reglab/statecodes huggingface dataset:
2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 17A. Motor Vehicle Administration, Registration, Certificate of Title, and Antitheft Provisions › Article 3. Original and Renewal of Registration; Issuance of Certificates of Title › §17A-3-1. Misdemeanor to Violate Provisions of Article; Penalty

(a) It is unlawful for any person to drive or move or for an owner knowingly to permit to be driven or moved upon any highway any vehicle of a type required to be registered under this article which is not registered or for which a certificate of title has not been issued or applied for or for which the appropriate fee has not been paid when and as required under this article, except as otherwise permitted by the provisions of this chapter: Provided, That in the event of the sale of a vehicle by a person other than a registered dealer, the person purchasing the same may, for a period of not more than ten days, operate such vehicle under the registration of its previous owner and display the registration thereof: Provided, however, That he or she shall have and display on the demand of any proper officer the consent in writing of such previous owner so to use such registration.
(b) Unless otherwise provided for in this article, any person violating the provisions of this article is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not more than $500; and upon a second or subsequent conviction thereof, shall be fined not more than $500, or confined in the county or regional jail not more than six months, or both.
2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 17A. Motor Vehicle Administration, Registration, Certificate of Title, and Antitheft Provisions › Article 3. Original and Renewal of Registration; Issuance of Certificates of Title › §17A-3-1a. Registration of Vehicles of New Residents

(a) Every owner of a motor vehicle, trailer or other vehicle, shall, within thirty days after taking up residence in the state, apply to the division and obtain registration and title for the vehicle.
(b) For the purposes of this chapter there is a rebuttable presumption that a natural person is a resident of this state if any of the following elements exist including, but not limited to:
(1) The person is registered to vote in this state.
(2) The person enrolls the person's child to be educated in a public elementary or secondary school in this state.
(3) The person is receiving public assistance from this state.
(4) The person resides or has continuously remained in this state for a period exceeding thirty days except for infrequent or brief absences.
(5) The person has accepted employment or engages in any trade, profession, or occupation within this state, except that this does not include a person who is commuting from the person's residence in another state or whose employment is seasonal or temporary, not exceeding ninety days.
(6) The person has filed for a homestead tax exemption on property in this state.
"Resident" does not include a person who is attending a college, university or other educational institution in this state, if the person has a domicile in another state and has a valid operator's license and vehicle registration issued by the state of domicile. "Resident" also does not include members of the Armed Forces that are stationed in West Virginia providing that their vehicles are properly registered in their state of residence or a member of the Armed Forces stationed in another state or country providing that their vehicles are properly registered in that state or country.
A corporation, association, partnership, company or firm whose principal place of business is located within this state is a resident of this state.
The provisions of this section shall not apply to vehicles registered under proportional registration agreement.
2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 17A. Motor Vehicle Administration, Registration, Certificate of Title, and Antitheft Provisions › Article 3. Original and Renewal of Registration; Issuance of Certificates of Title › §17A-3-2a. Registration of Nonresident Vehicles

(a) A nonresident vehicle is not required to be registered pursuant to 17A-3-2 of this code:
Provided
, That a nonresident vehicle may be registered in this state and be issued a West Virginia registration plate upon payment of all applicable fees to the division. For purposes of this subsection, the receipt and verification requirements of 17A-3-3a of this code do not apply.
(b) For purposes of this section, "nonresident vehicle" means a vehicle titled in this state under the provisions of 17A-4-11 of this code, which is not intended to spend a majority of service time on West Virginia roads, owned by a business whose principal place of business is not in this state, that is not a common carrier, and that maintains a local, national, or international fleet of vehicles.
(c) Nothing in this section subjects a nonresident vehicle to the inspection requirement set forth in 17A-16-4 of this code. A nonresident vehicle is not domiciled in any county in this state, and nothing in this section requires the imposition of personal property taxes within this state pursuant to 11-5-1
et seq
. of this code.
(d) The division may promulgate emergency rules pursuant to the provisions of 29A-3-15 of this code and may propose rules for legislative approval in accordance with the provisions of 29A-3-1
et seq
. of this code to accomplish the provisions of this section.
2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 17A. Motor Vehicle Administration, Registration, Certificate of Title, and Antitheft Provisions › Article 3. Original and Renewal of Registration; Issuance of Certificates of Title › §17A-3-3b. Motor Vehicles Believed Illegally Unregistered; Assessor to Make Verification

