H. B. 2387
(By Delegate Warner)
[Introduced February 7, 1995; referred to the
Committee on Roads and Transportation then Finance.]
A BILL to amend and reenact section sixteen, article three,
chapter seventeen-a of the code of West Virginia, one thousand
nine hundred thirty-one, as amended; and to amend and reenact
section three, article ten of said chapter, all relating to
motor vehicle registration; repealing the requirement that
certain trucks be registered for one of twelve registration
periods; repealing provisions regarding allocations of
registration periods for trucks and other motor vehicles;
establishing a three-year registration period of Class T and
Class R vehicles; and payment of fees for multiyear
registration.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That section sixteen, article three, chapter seventeen-a of
the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as
amended, be amended and reenacted; and that section three, article ten of said chapter, be amended and reenacted, all to read as
follows:
ARTICLE 3. ORIGINAL AND RENEWAL OF REGISTRATION; ISSUANCE OF
CERTIFICATES OF TITLE.
§17A-3-16. Expiration of registration and certificates of
title.
(a) Every vehicle registration under this chapter and every
registration card and registration plate issued hereunder shall
expire at midnight on the thirtieth day of June of the fiscal year
for which issued last day of the month designated by the
commissioner: Provided, That the commissioner may extend the
period during which said registration plates may be used.
Certificates of title need not be renewed annually but shall
remain valid until canceled by the department division for cause or
upon a transfer of any interest shown therein.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section or of any
provision of this chapter, The commissioner shall adopt for the
vehicles set forth below which are subject to registration
hereunder, a staggered registration system whereby the registration
of all such Class A motor vehicles shall be for a period of twelve
consecutive calendar months, the expiration dates thereof to be
staggered throughout the year.
(1) On or after the first day of July, one thousand nine
hundred seventy-eight, all Class A motor vehicles as defined in section one, article ten of this chapter, shall be registered for
a period of twelve consecutive calendar months. There hereby are
established twelve registration periods, each of which shall start
on the first day of each calendar month of the year and shall end
on the last day of the twelfth month from date of beginning. The
period ending January thirty-first shall be designated the first
period; that ending February twenty-eighth (twenty-ninth) shall be
designated the second; that ending March thirty-first shall be
designated the third; that ending April thirtieth shall be
designated the fourth; that ending May thirty-first shall be
designated the fifth; that ending June thirtieth shall be
designated the sixth; that ending July thirty-first shall be
designated the seventh; that ending August thirty-first shall be
designated the eighth; that ending September thirtieth shall be
designated the ninth; that ending October thirty-first shall be
designated the tenth; that ending November thirtieth shall be
designated the eleventh; and that ending December thirty-first
shall be designated the twelfth.
(2) All Class A motor vehicles, which are operated for the
first time upon the public highways of this state to and including
the fifteenth day of any given month shall be subject to
registration and payment of fee for the twelve-month period
commencing the first day of the month of operation; such motor
vehicles operated for the first time upon the public highways of this state on and after the sixteenth day of any given month shall
be subject to registration and payment of fee for the twelve-month
period commencing the first day of the month of the next following
calendar month.
(3) During the time necessary to accomplish the change from
the present system of annual registration to the monthly series
system, trucks with gross weights of not more than eight thousand
pounds, subject to registration on and after July first, one
thousand nine hundred seventy-eight, shall be registered for one of
twelve registration periods, which shall vary in length from a
minimum of six consecutive calendar months to a maximum of
seventeen consecutive calendar months as hereinafter provided.
During this transitory period the registration fees shall be
computed on a basis of one twelfth of the annual fee per month. In
the order of the receipt of applications for registration of motor
vehicles by the owners thereof, the commissioner shall allocate to
each of the twelve registration periods such number of motor
vehicles as will, in his judgment, as uniformly as practicable,
distribute the clerical work of registering such vehicles
throughout the year. In determining the number of registrations to
be allocated to any given period, he may take into consideration
the volume of registration of trucks and other vehicles not under
the monthly series registration system. The twelve registration
periods necessary to accomplish the change from the present system of annual registration to the monthly series system are established
as follows: Each period shall commence July first, one thousand
nine hundred seventy-eight. The first period shall expire December
thirty-first, one thousand nine hundred seventy-eight; the second,
January thirty-first, one thousand nine hundred seventy-nine; the
third, February twenty-eighth, one thousand nine hundred
seventy-nine; the fourth, March thirty-first, one thousand nine
hundred seventy-nine; the fifth, April thirtieth, one thousand nine
hundred seventy-nine; the sixth, May thirty-first, one thousand
nine hundred seventy-nine; the seventh, June thirtieth, one
thousand nine hundred seventy-nine; the eighth, July thirty-first,
one thousand nine hundred seventy-nine; the ninth, August thirty-
first, one thousand nine hundred seventy-nine; the tenth, September
thirtieth, one thousand nine hundred seventy-nine; the eleventh,
October thirty-first, one thousand nine hundred seventy-nine; and
the twelfth, November thirtieth, one thousand nine hundred seventy-
nine.
(4) Motor vehicles, other than those exempted above, not
previously registered in this state and operated upon the highways
of this state for the first time after the first day of July, one
thousand nine hundred seventy-eight, shall be registered for a full
twelve-month period without regard to the varying periods of
registration provided for during the period of change to the
staggered registration system: Provided, That the commissioner may initially register a motor vehicle for less than a twelve-month
period when in his opinion such fractional registration shall tend
to fulfill the purpose of the monthly series registration system.
