No-Fee Veteran License Plates

Section 1. Subdivision 1-a of section 404 of the vehicle and traffic law, as amended by chapter 103 of the laws of 2016, is amended to read as follows:

1-a. The commissioner may issue special number and/or distinctive license plates to applicants who are members of veterans organizations or active duty military members in the same manner as other number plates are issued pursuant to this article. Such special number plates or distinctive plates shall be issued only upon (a) payment of [a onetime service charge of ten dollars in addition to] the regular registration fee prescribed by section four hundred one of this article, and (b) submission of proof, satisfactory to the commissioner, that the applicant is presently an active duty military member or a member of the veterans organization for which such plate is requested. No additional fees for customization of such plates shall be required. Such membership shall be verified annually by the applicant. Application for such plates shall be made in accordance with regulations promulgated by the commissioner with respect to the issuance of such plates. Provided, however, that nothing contained herein shall be deemed to supersede the provisions of section four hundred four-d, four hundred four-e, four hundred four-h, four hundred four-i, four hundred four-j, four hundred four-k, four hundred four-p or four hundred four-aa of this article.

§ 2. Subdivision 6 of section 401 of the vehicle and traffic law is amended by adding a new paragraph c-1 to read as follows:

c-1. The provisions of this subdivision with respect to the payment of registration renewal fees shall not apply to a motor vehicle registra-

EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets

[ ] is old law to be omitted.

LBD09506-03-7

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tion renewed by an active duty military member or a qualified veteran. A qualified veteran is an individual who served on active duty in the United States army, navy, air force, marine corps, coast guard or the reserves thereof, or who served in active military service of the United States as a member of the army national guard, air national guard, New York guard or New York naval militia; who was released from active duty by general or honorable discharge.

§ 3. Subdivision 3 of section 404-h of the vehicle and traffic law, as amended by chapter 415 of the laws of 2001, is amended to read as follows:

3. A distinctive plate issued pursuant to this section shall be issued in the same manner as other number plates upon payment of the regular registration fee prescribed by section four hundred one of this article provided, however, that [an additional one-time] no service charge [of ten dollars] shall be charged for such plate.

§ 4. Subdivision 4 of section 404-j of the vehicle and traffic law, as amended by chapter 415 of the laws of 2001, is amended to read as follows:

4. Fee. A special plate and registration issued pursuant to this section shall be issued upon payment of the regular registration fee prescribed by section four hundred one of this article provided, however, that [an] no additional [one-time] service charge [of ten dollars] shall be charged for such plate.

§ 5. Subdivision 3 of section 404-v of the vehicle and traffic law, as added by chapter 389 of the laws of 2004, is amended to read as follows:

3. A distinctive plate issued pursuant to this section shall be issued in the same manner as other number plates upon payment of the regular registration fee prescribed by section four hundred one of this article, provided, however, that [an] no additional [one-time] service charge [of ten dollars] shall be charged for such plate. [Provided, however, that one year after the effective date of this section funds in the amount of five thousand dollars, or so much thereof as may be available, shall be allocated from such funds to the department to offset costs associated with the production of such license plates.]

§ 6. Subdivision 3 of section 404-w of the vehicle and traffic law, as added by chapter 105 of the laws of 2005, is amended to read as follows:

3. A distinctive plate issued pursuant to this section shall be issued in the same manner as other number plates upon payment of the regular registration fee prescribed by section four hundred of this article, provided, however, that [an] no additional [one-time] service charge [of ten dollars] shall be charged for such plate.

§ 7. Subdivisions 4 and 5 of section 404-w of the vehicle and traffic law, as added by chapter 493 of the laws of 2005, are amended to read as follows:

4. A distinctive plate issued pursuant to this section shall be issued in the same manner as other number plates upon payment of the regular registration fee prescribed by section four hundred one of this article provided, however, that [an] no additional [one time] service charge [of ten dollars] shall be charged for such plate.

[5. Nothing contained herein shall require the issuance of a special number plate under this section unless the commissioner is satisfied that the aggregate amount of annual service charges collected pursuant to subdivision four of this section will be sufficient to recover the costs of the design and manufacture of such special plates.]

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§ 8. Subdivision 3 of section 404-aa of the vehicle and traffic law, as added by chapter 103 of the laws of 2016, is amended to read as follows:

3. A distinctive plate issued pursuant to this section shall be issued in the same manner as other number plates upon payment of the regular registration fee prescribed by section four hundred one of this article; provided, however, that [an] no additional [one-time] service charge [of ten dollars] shall be charged for such plate.

§ 9. Subdivision 3 of section 404-d of the vehicle and traffic law, as amended by chapter 415 of the laws of 2001, is amended to read as follows:

3. A distinctive plate issued pursuant to this section shall be issued in the same manner as other number plates upon payment of the regular registration fee prescribed by section four hundred one of this article provided, however, that [an] no additional [one-time] service charge [of ten dollars] shall be charged for such plate.

§ 10. Subdivision 3 of section 404-k of the vehicle and traffic law, as amended by chapter 415 of the laws of 2001, is amended to read as follows:

3. A distinctive plate issued pursuant to this section shall be issued in the same manner as other number plates upon payment of the regular registration fee prescribed by section four hundred one of this article provided, however, that [an] no additional [one-time] service charge [of ten dollars] shall be charged for such plate.

§ 11. Subdivision 3 of section 404-i of the vehicle and traffic law, as amended by chapter 486 of the laws of 1996, is amended to read as follows:

3. A distinctive plate issued pursuant to this section shall be issued in the same manner as other number plates upon payment of the regular registration fee prescribed by section four hundred one of this article, provided, however, that no service charge or renewal fees shall be charged for such plate.

§ 12. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have become a law.