If, on information and belief the assessor has reason to believe that a motor vehicle has not been properly registered in this state in violation of the provisions of section one of this article, he or she shall give notice by posting on the vehicle a notice advising the owner of the vehicle to contact the office of the assessor within fifteen days to verify that the owner is not a resident of the State of West Virginia. Factors to be considered in determining whether or not such person is a resident of this state include, but are not limited to, the following:
(1) The person is registered to vote in this state;
(2) The person enrolls the person's child or children to be educated in an elementary or secondary school in this state or has complied with applicable provisions of this code indicating an intent to home school the person's child or children in this state;
(3) The person is receiving public assistance from this state;
(4) The person resides or has continuously remained in this state for a period exceeding thirty days, except for infrequent brief absences;
(5) The person has accepted employment or engages in any trade, profession or occupation within this state, except that this does not include a person who is commuting from the person's residence in another state or whose employment is seasonal or temporary, not exceeding thirty days;
(6) The person has filed for a homestead tax exemption on property in this state;
(7) The person subscribes to public utilities in this state in his or her own name;
(8) The person receives his or her mail in this state pursuant to verification from the United States postal service.
In the event the assessor receives no response from the posting, the assessor will refer the matter to the prosecuting attorney. If it is determined that the vehicle has not been properly registered in this state, the owner of the vehicle is in violation of the provisions of this article and the person will be subject to the criminal sanctions contained in section one of this article.
2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 17A. Motor Vehicle Administration, Registration, Certificate of Title, and Antitheft Provisions › Article 3. Original and Renewal of Registration; Issuance of Certificates of Title › §17A-3-5. Application for Specially Constructed, Reconstructed or Foreign Vehicles or New Vehicles Purchased Outside This State

(a) In the event the vehicle to be registered is specially constructed, reconstructed, or a foreign vehicle, such fact shall be stated in the application and with reference to every foreign vehicle which has been registered heretofore outside of this state the owner shall surrender to the department all registration plates, registration cards, and certificates of title or other evidence of such foreign registration as may be in his possession or under his control except as provided in subsection (b) hereof.
(b) Where in the course of interstate operation of a vehicle registered in another state it is desirable to retain registration of said vehicle in such other state, such applicant need not surrender but shall submit for inspection said evidences of such foreign registration and the department upon a proper showing shall register said vehicle in this state but shall not issue a certificate of title for such vehicle.
(c) In the event application for registration and certificate of title is made for a new vehicle purchased from a dealer outside this state, a certificate of title shall not be issued for such vehicle nor shall such vehicle be registered by the department unless and until such application shall be accompanied by a certificate of title or a manufacturer's certificate of origin, or if the state of purchase does not require a certificate of title such application shall be accompanied by a manufacturer's certificate of origin, accompanied by evidence that such seller is a bona fide dealer of the state in which such vehicle was purchased.
2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 17A. Motor Vehicle Administration, Registration, Certificate of Title, and Antitheft Provisions › Article 3. Original and Renewal of Registration; Issuance of Certificates of Title › §17A-3-6. Temporary Permit Pending Registration and Certification

The department in its discretion may grant a temporary permit to operate a vehicle for which application for registration and certificate of title has been made where such application is accompanied by the proper fee, pending action upon said application by the department.
2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 17A. Motor Vehicle Administration, Registration, Certificate of Title, and Antitheft Provisions › Article 3. Original and Renewal of Registration; Issuance of Certificates of Title › §17A-3-7. Grounds for Refusing Registration or Certificate of Title

The division shall refuse registration or issuance of a certificate of title or any transfer of registration upon any of the following grounds:
(1) That the application contains any false or fraudulent statement or that the applicant has failed to furnish required information or reasonable additional information requested by the division or that the applicant is not entitled to the issuance of a certificate of title or registration of the vehicle under this chapter;
(2) That the applicant fails to present a statement of insurance or proof of other security as required pursuant to the provisions of section three of this article;
(3) That the vehicle is mechanically unfit or unsafe to be operated or moved upon the highways;
(4) That the division has reasonable grounds to believe that the vehicle is a stolen or embezzled vehicle or that the granting of registration or the issuance of certificate of title would constitute a fraud against the rightful owner or other person having a valid lien upon such vehicle;
(5) That the registration of the vehicle stands suspended or revoked for any reason as provided in the motor vehicle laws of this state;
(6) That the required fee has not been paid;
(7) That the vehicle is operated by a commercial motor carrier who has failed to provide a federal motor carrier identification number (USDOT number) or whose authority to operate in interstate commerce has been denied or suspended by the federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration; or
(8) That any road user fee due under a single fee program imposed by the West Virginia Parkways Authority has not been paid.
2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 17A. Motor Vehicle Administration, Registration, Certificate of Title, and Antitheft Provisions › Article 3. Original and Renewal of Registration; Issuance of Certificates of Title › §17A-3-8. Examination of Registration Records and Index of Stolen and Recovered Vehicles