(c) On or before the first day of July, one thousand nine
hundred ninety-six, all Class T and Class R vehicles shall be
registered for a maximum period of three years or portion thereof
based on the number of years remaining in the three-year period
designated by the commissioner.
ARTICLE 10. FEES FOR REGISTRATION, LICENSING, ETC.
§17A-10-3. Registration fees for vehicles equipped with
pneumatic
tires.
The following registration fees for the classes indicated
shall be paid annually to the division for the registration of
vehicles subject to registration hereunder when equipped with
pneumatic tires:
(a) Registration fees for the following classes shall be paid
to the division annually:
(1) Class A. The registration fee for all motor vehicles of
this class is as follows:
(1) (A) For motor vehicles of a weight of three thousand
pounds or less -- twenty-five dollars.
(2) (B) For motor vehicles of a weight of three thousand and
one pounds to four thousand pounds -- thirty dollars.
(3) (C) For motor vehicles of a weight in excess of four thousand pounds -- thirty-six dollars.
(4) (D) For motor vehicles designed as trucks with declared
gross weights of four thousand pounds or less -- twenty-five
dollars.
(5) (E) For motor vehicles designed as trucks with declared
gross weights of four thousand and one pounds to eight thousand
pounds -- thirty dollars.
(F) For the purpose of determining the weight, the actual
weight of the vehicle shall be taken: Provided, That for vehicles
owned by churches, or by trustees for churches, which vehicles are
regularly used for transporting parishioners to and from church
services, no license fee shall be charged, but notwithstanding such
exemption, the certificate of registration and license plates shall
be obtained the same as other cards and plates under this article.
(2) Class B, Class E and Class K. The registration fee for
all motor vehicles of these three classes is as follows:
(1) (A) For declared gross weights of eight thousand and one
pounds to sixteen thousand pounds -- twenty-eight dollars plus five
dollars for each one thousand pounds or fraction thereof that the
gross weight of such vehicle or combination of vehicles exceeds
eight thousand pounds.
(2) (B) For declared gross weights greater than sixteen
thousand pounds, but less than fifty-five thousand pounds --
seventy-eight dollars and fifty cents plus ten dollars for each one thousand pounds or fraction thereof that the gross weight of such
vehicle or combination of vehicles exceeds sixteen thousand pounds.
(3) (C) For declared gross weights of fifty-five thousand
pounds or more -- seven hundred thirty-seven dollars and fifty
cents plus fifteen dollars and seventy-five cents for each one
thousand pounds or fraction thereof that the gross weight of such
vehicle or combination of vehicles exceeds fifty-five thousand
pounds.
(3) Class C and Class L. The registration fee for all
vehicles of these two classes is seventeen dollars and fifty cents
except that semitrailers, full trailers, pole trailers, and
converter gear registered as Class C and Class L may be registered
for a period of ten years at a fee of one hundred dollars.
(4) Class G. The registration fee for each motorcycle is
eight dollars.
(5) Class H. The registration fee for all vehicles for this
class operating entirely within the state is five dollars; and for
vehicles engaged in interstate transportation of persons, the
registration fee is the amount of the fees provided by this section
for Class B, Class E and Class K reduced by the amount that the
mileage of such vehicles operated in states other than West
Virginia bears to the total mileage operated by such vehicles in
all states under a formula to be established by the division of
motor vehicles.
(6) Class J. The registration fee for all motor vehicles of
this class is eighty-five dollars. Ambulances and hearses used
exclusively as such are exempt from the above special fees.
Class R. The registration fee for all vehicles of this class
is twelve dollars.
(7) Class S. The registration fee for all vehicles of this
class is seventeen dollars and fifty cents.
Class T. The registration fee for all vehicles of this class
is eight dollars.
(8) Class U. The registration fee for all vehicles of this
class is fifty-seven dollars and fifty cents.
(9) Class Farm Truck. The registration fee for all motor
vehicles of this class is as follows:
(1) (A) For farm trucks of declared gross weights of eight
thousand and one pounds to sixteen thousand pounds -- thirty
dollars.
(2) (B) For farm trucks of declared gross weights of sixteen
thousand and one pounds to twenty-two thousand pounds -- sixty
dollars.
(3) (C) For farm trucks of declared gross weights of
twenty-two thousand and one pounds to twenty-eight thousand pounds
-- ninety dollars.
(4) (D) For farm trucks of declared gross weights of
twenty-eight thousand and one pounds to thirty-four thousand pounds -- one hundred fifteen dollars.
(5) (E) For farm trucks of declared gross weights of
thirty-four thousand and one pounds to forty-four thousand pounds
-- one hundred sixty dollars.
(6) (F) For farm trucks of declared gross weights of
forty-four thousand and one pounds to fifty-four thousand pounds --
two hundred five dollars.
(7) (G) For farm trucks of declared gross weights of
fifty-four thousand and one pounds to sixty-four thousand pounds --
two hundred fifty dollars.
(b) Registration fees for the following classes shall be paid
to the division for a maximum period of three years, or portion
thereof based on the number of years remaining in the three year
period designated by the commissioner:
(1) Class R. The annual registration fee for all vehicles of
this class is twelve dollars.
(2) Class T. The annual registration fee for all vehicles of
this class is eight dollars.
(3) The fees paid to the division for a multiyear registration
provided for by this chapter shall be the same as the annual
registration fee established by this section and any other fee
required by this chapter multiplied by the number of years for
which the registration is issued.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to provide for a 3-year
registration cycle for Class T (mostly boat trailers) and Class R
(recreational travel trailers). It also removes an obsolete
reference to all vehicle registrations expiring June 30 of each
year.
Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from
the present law, and underscoring indicates new language that would
be added.