Skip to main content Skip to office menu Skip to footer
Capital IconMinnesota Legislature

Office of the Revisor of Statutes

Key: (1) language to be deleted (2) new language

CHAPTER 280--H.F.No. 2092

An act

relating to motor vehicles; license plates; authorizing a retired firefighters special plate and a veteran's special motorcycle plate for combat wounded veterans; making technical changes;

amending Minnesota Statutes 2012, sections 168.12, subdivision 2b, by adding a subdivision; 168.123, subdivision 1.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 168.12, subdivision 2b, is amended to read:

Subd. 2b.

Firefighters; special plates, rules.

(a) The commissioner shall issue special plates, or a single license plate in the case of a motorcycle plate, to any applicant who:

(1) is a member of a fire department receiving state aid under chapter 69, has a letter from the fire chief, and is an owner of a passenger automobile as defined in section 168.002, subdivision 24, a one-ton pickup truck as defined in section 168.002, subdivision 21b, or a motorcycle as defined in section 168.002, subdivision 19;

(2) pays a fee of $10 and any other fees required by this chapter;

(3) pays the registration tax required by this chapter for the motor vehicle; and

(4) complies with this chapter and rules governing the registration of motor vehicles and licensing of drivers.

(b) In lieu of the identification required under subdivision 1, the special plates must bear an emblem of a Maltese Cross together with any numbers or characters prescribed by the commissioner.

(c) Special plates issued under this subdivision may only be used during the period that the owner of the motor vehicle is a member of a fire department as specified in this subdivision. When the individual to whom the special plates were issued is no longer a member of a fire department or when the motor vehicle ownership is transferred, the owner shall remove the special plates from the motor vehicle. If the commissioner receives written notification that an individual is no longer qualified for these special plates, the commissioner shall invalidate the plates and notify the individual of this action. The individual may retain the plate only upon demonstrating compliance with the qualifications of this subdivision. Upon removal or invalidation of the special platesdeleted text begin ,deleted text end or special motorcycle plate, deleted text begin eitherdeleted text end the owner or purchaser of the motor vehicle shall obtain regular plates deleted text begin ordeleted text end new text begin ,new text end a regular motorcycle platenew text begin , or special platesnew text end for the proper registration classification for the motor vehicle.

(d) A special motorcycle license plate issued under this subdivision must be the same size as a standard motorcycle license plate.

(e) Upon payment of a fee of $5, plates issued under this subdivision for a passenger automobile or truck may be transferred to another passenger automobile or truck owned or jointly owned by the person to whom the plates were issued. On payment of a fee of $5, a plate issued under this subdivision for a motorcycle may be transferred to another motorcycle owned or jointly owned by the person to whom the plate was issued.

(f) The commissioner may adopt rules under the Administrative Procedure Act, sections 14.001 to 14.69, to govern the issuance and use of the special plates authorized in this subdivision.

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 168.12, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:

new text begin Subd. 2g. new text end

new text begin Retired firefighters; special plates. new text end

new text begin (a) The commissioner shall issue special retired firefighters plates to an applicant who: new text end

new text begin (1) is a retired member of a fire department as defined in section 299N.01, subdivision 2, has a letter from the fire chief affirming that the applicant is a retired firefighter who served ten or more years and separated in good standing, and is a registered owner of a passenger automobile, a one-ton pickup truck, a recreational vehicle, or a motorcycle; new text end

new text begin (2) pays a fee of $10 for each set of license plates applied for along with any other fees required by this chapter; and new text end

new text begin (3) complies with this chapter and rules governing registration of motor vehicles and licensing of drivers. new text end

new text begin (b) The commissioner shall design the special plate emblem so that it is distinguishable from the emblem on firefighter special plates issued under subdivision 2b. new text end

new text begin (c) On payment of a transfer fee of $5, plates issued under this subdivision may be transferred to another passenger automobile, one-ton pickup truck, recreational vehicle, or motorcycle registered to the individual to whom the special plates were issued. new text end

new text begin (d) Fees collected under this subdivision must be credited to the vehicle services operating account in the special revenue fund. new text end

new text begin (e) This subdivision is exempt from section 168.1293. new text end

Sec. 3.

Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 168.123, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1.

General requirements; fees.

(a) On payment of a fee of $10 for each set of two plates, or for a single plate in the case of a motorcycle plate, payment of the registration tax required by law, and compliance with other applicable laws relating to vehicle registration and licensing, as applicable, the commissioner shall issue:

(1) special veteran's plates to an applicant who served in the active military service in a branch of the armed forces of the United States or of a nation or society allied with the United States in conducting a foreign war, was discharged under honorable conditions, and is a registered owner of a passenger automobile as defined in section 168.002, subdivision 24, recreational motor vehicle as defined in section 168.002, subdivision 27, or one-ton pickup truck as defined in section 168.002, subdivision 21b, but which is not a commercial motor vehicle as defined in section 169.011, subdivision 16; or

(2) a veteran's special motorcycle plate as described in subdivision 2, paragraph (a), new text begin (e), new text end (f), (h), (i), or (j), or another special plate designed by the commissioner to an applicant who is a registered owner of a motorcycle as defined in section 168.002, subdivision 19, and meets the criteria listed in this paragraph and in subdivision 2, paragraph (a), new text begin (e), new text end (f), (h), (i), or (j). Plates issued under this clause must be the same size as regular motorcycle plates. Special motorcycle license plates issued under this clause are not subject to section 168.1293.

(b) The additional fee of $10 is payable for each set of veteran's plates, is payable only when the plates are issued, and is not payable in a year in which stickers are issued instead of plates.

(c) The veteran must have a certified copy of the veteran's discharge papers, indicating character of discharge, at the time of application. If an applicant served in the active military service in a branch of the armed forces of a nation or society allied with the United States in conducting a foreign war and is unable to obtain a record of that service and discharge status, the commissioner of veterans affairs may certify the applicant as qualified for the veterans' plates provided under this section.

Presented to the governor May 15, 2014

Signed by the governor May 16, 2014, 10:36 a.m.

Official Publication of the State of Minnesota
Revisor of Statutes