The department, upon receiving application for original registration of a vehicle or any certificate of title, shall first check the manufacturer's serial or identification number shown in the application against the indexes of registered motor vehicles and against the index of stolen and recovered motor vehicles required to be maintained by this chapter.
2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 17A. Motor Vehicle Administration, Registration, Certificate of Title, and Antitheft Provisions › Article 3. Original and Renewal of Registration; Issuance of Certificates of Title › §17A-3-9. Act of Registration and Record Thereof; Registration Indexes

The department shall file each application received and when satisfied as to the genuineness and regularity thereof, and that the applicant is entitled to register such vehicle and to the issuance of a certificate of title shall register the vehicle therein described and keep a record thereof in suitable books, on index cards, or by means of magnetic recording devices as follows:
(1) Under a distinctive registration number assigned to the vehicle;
(2) Alphabetically, under the name of the owner;
(3) Under the manufacturer's serial or identification number if available, otherwise any other identifying number of the vehicle; and
(4) In the discretion of the department, in any other manner it may deem desirable.
2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 17A. Motor Vehicle Administration, Registration, Certificate of Title, and Antitheft Provisions › Article 3. Original and Renewal of Registration; Issuance of Certificates of Title › §17A-3-10. Division to Issue Registration Card; Duplicate to County Assessor

The division upon registering a vehicle, or an agent of the division upon collecting the required fees and taxes in accordance with the provisions of section one-b, article six of this chapter, shall issue a registration card to be delivered to the owner and containing thereon the date issued, the name and address of the owner, the registration number assigned to the vehicle and such description of the vehicle as determined by the commissioner. The division shall send a duplicate of said registration card to the assessor of the county in which the owner resides, or in cases of nonresidents of the state, to the assessor of the county wherein the vehicle is located.
2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 17A. Motor Vehicle Administration, Registration, Certificate of Title, and Antitheft Provisions › Article 3. Original and Renewal of Registration; Issuance of Certificates of Title › §17A-3-11. Registration of Vehicles According to Permissible Gross Weight

The commissioner, upon registering any truck, truck tractor or road tractor, under the laws of this state, may require such information and may make such investigation or test as necessary to determine whether such motor vehicle may safely be operated upon the highways in compliance with all the provisions of law relating to such vehicles. Every such vehicle shall be registered with a permissible gross weight under which the vehicle can safely be operated upon the highways, which weight may not exceed the limitations set forth in chapter seventeen-c of this code.
The commissioner shall include on the registration card issued for every such motor vehicle the gross weight for which it is registered, and if it is a motor vehicle to be used for propelling other vehicles, a separate listing of the total permissible gross weight of such motor vehicle and other vehicles to be propelled by it shall be included. The commissioner shall also cause to be printed or stamped upon the registration card a statement that the vehicle although registered for the gross weight appearing on the registration card is subject to the axle load limit set forth in chapter seventeen-c of this code.
2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 17A. Motor Vehicle Administration, Registration, Certificate of Title, and Antitheft Provisions › Article 3. Original and Renewal of Registration; Issuance of Certificates of Title › §17A-3-12. Commissioner to Issue Certificate of Title; Signatures on Certificate; Certificate of Title to Be Delivered to Owner or Lienor

(a) The commissioner, if satisfied that the applicant for a certificate of title is the owner of such vehicle, or otherwise entitled to have the same registered in the applicant's name, shall issue an appropriate certificate of title in either an electronic or paper format. The certificate of title in an electronic format shall contain all of the information required by this section.
(b) The certificate of title shall contain upon the face thereof the date issued, the name and address of the owner, the description of the vehicle as determined by the commissioner, and a statement of the owner's title and of all liens and encumbrances upon the vehicle therein described and whether possession is held by the owner under a lease, contract of conditional sale or other like agreement, and shall bear thereon the seal of the division.
(c) The certificate of title shall contain upon the reverse side a space for the signature of the owner and the owner shall write his or her name with pen and ink in the space upon receipt of the certificate. The certificate shall also contain upon the reverse side forms for assignment of title or interest and warranty thereof by the owner with space for notation of liens and encumbrances upon the vehicle at the time of a transfer.
(d) The commissioner, upon issuing a certificate of title, shall deliver same in either an electronic or paper format to the person who holds legal title to the vehicle described on the face of said certificate: Provided, That when a certificate of title is issued showing upon the face thereof a lien or encumbrance of liens or encumbrances, the certificate of title shall be delivered to the lienholder in either an electronic or paper format in order of priority. It shall be unlawful and constitute a misdemeanor for a lienor who holds a certificate of title, as hereinabove in this section provided, to refuse or fail to surrender the certificate of title to the person legally entitled thereto within ten days after the lien or encumbrance or liens or encumbrances shown on the face thereof shall have been paid and satisfied.
2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 17A. Motor Vehicle Administration, Registration, Certificate of Title, and Antitheft Provisions › Article 3. Original and Renewal of Registration; Issuance of Certificates of Title › §17A-3-13. Registration Card to Be Carried and Exhibited on Demand

