2023 Oklahoma Statutes › Title 47. Motor Vehicles › §47-1135.7v3. Authorization to design and issue special license plates.

A. Service Oklahoma or a private vendor with whom Service Oklahoma has contracted is authorized to design and issue special license plates to any person that applies to Service Oklahoma or a private vendor for the creation of a special license plate and meets the minimum standards and qualifications specified in this section.
B. If the following standards and guidelines are satisfied, Service Oklahoma shall authorize the issuance of a special license plate to the person making application for the special license plate:
1. The license plate is to:
a.
show membership in or affiliation with an organization, or
b.
demonstrate support for an organization, group or cause;
2. The license plate does not advertise or endorse a product, brand or service that is provided for sale;
3. The license plate does not promote any philosophy based on prejudice or that is contrary to state civil rights laws; and
4. Two hundred prepaid applications for the special license plate are received by Service Oklahoma or a private vendor.
C. The fee for special license plates shall be determined in accordance with Section 1135.9 of this title. If the special license plate does not provide financial assistance the fee shall be no less than Fifteen Dollars ($15.00) per year of renewal and shall be in addition to all other registration fees provided by the Oklahoma Vehicle License and Registration Act. Unless otherwise provided in this section, Fifteen Dollars ($15.00) of the fee shall be apportioned as follows: Eight Dollars ($8.00) of the special license plate fee shall be deposited in the Oklahoma Tax Commission Reimbursement Fund to be used for the administration of the Oklahoma Vehicle License and Registration Act and the remaining amounts of the special license plate fee shall be apportioned as provided in Section 1104 of this title. Beginning January 1, 2023, Eight Dollars ($8.00) of the special license plate fee shall be deposited in the Service Oklahoma Reimbursement Fund to be used for the administration of the Oklahoma Vehicle License and Registration Act and the remaining amounts of the special license plate fee shall be apportioned as provided in Section 1104 of this title.
D. For special license plates that provide financial assistance created pursuant to the provisions of this section, Service Oklahoma shall be authorized to enter into a licensing agreement with an organization for any licensing fees that may be required to use the organization's logo or design.
E. The fee for special license plates that provide financial assistance shall be determined in accordance with Section 1135.9 of this title. Provided, the fee shall be no less than Thirty-five Dollars ($35.00) and shall be in addition to all other registration fees provided by the Oklahoma Vehicle License and Registration Act. Thirty-five Dollars ($35.00) per year of renewal of the fee shall be apportioned as follows:
1.
a.
Twenty Dollars ($20.00) of the fee shall be apportioned to the License Plate Special Program Assistance Revolving Fund created in Section 1135.8 of this title to be used in the manner detailed in the application for the special license plate, except as provided in subparagraph b of this paragraph.
b.
If Service Oklahoma has entered into a licensing agreement with an organization for the use of its design or logo pursuant to Chapter 74 of this title, an amount to be determined in the licensing agreement, but not to exceed Twenty Dollars ($20.00) per license plate issued, shall be transferred monthly to that organization as payment of licensing fees and no fee shall be apportioned to the License Plate Special Program Assistance Revolving Fund;
2. Eight Dollars ($8.00) of the fee shall be deposited in the Oklahoma Tax Commission Reimbursement Fund to be used for the administration of the Oklahoma Vehicle License and Registration Act. Beginning January 1, 2023, Eight Dollars ($8.00) of the fee shall be deposited in the Service Oklahoma Reimbursement Fund to be used for the administration of the Oklahoma Vehicle License and Registration Act; and
3. Any remaining amounts of the fee shall be apportioned as provided in Section 1104 of this title.
F. Except as otherwise provided in subsection D and subparagraph b of paragraph 1 of subsection E of this section, if a person applies for a special license plate that provides financial assistance, the application shall designate a state agency to be responsible for expending the funds generated by the special license plate and the application shall designate a specific public purpose for which the funds are to be used. The application shall include an acknowledgment from the designated state agency of their agreement with acceptance of the designated funds.
G. Special license plates shall not be transferred to any other person but shall be removed from the vehicle upon transfer of ownership and retained. The special license plate may then be used on another vehicle but only after such other vehicle has been registered for the current year.
Special license plates shall be renewed each year by Service Oklahoma or a licensed operator, unless authorized by Service Oklahoma to be renewed for a period greater than one (1) year. Service Oklahoma shall notify all persons issued special license plates of the renewal procedures prior to the expiration of the special license plate. The notice shall contain all necessary information and shall contain instructions for the renewal procedure upon presentation to a t licensed operator or Service Oklahoma. The license plates shall be issued on a staggered system.
Service Oklahoma is hereby directed to develop and implement a system whereby licensed operators are permitted to accept applications for special license plates authorized under this section. The licensed operator shall confirm the applicant's eligibility, if applicable, collect and deposit any amount specifically authorized by law, accept and process the necessary information directly into such system and generate a receipt accordingly. For performance of these duties, licensed operators shall retain the fee provided in Section 1141.1 of this title for registration of a motor vehicle. The licensed operator fees for acceptance of applications and renewals shall be paid out of the Oklahoma Tax Commission Reimbursement Fund. Beginning January 1, 2023, the licensed operator fees for acceptance of applications and renewals shall be paid out of the Service Oklahoma Reimbursement Fund.
H. All special plates issued by Service Oklahoma prior to November 1, 2005, shall not be subject to the requirements and qualifications outlined in this section.
I. As used in this section, "person" includes an individual, group, organization or not-for-profit corporation that is recognized as such by the Internal Revenue Service.
Added by Laws 2005, c. 416, § 6, eff. Nov. 1, 2005. Amended by Laws 2018, c. 69, § 5, eff. Nov. 1, 2018; Laws 2021, c. 543, § 7, eff. Nov. 1, 2021; Laws 2022, c. 282, § 166, emerg. eff. May 19, 2022.