2023 New York Laws › VAT - Vehicle and Traffic › Title 4 - Registration of Vehicles › Article 14 - Registration of Motor Vehicles › 404 - Issuance of Special Number Plates.

§ 404. Issuance  of  special  number  plates. 1.  The commissioner may
  issue special number plates to applicants therefor in the same manner as
  other number plates are issued pursuant to this  article.  Such  special
  number  plates  shall  be  issued only upon payment of an annual service
  charge of thirty-one dollars and twenty-five cents in  addition  to  the
  regular  fee  prescribed  by  section  four hundred one of this article.
  Application for special number plates shall be made in  accordance  with
  regulations  promulgated by the commissioner with respect to issuance of
  such number plates.  Provided,  however,  in  lieu  of  the  annual  fee
  specified  herein, the commissioner may establish specific categories of
  plates for which an annual fee of not less  than  eighteen  dollars  and
  seventy-five  cents  nor  more  than  thirty-one dollars and twenty-five
  cents may be charged subject to the approval  of  the  director  of  the
  division  of  the budget.  Notwithstanding any inconsistent provision of
  this section, the difference collected between the special plates fee or
  service charge set forth in this subdivision  in  effect  on  and  after
  September first, two thousand nine and the special plates fee or service
  charge  set forth in this subdivision in effect prior to such date shall
  be deposited to the credit of the dedicated  highway  and  bridge  trust
  fund.
1-a.  The  commissioner  may issue special number plates to applicants
  who are members of veterans organizations in the same  manner  as  other
  number  plates  are issued pursuant to this article. Such special number
  plates shall be issued only upon  (a)  payment  of  a  one-time  service
  charge  of  ten  dollars  in  addition  to  the regular registration fee
  prescribed by  section  four  hundred  one  of  this  article,  and  (b)
  submission   of  proof,  satisfactory  to  the  commissioner,  that  the
  applicant is presently a member of the veterans organization  for  which
  such  plate  is requested. Such membership shall be verified annually by
  the applicant. Application for such plates shall be made  in  accordance
  with  regulations  promulgated  by  the commissioner with respect to the
  issuance of such  plates.  Provided,  however,  that  nothing  contained
  herein  shall  be  deemed  to  supersede  the provisions of section four
  hundred four-d, four hundred four-e, four hundred four-h,  four  hundred
  four-i,  four  hundred four-j, four hundred four-k, four hundred four-p,
  four hundred four-aa, or four hundred four-dd of this article.
2. For purposes of this section, a special number  plate  shall  be  a
  plate  which  contains  not  more  than  eight  letters, numerals or any
  combination thereof and  which  is  reserved  by  the  commissioner  for
  issuance  in  accordance with the provisions of this section, or a plate
  reserved for issuance in a series for vehicles owned by public officers,
  physicians, visiting nurses, accredited representatives of the press  or
  other  groups.  In  issuing special number plates the commissioner shall
  give those applicants who held a special number plate at the time of the
  enactment of this section the right to retain such special number  plate
  upon  the payment of the annual service charge of thirty-one dollars and
  twenty-five cents. Provided, however, that such right of retention shall
  apply only to the first renewal of  the  registration  of  such  special
  number  plate  following  the enactment of this section. Notwithstanding
  any inconsistent provision of this  section,  the  difference  collected
  between  the  annual  service  charge  set  forth in this subdivision in
  effect on and after September first, two thousand nine  and  the  annual
  service  charge  set  forth  in this subdivision in effect prior to such
  date shall be deposited to the  credit  of  the  dedicated  highway  and
  bridge trust fund.
3.  This section shall not apply to any plates in a series reserved in
  the public interest for purposes of facilitating identification of state
  and municipal vehicles and  those  owned  by  members  of  international

  governmental  organizations  or any other vehicles which are exempt from
  the payment of registration fees, nor to  plates  or  series  of  plates
  assigned by the commissioner for issuance by county clerks.
4. Nothing contained in this section shall be construed to require the
  commissioner to issue a special number plate or plates.