Every registration card shall at all times be carried in the vehicle to which it refers or shall be carried by the person driving or in control of such vehicle who shall display the same upon demand of a police officer or any officer or employee of the division. Carrying and displaying an electronic or mobile registration card issued by the division satisfies the provisions of this section.
2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 17A. Motor Vehicle Administration, Registration, Certificate of Title, and Antitheft Provisions › Article 3. Original and Renewal of Registration; Issuance of Certificates of Title › §17A-3-14. Registration Plates Generally; Description of Plates; Issuance of Special Numbers and Plates; Registration Fees; Special Application Fees; Exemptions; Commissioner to Promulgate Forms; Suspension and Nonrenewal. Suspension of Registration; Electronic Signatures

(a) The division, upon registering a vehicle, shall issue to the owner one registration plate with a registration number consisting of a combination of letters, numerals, symbols, or characters in a configuration determined by the commissioner.
(b) Registration plates shall meet the following requirements:
(1) Plates must incorporate reflectorized material.
(2) Registration numbers shall be plainly readable from 100 feet during daylight.
(3) The commissioner may assign any additional feature to facilitate reciprocal agreements, facilitate interstate travel, promote highway safety, or promote the efficient operation of the division.
(c) The commissioner may suspend the registration of any owner who displays a damaged or illegible plate or otherwise fails to comply with the requirements of 17A-3-19 of this code.
(d) Any license plate issued or renewed pursuant to this chapter which is paid for by a check that is returned for nonsufficient funds is void without further notice to the applicant. The applicant may not reinstate the registration until the returned check is paid by the applicant in cash, money order, or certified check and all applicable fees assessed as a result thereof have been paid.
(e) In furtherance of the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act, 39A-1-1
et seq
. of this code, the division may accept or authorize an electronic signature in any instance the law required to be enforced by the commissioner requires a signature or a pen and ink signature.
2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 17A. Motor Vehicle Administration, Registration, Certificate of Title, and Antitheft Provisions › Article 3. Original and Renewal of Registration; Issuance of Certificates of Title › §17A-3-14a. Special Registration Plates for Government Officials

(a) The Governor shall be issued two registration plates, on one of which shall be imprinted the numeral one and on the other the word one.
(b) State officials and judges may be issued special registration plates as follows:
(1) Upon appropriate application, the division shall issue to the Secretary of State, State Superintendent of Schools, Auditor, Treasurer, Commissioner of Agriculture, Attorney General, members of both houses of the Legislature, including elected active and former officials of both houses of the Legislature, active or retired or former justices of the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia, judges of the Intermediate Court of Appeals, representatives and senators of the state in the Congress of the United States, active or retired on senior status judges of the West Virginia circuit courts, the judges of the United States district courts for the State of West Virginia, and judges of the United States Court of Appeals for the fourth circuit, if any of the judges are residents of West Virginia, a special registration plate for any vehicle owned by the official or his or her spouse.
(2) Each plate issued pursuant to this subsection shall bear any combination of letters and numbers, not to exceed an amount determined by the commissioner, and a designation of the office. Each plate shall supersede the regular numbered plate assigned to the official or his or her spouse during the officials term of office and while the vehicle is owned by the official or his or her spouse.
(3) The division shall charge an annual fee of $15 for every registration plate issued pursuant to this subsection, which is in addition to all other fees required by this chapter.
(4) The division shall charge a special initial application fee of $10 for every application received by a former or retired government official authorized to receive a plate in this section, which is in addition to all other fees required by this chapter.
2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 17A. Motor Vehicle Administration, Registration, Certificate of Title, and Antitheft Provisions › Article 3. Original and Renewal of Registration; Issuance of Certificates of Title › §17A-3-14b. Special Registration Plates for Military Personnel

