The Department of Motor Vehicles may issue special motor vehicle license plates to former members of the South Carolina Delegation of the United States Congress, retired judicial officers elected by the General Assembly or confirmed by the United States Senate, respectively, members of municipal and county councils, county coroners, and mayors of this State for private passenger motor vehicles owned by them. The department also may issue special motor vehicle license plates to former members of the General Assembly for private passenger motor vehicles and vehicles classified as private passenger motor vehicles in Section 56-3-630 owned by them. The biennial fee for these special license plates is the same as the fee provided in Section 56-3-2020, and only one plate may be issued to former members of the South Carolina Delegation of the United States Congress, retired judicial officers elected by the General Assembly or confirmed by the United States Senate, respectively, a councilman or a mayor. A coroner and a former member of the General Assembly may be issued two license plates. These license plates must be issued or revalidated biennially for the regular registration and licensing period. A person who has been investigated by state or local authorities resulting in a resignation or convicted of a crime involving dishonesty or moral turpitude, or another crime punishable by imprisonment for at least one year may not apply for special motor vehicle license plates issued pursuant to this section. A person convicted of an offense contained in this section subsequent to issuance of a special motor vehicle license plate shall surrender the special license plate to the Department of Motor Vehicles within three days of the date of the conviction.

HISTORY: 1987 Act No. 170, Part II, Section 44; 1990 Act No. 591, Section 2; 1993 Act No. 164, Part II, Section 22FF; 1993 Act No. 181, Section 1384; 1996 Act No. 459, Section 164; 2002 Act No. 349, Section 2; 2008 Act No. 177, Section 1, eff upon approval (became law without the Governor's signature on February 7, 2008); 2012 Act No. 272, Section 15, eff December 26, 2012; 2018 Act No. 255 (H.4973), Section 1, eff June 28, 2018.

Effect of Amendment

2018 Act No. 255, Section 1, in the second sentence, deleted "who are eligible to receive retirement benefits under the General Assembly Retirement System" following "former members of the General Assembly"; in the third sentence, substituted "or a mayor" for ", a mayor, or a member of the General Assembly who is receiving retirement benefits" at the end; in the fourth sentence, inserted "and a former member of the General Assembly" following "A coroner"; and added the sixth and seventh sentences, providing that a person who resigns from office as a result of an investigation or conviction of certain crimes may not apply for or maintain a special license plate.