§519. Temporary registration plates issued by dealers

A. Issuance by commissioner to dealer. The commissioner may, subject to the limitations and conditions hereinafter set forth, deliver temporary registration plates or markers designed by the commissioner to a licensed automobile, boat trailer, camper trailer, truck, motorcycle, or other motor driven cycle, or motorized camper dealer who applies for same and who enclosed with such application a fee of four dollars for each set for which application is made. Such application shall be made upon a form prescribed and furnished by the commissioner. Dealers subject to the limitations and conditions hereinafter set forth, may issue such temporary registration plates or markers to owners of vehicles, except apportioned trucks, provided that such owners shall comply with the pertinent provisions of this Section.

B. Dealer's records. Every dealer who has made application for temporary registration plates or markers shall maintain in permanent form a record of all temporary registration plates or markers delivered to and issued by him, and in addition thereto, shall maintain in permanent form a record of any other information pertaining to the receipt or the issuance of temporary registration plates or markers that the commissioner may require. Each record shall be kept for a period of at least three years from the date of entry of such record. Every dealer shall allow full and free access to such records during regular business hours, to duly authorized representatives of the commissioner and to peace officers.

C. Copy of application sent to commissioner. Every dealer who issues temporary registration plates or markers shall, on the day that he issues such plates or markers, send to the commissioner a copy of the temporary registration plate or marker application which shall have been executed by the person entitled to receive such plates or markers and delivered to the dealer prior to the issuance of plates or markers to said person.

D. Permitted use. Dealers may issue temporary registration plates to persons who purchase motor vehicles from dealers. All other uses of temporary registration plates are prohibited.

E. Information to be inserted by dealer. Every dealer who issues temporary plates or markers shall insert clearly and indelibly on the face of each temporary registration plate or marker the date of issuance and expiration, and the make and serial number of the vehicle for which issued.

F. Suspension of right of dealer to issue. If the commissioner finds that the provisions of this Section or his directions are not being complied with by the dealer, he may suspend, after a hearing, the right of a dealer to issue temporary registration plates or markers.

G. Destruction upon receiving annual plates. Every person to whom temporary registration plates or markers have been issued shall permanently destroy such temporary registration plates or markers immediately upon receiving the annual registration plates; however, if the annual registration plates are not received within sixty days of the issuance of the temporary registration plates or markers and no extension has been granted, the owner shall, notwithstanding, immediately upon the expiration of such sixty-day period, permanently destroy the temporary registration plates or markers.

H. Expiration of plates. Temporary registration plates or markers shall expire and become void upon the receipt of the annual registration plates or upon the expiration of sixty days from the date of issuance, depending on whichever event shall first occur. However, if a title transfer is defective or delayed, the purchaser of a new or used motor vehicle which has been issued a temporary registration plate or marker may apply to the dealer for and receive one additional sixty-day extension following the expiration of the original temporary registration plate or marker, as approved by the Department of Public Safety and Corrections, office of motor vehicles. Special temporary registration plates or markers issued under the provisions of Subsection L of this Section shall expire as provided in that Subsection. No refund or credit for fees paid by dealers to the commissioners for temporary registration plates or markers shall be allowed, except in the event the issuance of temporary registration plates or markers is discontinued, in which case the dealer may petition for a refund.

I. Rules and regulations. The commissioner of motor vehicles shall have the power to make such rules and regulations, not inconsistent herewith, as he shall deem necessary for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this Section.

J. Penalty. Any person violating the provisions of this Section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be fined not more than one thousand dollars or imprisonment for not more than one year, or both. No penalty shall be imposed on any person who violates the provisions of Subsections G and H of this Section by failing to dispose of a temporary registration plate and retaining such temporary registration plate after the expiration of sixty days from issuance thereof if the permanent registration plate has been applied for as required by law but has not yet been received by the owner.

K. Fees. The fees prescribed herein shall be retained by the commissioner to defray the cost of printing, processing and issuing the temporary registration plates or markers.

L. Special temporary plates or markers. The commissioner shall issue special temporary registration plates or markers to truck dealers. The special temporary registration plates or markers shall be the same as, and shall be subject to the same requirements as, the other temporary registration plates or markers issued under this Section, except that:

(1) The special temporary registration plates or markers shall be used only on trucks with a gross vehicle weight rating of ten thousand pounds or more.

(2) Each special temporary registration plate or marker shall be valid for sixty days from the date the special temporary registration plate or marker is issued.

Added by Acts 1960, No. 319, §1. Amended by Acts 1968, No. 100, §1; Acts 1969, No. 118, §1; Acts 1970, No. 97, §1; Acts 1970, No. 380, §1; Acts 1977, No. 417, §1, eff. July 1, 1977; Acts 1978, No. 493, §1; Acts 1979, No. 95, §1. Acts 1983, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 33, §4, eff. Jan. 19, 1983; Acts 1983, No. 225, §1; Acts 1986, No. 175, §1; Acts 1986, No. 791, §1; Acts 1991, No. 547, §1, eff. July 15, 1991; Acts 1992, No. 631, §1, eff. July 2, 1992; Acts 1995, No. 440, §1; Acts 1997, No. 787, §1; Acts 1999, No. 228, §1, eff. June 11, 1999; Acts 2012, No. 94, §1.