(a) The division may continue to issue special plates for any plate class authorized by enactments of 17A-3-14 of this code prior to the year 2023 for active, retired, or honorably discharged military personnel, or the next of kin of a member of any branch of the armed services of the United States killed in combat. The division shall charge an initial application fee of $10 for each special registration plate issued pursuant to this section, which is in addition to all other fees required by this chapter. A surviving spouse may continue to use his or her deceased spouses military license plate until the surviving spouse dies, remarries, or does not renew the license plate.
(b) The applicant shall present documentation as determined by the commissioner as evidence of qualification for any plate authorized in this section.
(c) The division may issue a special registration plate pursuant to this section to any number of vehicles titled in the name of the applicant.
(d) If a new special plate as authorized in this section recognizes members of a military organization chartered by the United States Congress, the division may produce such plate upon receipt of a guarantee from the organization of a minimum of 100 applicants.
2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 17A. Motor Vehicle Administration, Registration, Certificate of Title, and Antitheft Provisions › Article 3. Original and Renewal of Registration; Issuance of Certificates of Title › §17A-3-14c. Specially Arranged Registration Plates

Specially arranged registration plates for plate classes and special registration plate types authorized by the commissioner may be issued as follows:
(1) Upon appropriate application, any owner of a motor vehicle subject to registration, may request that the division issue a registration plate bearing specially arranged letters or numbers with the maximum number of letters or numbers to be determined by the commissioner. The division shall attempt to comply with the request wherever possible.
(2) The commissioner shall propose rules for legislative approval in accordance with the provisions of 29A-3-1
et seq
. of this code regarding the orderly distribution of the plates:
Provided
, That for purposes of this subsection, the registration plates requested and issued shall include all plates bearing the numbers two through 2,000.
(3) An annual fee of $15 shall be charged for each special registration plate issued pursuant to this section, which is in addition to all other fees required by this chapter.
2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 17A. Motor Vehicle Administration, Registration, Certificate of Title, and Antitheft Provisions › Article 3. Original and Renewal of Registration; Issuance of Certificates of Title › §17A-3-14d. Special Honorary Military Plates

(a) The division may issue special plates to disabled veterans, recipients of the distinguished Purple Heart medal, recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor, recipients of the Distinguished Service Cross, Navy Cross, and Air Force Cross, or veteran survivors of the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Registration plates issued pursuant to this section are exempt from all registration fees otherwise required by the provisions of this chapter. A surviving spouse may continue to use the license plate of his or her deceased spouse that was issued pursuant to this section until the surviving spouse dies, remarries, or does not renew the license plate.
(b) A qualified applicant may obtain a second license plate as described in this section for use on a passenger vehicle titled in the name of the applicant. The division shall charge for the second plate a one-time fee of $10, to be deposited into the State Road Fund, which is in addition to all other fees required by this chapter.
(c) The applicant shall present satisfactory proof as determined by the commissioner as evidence of qualification for any plate authorized in this section.
(d) An applicant qualified to receive a special plate under subsection (a) of this section, or qualified to receive a registration fee exemption under 17A-10-8(6) of this code as a former prisoner of war, may choose to transfer the registration fee exemptions to a special registration plate for military personnel for which the applicant also qualifies under 17A-3-14b of this code instead of receiving the honorary military plate pursuant to this section.
2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 17A. Motor Vehicle Administration, Registration, Certificate of Title, and Antitheft Provisions › Article 3. Original and Renewal of Registration; Issuance of Certificates of Title › §17A-3-14f. Special 10-Year Registration Plates

(a) The division may issue special 10-year registration plates as follows for any registration plate exempted from registration fees pursuant to any provision of this code or any restricted use antique motor vehicle license plate authorized by 17A-10-3a of this code:
Provided
, That the provisions of this subsection do not apply to any person who has had a special registration suspended for failure to maintain motor vehicle liability insurance as required by 17D-2A-3 of this code or failure to pay personal property taxes as required by 17A-3-3a of this code.
(b) An initial nonrefundable fee shall be charged for each special registration plate issued pursuant to this section, which is the total amount of fees required by 17A-3-3, 17A-10-3a, or 17A-10-15 of this code for the period requested.
2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 17A. Motor Vehicle Administration, Registration, Certificate of Title, and Antitheft Provisions › Article 3. Original and Renewal of Registration; Issuance of Certificates of Title › §17A-3-14h. Special Themed Registration Plates

