§ 20-50. Owner to secure registration and certificate of title; temporary registration markers.
Part 3. Registration andCertificates of Titles of Motor Vehicles.
§ 20‑50. Owner tosecure registration and certificate of title; temporary registration markers.
(a) A vehicle intendedto be operated upon any highway of this State must be registered with theDivision in accordance with G.S. 20‑52, and the owner of the vehicle mustcomply with G.S. 20‑52 before operating the vehicle. A vehicle that isleased to an individual who is a resident of this State is a vehicle intendedto be operated upon a highway of this State.
The Commissioner of MotorVehicles or the Commissioner's duly authorized agent is empowered to grant aspecial one‑way trip permit to move a vehicle without license upon goodcause being shown. When the owner of a vehicle leases the vehicle to a carrierof passengers or property and the vehicle is actually used by the carrier inthe operation of its business, the license plates may be obtained by thelessee, upon written consent of the owner, after the certificate of title hasbeen obtained by the owner. When the owner of a vehicle leases the vehicle to afarmer and the vehicle is actually used by the farmer in the operation of afarm, the license plates may be obtained by the farmer at the applicable farmerrate, upon written consent of the owner, after the certificate of title hasbeen obtained by the owner. The lessee shall make application on an appropriateform furnished by the Division and file such evidence of the lease as theDivision may require.
(b) The Division mayissue a temporary license plate for a vehicle. A temporary license plate isvalid for the period set by the Division. The period may not be less than 10days nor more than 60 days.
A person may obtain atemporary license plate for a vehicle by filing an application with theDivision and paying the required fee. An application must be filed on a formprovided by the Division.
The fee for a temporarylicense plate that is valid for 10 days is five dollars ($5.00). The fee for atemporary license plate that is valid for more than 10 days is the amount thatwould be required with an application for a license plate for the vehicle. If aperson obtains for a vehicle a temporary license plate that is valid for morethan 10 days and files an application for a license plate for that vehiclebefore the temporary license plate expires, the person is not required to paythe fee that would otherwise be required for the license plate.
A temporary license plate issubject to the following limitations and conditions:
(1) It may be issued onlyupon proper proof that the applicant has met the applicable financialresponsibility requirements.
(2) It expires onmidnight of the day set for expiration.
(3) It may be used onlyon the vehicle for which issued and may not be transferred, loaned, or assignedto another.
(4) If it is lost orstolen, the person who applied for it must notify the Division.
(5) It may not be issuedby a dealer.
(6) The provisions ofG.S. 20‑63, 20‑71, 20‑110 and 20‑111 that apply tolicense plates apply to temporary license plates insofar as possible. (1937, c. 407, s. 15; 1943,c. 648; 1945, c. 956, s. 3; 1947, c. 219, s. 2; 1953, c. 831, s. 3; 1957, c.246, s. 2; 1961, c. 360, s. 1; 1963, c. 552, s. 1; 1973, c. 919; 1975, c. 462;c. 716, s. 5; c. 767, s. 1; 1995, c. 394, s. 1; 1999‑438, s. 26; 2005‑276,s. 44.1(i).)