What's happening
This bill requires license plates to be visually inspected during vehicle safety checks and restricts mandatory plate replacements if plates remain legible.
Why it matters
Reduces unnecessary replacement costs. for vehicle owners by ensuring that license plates only need to be replaced if they are actually illegible, rather than at arbitrary intervals or for minor cosmetic issues.
Establishes clear, objective standards. for what constitutes an "illegible" license plate, which can help prevent disputes between vehicle owners, inspectors, and the DMV about when a plate replacement is required.
Aligns safety inspection procedures. with actual road safety concerns, focusing on whether plates can be read rather than mandating replacement based on age or minor wear, which can save time and administrative resources.
Limits state-mandated revenue generation. from forced plate replacements, which has sometimes been controversial; the bill ensures that replacements are based on safety and legibility, not simply as a revenue source.
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Who cares
Vehicle owners
The bill would bar mandatory replacement of reflectorized plates that pass the new inspection standard when replacement plates would be issued to the same registered owner and vehicle.
Vehicle safety inspection stations
Inspectors would have to visually inspect license plates and reject plates with unreadable letters or numbers meeting the bill’s damage thresholds.
Department of Motor Vehicles
The commissioner would be prohibited from requiring plate replacement when the bill’s inspection and same-owner, same-vehicle conditions are met.
Headline styles
Check and Replace Damaged Plates
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to transportation
- Referred to rules
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
6672
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
August 28, 2019
Introduced by Sen. MARTINEZ -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules
AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to requiring license plates be inspected during safety inspections and preventing license plates from being replaced in certain circumstances
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision (c) of section 301 of the vehicle and traffic law is amended by adding a new paragraph 4 to read as follows:
(4) Such inspection shall also include a visual inspection of the license plates. Whenever a license plate shall have become so delaminated, or otherwise damaged or worn as to become illegible, such license plate shall not meet the proper and safe condition requirements of subdivision (a) of section three hundred four of this article. A license plate will be deemed to be illegible when at least one of the license plate's numbers or letters cannot be read because (a) more than one-third of a number or letter lacks color due to delamination or other damage, including fading, or (b) the license plate is missing one or more pieces and such piece or pieces include more than one-third of a number or letter.
§ 2. Subdivision 3 of section 401 of the vehicle and traffic law is amended by adding a new paragraph e to read as follows:
e. The commissioner shall not require the replacement of reflectorized number plates issued for any vehicle where: (i) the plates previously issued for such vehicle meet the requirements to pass an inspection under paragraph four of subdivision (c) of section three hundred one of this chapter; and (ii) the replacement plates being issued are to the same registered owner and vehicle as previously issued plates.
§ 3. This act shall take effect April 1, 2020.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD13677-02-9
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to requiring license plates be inspected during safety inspections and preventing license plates from being replaced in certain circumstances
Purpose
This legislation will ensure that license plates are being replaced only with good cause.
Summary of provisions
Section 1. Requires inspections of license plates during yearly inspections. In order to pass state inspection, sets criteria for license plate to be considered damaged (1/3 of one or more letters/numbers lacking color, missing pieces).
Section 2. Prohibits the commissioner from requiring license plates be replaced unless the plate is damaged
Section 3. Effective Date
Justification
This legislation will ensure that all vehicles on the road have a legi- ble license plate and prohibit mandatory license plate replacements unless the license plate is damaged or illegible.
The department of motor vehicles already provides free license plate replacements for those license plates that are damaged. New Yorkers should not have to pay additional fees and taxes to replace license plates if the change is solely to guarantee that license plate are read- able.
According to E-ZPass and the NYS Thruway Authority, the current license plate readers are able to read at nearly 100% accuracy for cashless tolling purposes. If the current license plates, despite their age are able to function properly, there is no need to replace the plates.
This legislation will ensure the department of motor vehicles does not force the mass replacement of license plates indiscriminately. Under this legislation, when a license plate is considered delaminated or damaged when at least one of the license plate numbers or letters cannot be read due to it missing at least one third of the piece, fading or lamination.
Prior legislative history
None
Fiscal implications
To be determined.
Effective date
April 1, 2020
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.