(a) The division may issue new special themed registration plates at the discretion of the commissioner and may continue to issue any special themed registration plate authorized under a prior enactment of 17A-3-14 of this code. The commissioner may discontinue the issuance or renewal of a special registration plate issued or authorized under this section at any time.
(b) Unless otherwise provided in this section, the division shall charge an initial application fee of $10 and an annual fee of $15 for each special themed registration plate in addition to all other fees required by this chapter.
(c) The division may not issue any special themed registration plate pursuant to subsection (a) of this section until at least 100 persons complete an application and deposit with the division a check to cover the first years basic registration fee, initial application fee, and annual fee.
(d) The division may issue special nongame wildlife registration plates and special wildlife registration plates as follows:
(1) Upon appropriate application, the division shall issue a special registration plate displaying a species of West Virginia wildlife that shall display a species of wildlife native to West Virginia as prescribed and designated by the commissioner and the Director of the Division of Natural Resources.
(2) All annual fees collected pursuant to this section for nongame wildlife registration plates and wildlife registration plates shall be deposited in a special revenue account designated the Nongame Wildlife Fund and credited to the Division of Natural Resources under authority granted in Article VI, Section 56 of The Constitution of West Virginia.
(3) All initial application fees collected by the division for nongame wildlife registration plates and wildlife registration plates shall be deposited in the State Road Fund.
(e) Racing theme special registration plates:
(1) The division may issue a series of special registration plates displaying National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing themes.
(2) An annual fee of $25 shall be charged for each special racing theme registration plate in addition to all other fees required by this chapter. All annual fees collected for each special racing theme registration plate shall be deposited into the State Road Fund.
(3) A special application fee of $10 shall be charged at the time of initial application as well as upon application for any duplicate or replacement registration plate in addition to all other fees required by this chapter. All application fees shall be deposited into the State Road Fund.
2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 17A. Motor Vehicle Administration, Registration, Certificate of Title, and Antitheft Provisions › Article 3. Original and Renewal of Registration; Issuance of Certificates of Title › §17A-3-14i. Manufacturing of Certain Special Registration Plates; Rulemaking

(a) For all registration plates authorized pursuant to the provisions of 17A-3-14a, 17A-3-14b, 17A-3-14c, 17A-3-14d, 17A-3-14e, 17A-3-14f, 17A-3-14g, and 17A-3-14h, the division is not required to keep a stockpile of such plates, but may create a process for the issuance of such plates by special order.
(b) The division may propose rules for legislative approval in accordance with the provisions of 29A-3-1
et seq
. of this code to administer the issuance of all special registration plates authorized in this article.
2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 17A. Motor Vehicle Administration, Registration, Certificate of Title, and Antitheft Provisions › Article 3. Original and Renewal of Registration; Issuance of Certificates of Title › §17A-3-15. Display of Registration Plates

(a) Registration plates issued for vehicles required to be registered under this article shall be attached to the rear of the vehicles except that on truck tractors and road tractors designed and constructed to pull trailers or semitrailers, the registration plate shall be mounted to the front.
(b) Every registration plate shall at all times be securely fastened in a horizontal position to the vehicle for which it is issued so as to prevent the plate from swinging and at a height of not less than twelve inches from the ground, measuring from the bottom of the plate, in a place and position to be clearly visible and shall be maintained free from foreign materials and in a condition to be clearly legible.
(c) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (b) of this section, an owner of a motor vehicle with a Class G registration as defined in section one, article ten of this chapter may choose to:
(1) Display a standard, Class G registration plate in a horizontal position; or
(2) Display a specially designed Class G registration plate in a vertical position issued by the Division of Motor Vehicles if the owner:
(A) Pays a one-time fee of $25 to cover the additional cost and services necessary to issue the special registration plate to be deposited into a special revolving fund to be used for the administration of this chapter; and
(B) Pays all other required fees and complies with all other applicable provisions of this code regarding the titling, registration and operation of the vehicle.
2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 17A. Motor Vehicle Administration, Registration, Certificate of Title, and Antitheft Provisions › Article 3. Original and Renewal of Registration; Issuance of Certificates of Title › §17A-3-17. Application for and Renewal of Registration; Sheriffs Authorized to Issue Renewals of Registration for Certain Vehicles

