable from a distance of 100 feet during daylight. All license plates must be treated to reflect light and to be at least 100 times brighter than conventional painted number plates. When properly mounted on an unlighted vehicle, the license plates, when viewed from a vehicle equipped with standard headlights, must be visible for a distance of not less than 1,500 feet and readable for a distance of not less than 110 feet.
[3.] 5. Every license plate must have displayed upon it:
(a) The registration number, or combination of letters and numbers, assigned to the vehicle and to the owner thereof;
(b) The name of [the] this state, which may be abbreviated;
(c) If issued for a calendar year, the year; and
(d) If issued for a registration period other than a calendar year, the month and year the registration expires.
[4.] 6. The letters I and Q must not be used in the designation.
[5.] 7. Except as otherwise provided in NRS 482.379, all letters and numbers must be of the same size.
Sec. 3. The director of the department of motor vehicles and public safety shall:
1. Approve a new design of motor vehicle license plates pursuant to section 2 of this act not later than January 1, 2000; and
2. Ensure that the preparation of the redesigned motor vehicle license plates begins not later than 90 days after he approves the new design.
Sec. 4. 1. This section and section 3 of this act become effective on October 1, 1997.
2. Section 2 of this act becomes effective at 12:02 a.m. on October 1, 1997.
3. Section 1 of this act becomes effective on January 1, 2001.
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