(a) General rule.--The department shall issue to owners of miscellaneous motor vehicle businesses with established places of business special registration plates which may be displayed on vehicles operated on highways in lieu of registering each vehicle individually. Registration plates issued under this section may be displayed upon vehicles only as provided for each of the following classes of miscellaneous motor vehicle business:

(1) For a repair or towing business:

(i) upon vehicles being used in the conduct of the repair business to retrieve, tow or deliver other vehicles or parts; and

(ii) upon vehicles being repaired.

(2) For a vehicle salvage dealer business:

(i) upon vehicles being used in the conduct of the vehicle salvage dealer's business to retrieve or deliver vehicles, vehicle hulks, parts or materials; and

(ii) upon vehicles being transported on their own wheels for the purpose of being dismantled or recycled.

(3) For a transporter business upon vehicles being transported on their own wheels in the conduct of the transporter business.

(4) For a financier or collector-repossessor business:

(i) upon vehicles being used to pick up vehicles that are being repossessed; and

(ii) upon vehicles being repossessed.

(5) For a watercraft trailer business:

(i) upon trailers used for the delivery of a new boat to its purchaser;

(ii) upon trailers used for the transport of a used boat which is to be resold by the dealer; and

(iii) upon trailers used for the transport of boats by a dealer to or from another boat dealer, warehouse, storage facility, boat show or repair facility or to and from a location where a boat is to be demonstrated, tested or inspected.

(6) For all classes of miscellaneous motor vehicle businesses upon vehicles used for the personal pleasure or use of the owner of the miscellaneous motor vehicle business or members of the owner's immediate family, or when the business is a corporation, upon vehicles used for the pleasure or use of not more than three officers or members of the officer's immediate family or for the personal use of the regular employees of the business when operated by the employee.

All vehicles specified in paragraphs (1)(i), (2)(i), (4)(i) and (6) must be titled in the name of the business or family member and sales tax must be paid.

(b) Application for registration.--Application for registration in any of the "Miscellaneous Motor Vehicle Business" classes shall be made upon a form provided by the department and shall set forth the full name and business address of the applicant and such other information as the department shall require. The application shall be verified by the oath or affirmation of the applicant or, if the applicant is a partnership or a corporation, by a partner or officer.

(c) Classes of "Miscellaneous Motor Vehicle Business".--

(1) Repair or towing.--Any person regularly engaged in the business of mechanical or body repairs or towing for direct compensation of motor vehicles owned and operated by other persons.

(2) Vehicle salvage dealer.--Any person regularly engaged in the business of acquiring and dismantling used, wrecked, damaged, abandoned or salvage vehicles for the purpose of selling the usable parts and selling the remaining vehicle hulk materials for recycling or processing.

(3) Transporter.--Any person regularly engaged in the business of transporting new or used vehicles on their own wheels, owned by or in possession of a manufacturer or dealer.

(4) Financier or collector-repossessor.--Any person who is duly authorized by the Department of Banking to do business in this Commonwealth as a financier or collector-repossessor and who is regularly engaged in the business of financing sales, making loans on the security of vehicles or repossessing vehicles which are the subject of installment sales contracts as an independent contractor.

(5) Watercraft trailer dealer.--Any person regularly engaged in the business of selling watercraft and trailers used exclusively for the transport of the watercraft.

(July 20, 1979, P.L.168, No.55, eff. imd.; Feb. 10, 1994, P.L.10, No.2, eff. 60 days)

Cross References. Section 1337 is referred to in sections 1162, 7301, 7302, 7322 of this title.