(a) Application for renewal of a vehicle registration shall be made by the vehicle owner by proper application and payment of taxes and registration fees provided by law.
(b) The division may receive applications for renewal of any vehicle registration and each sheriff shall receive applications from residents in his or her county for renewal of any Class A or G vehicle registration. The division and each sheriff shall issue the renewals of registration each receives, respectively, in accordance with all of the provisions in this article pertaining to renewal of vehicle registration including, but not limited to, the payment of the taxes and fees required thereunder.
(c) Each sheriff shall charge a service fee of $1 for each renewal of a Class A or G vehicle registration he or she issues. Effective July 1, 1998, the sheriff shall pay one half of this fee into the county general fund. The sheriff shall pay the remaining one half of this fee into the deputy sheriff retirement fund created in section six, article fourteen-d, chapter seven of this code.
(d) On the first day of each month, each sheriff shall pay over to the commissioner all fees he or she collected during the preceding month for renewal of Class A and G vehicle registrations, except his or her service fees. The payment shall be accompanied by a report showing the name of the county, the name and address of the person who obtained the registration and paid the registration fee therefor, the vehicle registered, the registration number, the date the registration was issued, the signature of the sheriff and any other information the commissioner may reasonably require in order to maintain the functions and records of the department. The commissioner shall deposit all fees he or she receives from the sheriffs for renewal of Class A and G vehicle registrations in the State Treasury to the credit of the state road fund as provided in section twenty-one, article two of this chapter.
(e) The commissioner shall provide each sheriff with the necessary forms, supplies, registration plates, registration decals and instructions necessary to enable him or her to perform the duties and functions specified in this section.
(f) No person may display upon a vehicle a new registration plate or registration decal prior to the first day of the month preceding the new registration period.
2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 17A. Motor Vehicle Administration, Registration, Certificate of Title, and Antitheft Provisions › Article 3. Original and Renewal of Registration; Issuance of Certificates of Title › §17A-3-17a. Application for Registration; Certain Motor Vehicle Dealers Authorized to Issue Certificates of Registration for Certain Vehicles

The division may authorize a motor vehicle dealer as defined and licensed in accordance with the provisions of article six of this chapter to issue or transfer motor vehicle registration plates upon the sale of any motor vehicle in compliance with the provisions of section one-b, article six of this chapter. The division shall provide to an authorized motor vehicle dealer the necessary supplies, registration plates, registration decals and instructions necessary for the issuance and transfer of motor vehicle registrations. The division may authorize a service provider to distribute the necessary supplies.
2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 17A. Motor Vehicle Administration, Registration, Certificate of Title, and Antitheft Provisions › Article 3. Original and Renewal of Registration; Issuance of Certificates of Title › §17A-3-18. Notice of Change of Address or Name

(a) Whenever any person after making application for or obtaining the registration of a vehicle or a certificate of title shall move from the address named in the application or shown upon a registration card or certificate of title the person shall within ten days thereafter notify the division in writing of the old and new addresses.
(b) Whenever any person, after making application for or obtaining the registration of a vehicle or a certificate of title, is assigned a new address by the United States postal service or other legally constituted authority, the person shall notify the division in writing of the old and new address and of the registration or title number of the vehicle held by the person. The notification of change of address shall be made at least ten days prior to the last date on which mail with the old address is deliverable by the United States postal service.
(c) Whenever the name of any person who has made application for or obtained the registration of a vehicle or a certificate of title is thereafter changed by marriage or otherwise the person shall within ten days notify the division of the former name and new name upon a form prescribed by the commissioner. The notification shall be accompanied by application for retitle under the new name.
(d) The provisions of section one, article eleven of this chapter relating to imprisonment do not apply to persons who violate the provisions of this section.
2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 17A. Motor Vehicle Administration, Registration, Certificate of Title, and Antitheft Provisions › Article 3. Original and Renewal of Registration; Issuance of Certificates of Title › §17A-3-19. Lost or Damaged Certificates, Cards and Plates

In the event any registration card or registration plate is lost, mutilated, or becomes illegible the owner or legal representative or successor in interest of the owner of the vehicle for which the same was issued as shown by the records of the department shall immediately make application for and may obtain a duplicate or a substitute or a new registration under a new registration number, as determined to be most advisable by the department, upon the applicant furnishing information satisfactory to the department.
In the event any certificate of title is lost, mutilated, or becomes illegible, the owner or legal representative or successor in interest of the owner of the vehicle for which the same was issued, as shown by the records of the department, shall immediately make application for and may obtain a duplicate upon the applicant furnishing information satisfactory to the department. Upon issuance of any duplicate certificate of title the previous certificate last issued shall be void.
2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 17A. Motor Vehicle Administration, Registration, Certificate of Title, and Antitheft Provisions › Article 3. Original and Renewal of Registration; Issuance of Certificates of Title › §17A-3-20. Department May Assign New Identifying Numbers

The department may assign a distinguishing number to a motor vehicle whenever the serial number thereon is destroyed or obliterated and issue to the owner a special plate bearing such distinguishing number which shall be affixed to the vehicle in a position to be determined by the commissioner. Such motor vehicle may then be registered under such distinguishing number in lieu of the former serial number.
2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 17A. Motor Vehicle Administration, Registration, Certificate of Title, and Antitheft Provisions › Article 3. Original and Renewal of Registration; Issuance of Certificates of Title › §17A-3-21. Regulations Governing Change of Motors

