NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY

1979 SESSION

 

 

CHAPTER 160

HOUSE BILL 79

 

 

AN ACT TO REWRITE G.S. 20-65 RELATING TO VEHICLE REGISTRATION.

 

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

 

Section 1.  G.S. 20-65 is rewritten to read as follows:

"§ 20-65.  Expiration of registration. — (a) Every vehicle registration under this Article with the exception of private passenger vehicles and all private hauler vehicles licensed for 4000 pounds gross weight, and every registration card and registration plate issued hereunder shall expire at midnight on the 31st day of December each year: Provided, however, that it shall not be unlawful to continue to operate any vehicle upon the highways of this State after the expiration of the registration of said vehicle, registration card and registration plate during the period between the 31st day of December and the 15th day of February, inclusive, if the license plate is registered to the vehicle on which it is being used prior to the 31st day of December.

(b)        All private passenger vehicles and all private hauler vehicles licensed for 4000 pounds gross weight initially registered or re-registered in this State during July 1 - December 31, 1980, shall be registered so as to expire on June 30, 1981, and be inclusive of the month in which registration takes place. Registration fees will be computed on a monthly basis at a rate of one-twelfth of the applicable annual fee plus driver's education fee of three dollars ($3.00) per each registration transaction.

(c)        Beginning January 1, 1981, all previously registered private passenger vehicles and all private hauler vehicles, licensed for 4000 pounds gross weight scheduled for renewal shall be registered for a period of time so as to equally distribute the subsequent annual registering of these vehicles uniformly throughout the nine months of March, April, May, July, August, September, October, November, and December, expiring the last day of the month for which the monthly sticker is issued. During the initial staggering of registrations, the commissioner may designate registration periods of from 7 to 17 months and charge monthly fees accordingly. Monthly registration fees for implementing staggered registration shall be computed at a rate of one-twelfth of the applicable annual fee to the nearest twenty-five cents (25˘) plus the driver's education fee of three dollars ($3.00) for each registration transaction. Subsequent renewals of all passenger vehicles and private hauler vehicles licensed for 4000 pounds gross weight shall be for a period of 12 full months. Expiration date shall be the last day of the month for which such monthly sticker is issued. Prorated fees will be eliminated for private passenger vehicles and all private hauler vehicles licensed for 4000 pounds gross weight.

(d)        Beginning on January 1, 1981, (for private passenger vehicles and all private hauler vehicles licensed for 4000 pounds gross weight only) all new, out-of-state registrants and reissues shall register for a full 12 months inclusive of the month of registration.

(e)        In order to maintain a balanced flow of registration transactions, the commissioner shall have the authority to assign registrants to months with low registration volumes. Registration fees in excess of 12 months may be charged in this case and will be based on monthly rates."

Sec. 2.  All registrations of private passenger vehicles and private hauler vehicles licensed for 4000 pounds gross weight during the period from January 1, 1980, through June 30, 1980, shall expire at midnight on December 31, 1980, provided, however, that it shall not be unlawful to continue to operate such vehicles upon the highways of this State between January 1, 1981, and February 15, 1981, inclusive if the license plate is registered to the vehicle on which it is being used prior to January 1, 1981.

Sec. 3.  This act shall become effective July 1, 1980.

In the General Assembly read three times and ratified, this the 20th day of March, 1979.