V.I. Code tit. 20, § 332 (2019)
2019 US Virgin Islands Code|Title 20 - Highways and Motor Vehicles|Part II - Motor Vehicles|Chapter 33 - Registration of Motor Vehicles|§ 332. Procedure for registration

 (a) Application for the registration of a motor vehicle, bicycle or trailer shall be made to the Director of Motor Vehicles on a form prescribed and furnished by the Director. (b) The following information shall appear upon the records of registration kept by the Director and upon the registration license issued to the applicant— (1) a distinctive license number or personalized licensed number assigned by the Director; provided, however, that the distinctive license number or personalized license number assigned by the Director shall be the same as the distinctive license number or personalized license number previously assigned by him on a previous registration for the person making the application if such person so requests on the application and submits to the Director with such application the license plates bearing such distinctive license number or personalized license number; (2) a brief description of the vehicle, including make, engine number, serial number, type of vehicle, weight, and whether to be used for hire or for private use; (3) the name, age, and address of the owner; and (4) in the case of commercial vehicles as defined in section 392 of this title, the Director shall require that any registrant of a commercial motor vehicle declare knowledge of the Commercial Motor Vehicle Inspection and Commercial Driver's License Act as codified in section 390 et seq. of this title, and the federal Hazardous Materials Act and Regulations as codified in 49 U.S.C., §§ 355.1 et seq. and 49 C.F.R. §§ 107 to 180 respectively, as applicable to highway transportation. (5) such other information as the Director deems necessary. (c) After July 1, 1971, every application for registration submitted to the Director shall be accompanied either by a copy of the prior registration license, in the case of all motor vehicles previously registered, or by the appropriate copy of the certificate provided by the Bureau of Internal Revenue under the provisions of subsection (b), section 73, Title 33 of this Code, in the case of all motor vehicles not previously registered in the Virgin Islands. After July 1, 1971, no motor vehicle may be registered for operation unless the application is accompanied by either the registration license or the certificate referred to above, except (1) that a motor vehicle which entered the Virgin Islands prior to July 1, 1971, but was not registered prior to said date, shall be registered without such accompanying license or certificate, or (2) with the prior approval of the Director in exceptional cases. (d) Upon receipt of the application for registration, the accompanying license or certificate as required by the provisions of subsection (c) of this section, and the fees prescribed by law, and upon determination that the motor vehicle is in satisfactory condition to insure safety on the public highways as prescribed by chapter 41 of this title, the Director shall issue a registration license and new license plate or license plate submitted to the Director pursuant to subsection (b) of this section, as the case may be, to the applicant. (e) A registration license and one new license plate or one license plate submitted to the Director pursuant to subsection (b) of this section, as the case may be, shall be included in the registration fee; provided, however, that no registration fee shall be charged in cases where a license plate has been submitted to the Director pursuant to subsection (b) of this section and such license plate is still effective under section 334 of this chapter. In case of loss or destruction, duplicate registration licenses shall be issued under regulations prescribed by the Director of Motor Vehicles at the fees fixed by law. In the case of loss or destruction of a license plate the Director shall issue a new license plate, at the fee which would have been applicable. (f) No motor vehicle registered under the provisions of this chapter shall be repainted a color other that which appears on the registration certificate or substantially altered in shape or appearance without first obtaining a permit from the Director of Motor Vehicles. (g) No registration license shall be issued for any motor vehicle that is not in compliance with the requirements of chapter 85 of the Clean Air Act (77 Stat. 392; PL 88–206), or any amendments or supplements thereto. In addition, the vehicle may not be registered unless the Director of Motor Vehicles or his designee is satisfied that the vehicle meets the motor vehicle safety requirements specified in 15 U.S.C.A. § 1391 et seq. However, vehicles registered in the Territory prior to the enactment of this subsection shall be exempt from the requirement of this subsection. (h) In lieu of assigning a distinctive license number under the provisions of subsection (b) of this section, the Director may assign a personalized license number to the owner of any automobile for private use who requests such on the application submitted under the provisions of this section. Such personalized license number may consist of any combination of not more than six (6) letters and numbers; provided, however, that the Director, in his discretion, may refuse any combination of letters and numbers, including any such combinations which may carry connotations offensive to good taste and decency and shall not assign to any person not holding the relevant office any letters or numbers denoting the owner to have a public office. The license plates of the official vehicles of the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Senate President, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and Presiding Judge of the Superior Court shall not bear numerical characters, but shall bear the official written designation of the titles of those offices; and there shall be affixed two identical license plates, one each on the front and rear of each of the designated vehicles. (i) The Director shall also provide handicapped registration as required and established by rules and regulations of the Department.