1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to transportation; eliminating certain requirements to display validation 
1.3 	stickers that indicate motor vehicle registration;amending Minnesota Statutes 
1.4 	2020, sections 168.09, subdivision 4; 168.12, subdivisions 1, 2f; 169.79, subdivision 
1.5 	8.
1.6 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.7 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 168.09, subdivision 4, is amended to read:
1.8 		Subd. 4.Display. A vehicle registered under the monthly series system of registration 
1.9 	shall must display the plates and insignia issued within ten days of the first day of the month 
1.10 	which commences the registration period.

1.11 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

1.12 	Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 168.12, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
1.13 		Subdivision 1.Plates; design, visibility, periods of issuance. (a) The commissioner, 
1.14 	upon approval and payment, shall issue to the applicant the plates required by this chapter, 
1.15 	bearing the state name and an assigned vehicle registration number. The number assigned 
1.16 	by the commissioner may be a combination of a letter or sign with figures. The color of the 
1.17 	plates and the color of the abbreviation of the state name and the number assigned must be 
1.18 	in marked contrast. The plates must be lettered, spaced, or distinguished to suitably indicate 
1.19 	the registration of the vehicle according to the rules of the commissioner.
1.20 	(b) When a vehicle is registered on the basis of total gross weight, the plates issued must 
1.21 	clearly indicate by letters or other suitable insignia the maximum gross weight for which 
1.22 	the tax has been paid.
2.1 	(c) Plates issued to a noncommercial vehicle must bear the inscription "noncommercial" 
2.2 	unless the vehicle is displaying a special plate authorized and issued under this chapter.
2.3 	(d) A one-ton pickup truck that is used for commercial purposes and is subject to section 
2.4 	168.185, is eligible to display special plates as authorized and issued under this chapter.
2.5 	(e) The plates must be so treated as to be at least 100 times brighter than the conventional 
2.6 	painted number plates. When properly mounted on an unlighted vehicle, the plates, when 
2.7 	viewed from a vehicle equipped with standard headlights, must be visible for a distance of 
2.8 	not less than 1,500 feet and readable for a distance of not less than 110 feet.
2.9 	(f) The commissioner shall issue plates for the following periods:
2.10 	(1) New plates issued pursuant to section 168.012, subdivision 1, must be issued to a 
2.11 	vehicle for as long as the vehicle is owned by the exempt agency and the plate shall not be 
2.12 	transferable from one vehicle to another but the plate may be transferred with the vehicle 
2.13 	from one tax-exempt agency to another.
2.14 	(2) Plates issued for passenger automobiles must be issued for a seven-year period. All 
2.15 	plates issued under this paragraph must be replaced if they are seven years old or older at 
2.16 	the time of registration renewal or will become so during the registration period.
2.17 	(3) Plates issued under sections 168.053 and 168.27, subdivisions 16 and 17, must be 
2.18 	for a seven-year period.
2.19 	(4) Plates issued under subdivisions 2c and 2d and section 168.123 must be issued for 
2.20 	the life of the veteran under section 169.79.
2.21 	(5) Plates for any vehicle not specified in clauses (1) to (3) must be issued for the life 
2.22 	of the vehicle.
2.23 	(g) In a year in which plates are not issued, upon request of the vehicle owner, the 
2.24 	commissioner shall may issue for each registration a sticker to designate the year of 
2.25 	registration. This sticker must show the year or years for which the sticker is issued, and is 
2.26 	valid only for that period. The plates and stickers issued for a vehicle may not be transferred 
2.27 	to another vehicle during the period for which the sticker is issued, except when issued for 
2.28 	a vehicle registered under section 168.187.
2.29 	(h) Despite any other provision of this subdivision, plates issued to a vehicle used for 
2.30 	behind-the-wheel instruction in a driver education course in a public school may be 
2.31 	transferred to another vehicle used for the same purpose without payment of any additional 
2.32 	fee. The public school shall notify the commissioner of each transfer of plates under this 
2.33 	paragraph. The commissioner may prescribe a format for notification.

3.1 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

3.2 	Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 168.12, subdivision 2f, is amended to read:
3.3 		Subd. 2f.Original license plates. (a) On application of the owner and in lieu of issuing 
3.4 	plates under subdivision 1 to a motor vehicle registered and taxed as a passenger automobile, 
3.5 	the commissioner may assign to the motor vehicle original Minnesota registration plates 
3.6 	issued in the same year as the model year of the motor vehicle, if (1) the original plates are 
3.7 	at least 20 years old, (2) the owner of the motor vehicle has the original plates in possession 
3.8 	at the time of the application, and (3) the owner provides the plate number to the 
3.9 	commissioner.
3.10 	(b) Plates displayed under this subdivision, including stickers applied to the plates, must 
3.11 	be clearly legible and must be displayed on the motor vehicle.
3.12 	(c) The commissioner shall not assign the registration number on the original plates to 
3.13 	the motor vehicle if the commissioner determines that the number on the original plate is 
3.14 	identical to the number on any plate in the current or reserved numbering system used by 
3.15 	the commissioner.
3.16 	(d) Despite subdivision 1, an original plate whose number has been assigned under this 
3.17 	subdivision may be displayed for as long as the plates, including tabs and stickers on the 
3.18 	plates, are clearly legible and the number is not subsequently used by the commissioner as 
3.19 	a plate number in a registration numbering system.
3.20 	(e) Despite subdivision 1, original plates assigned under this subdivision need not bear 
3.21 	a tab or sticker to indicate the month or year of registration if the motor vehicle carries the 
3.22 	registration certificate issued under section 168.11 at all times when the motor vehicle is 
3.23 	operated on the public highways.
3.24 	(f) (e) The commissioner may charge a fee for receiving an application and assigning 
3.25 	original plate numbers.

3.26 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

3.27 	Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 169.79, subdivision 8, is amended to read:
3.28 		Subd. 8.Plate registration stickers. (a) As viewed facing the plates:,
3.29 	(a) License plates issued to vehicles registered under section 168.017 must display the 
3.30 	month of expiration in the lower left corner of each plate and the year of expiration in the 
3.31 	lower right corner of each plate.
4.1 	(b) license plates issued to vehicles registered under section 168.127 must display either
4.2 	(1) fleet registration validation stickers in the lower right corner of each plate, or (2)
4.3 	distinctive license plates, issued by the registrar, with "FLEET REG" displayed on the 
4.4 	bottom center portion of each plate.
4.5 	(c) (b) License plates issued after July 1, 2008, requiring validation must are not required 
4.6 	to display validation stickers to indicate registration expiration. If validation stickers are 
4.7 	displayed, the sticker bearing the month of expiration must be placed in the lower left corner 
4.8 	of each the plate and the sticker bearing the year of expiration must be placed in the lower 
4.9 	right corner of the plate.

4.10 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.