The commissioner is authorized to adopt and enforce such registration rules and regulations as may be deemed necessary and compatible with the public interest with respect to the change or substitution of one engine in place of another in any motor vehicle.
2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 17A. Motor Vehicle Administration, Registration, Certificate of Title, and Antitheft Provisions › Article 3. Original and Renewal of Registration; Issuance of Certificates of Title › §17A-3-22. Issuance and Distribution of Registration Bulletins

The commissioner shall annually, following a renewal of registration, compile and publish in books or bulletins a list of all registered vehicles and shall thereafter compile and publish monthly supplements thereto. The list of registered vehicles shall be arranged serially according to the registration numbers assigned to registered vehicles and shall contain in addition the names and addresses of registered owners and a brief description of each vehicle.
Law-enforcement officers may be furnished with copies of the lists, and copies may also be furnished to other interested parties as may be authorized by the Governor or by the commissioner. The commissioner may also furnish copies of the lists to similar officers in adjoining states. Subject to the provisions of article two-a of this chapter, copies may be furnished to any person upon application, at a price to be fixed by the commissioner.
2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 17A. Motor Vehicle Administration, Registration, Certificate of Title, and Antitheft Provisions › Article 3. Original and Renewal of Registration; Issuance of Certificates of Title › §17A-3-24. Emergency Waiver of Registration and Licensing Requirements; Conditions and Limitations; Statement of Purpose; Length of Emergency Waiver Period; Promulgation of Rules

(a) The Governor may authorize the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles or his or her designee to waive temporarily any requirements under the provisions of this chapter, or any other provision of this code relating to any permits, authorizations or licenses required to operate a motor vehicle in this state: Provided, That such temporary waiver shall be for the sole purpose of facilitating the response of motor carriers providing humanitarian relief during time of emergency officially declared by the president of the United States, the Governor of this state or the chief executive of any other state or jurisdiction: Provided, however, That the following conditions are satisfied:
(1) The driver of any such vehicle shall be properly licensed in his state of residency;
(2) The motor vehicle to be operated is properly licensed and registered in this or any other state; and
(3) The motor vehicle to be operated satisfies all motor vehicle insurance requirements or provisions of its state of registration.
(b) Proof of the insurance required by subdivision (3), subsection (a) of this section shall be carried in the cab of the motor vehicle.
(c) Any motor vehicle operating pursuant to this section shall be issued a statement from the person or entity authorizing the transport of such goods or materials certifying that the motor carrier is providing humanitarian relief without compensation on a volunteer basis and including a description of materials or goods being transported during the time of declared emergency while it is in this state. Such statement shall be carried in the cab of the motor vehicle and be made available for inspection upon request of the commissioner, any of his or her designees, or any law-enforcement officer.
(d) The Commissioner of Motor Vehicles shall determine at the time the temporary waiver is issued the length of time such waiver shall be in effect: Provided, That all temporary waivers issued pursuant to this section shall become void upon the termination of the time of emergency as determined by the president of the United States, the Governor of this state or the chief executive of any other state or jurisdiction.
2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 17A. Motor Vehicle Administration, Registration, Certificate of Title, and Antitheft Provisions › Article 3. Original and Renewal of Registration; Issuance of Certificates of Title › §17A-3-27. Compliance Audit

On or before December 31, 2019, the Legislative Auditor, in accordance with §4-10-1 et seq. of this code, shall audit the Division of Motor Vehicles for compliance with the State Vehicle Title, Registration, and Relicensing Project of 2018. The Legislative Auditor may make recommendations for future compliance monitoring of any spending unit found not in compliance with the project and make such recommendations for administrative penalties for noncompliance with the project.
2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 17A. Motor Vehicle Administration, Registration, Certificate of Title, and Antitheft Provisions › Article 3A. Vehicle Compliance With Federal Clean Air Standards and Vehicle Safety › §17A-3A-2. Consumer Disclosure

Before a motor vehicle not originally manufactured in accordance with the laws and regulations of the United States Clean Air Act and the Motor Vehicle Safety Act can be sold to a consumer in this state, the seller must provide the purchaser with full written disclosure of all modifications performed to the vehicle. This disclosure consists of a description phrased in terms reasonably understandable to a consumer with no specialized technical training, accompanied by a copy of the technical submissions made to the environmental protection agency and Department of Transportation in order to obtain certification of compliance. Failure to make this disclosure renders the sale voidable.