SPONSOR:	Rep. Ewing & Sen. Henry

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

142nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HOUSE BILL NO. 498

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 21 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO LICENSE PLATES AND FEES.

Section 1. Amend § 2121(b) of Title 21 of the Delaware Code by deleting the figure “5,000” in the first and second sentences of the second paragraph and substituting in lieu thereof the figure “7,000”.

Section 2. Amend § 2151(2) of Title 21 of the Delaware Code by deleting the words “and Suburbans” in said Section.

Section 3. Amend § 2156(a) of Title 21 of the Delaware Code by deleting the words “or Suburbans” in the last sentence of said Section.

SYNOPSIS

Section 1 of the legislation allows vehicles with a weight rating of up to 7,000 pounds to have any type of numbered plate. The Division has seen the introduction of a number of luxury sport utility vehicles over the past few years that are now restricted to commercial “C” or “CL” license plates due to a shipping weight above 5,000 pounds. These vehicles are not used for commercial purposes and their owners desire a passenger vehicle license plate or combination “PC” license plate. Current law only allows Chevrolet Suburbans to have a “PC” license plate. This legislation will allow luxury sport utility vehicles such as the Lincoln Navigator, Cadillac Escalade, Ford Excursion, GMC Yukon, Lexus LX470 and various other sport utility vehicles with shipping weights over 5,000 pounds to have regular plates.

Section 2 and 3 of this legislation will clear up the discrepancy in Title 21 that grants one sport utility vehicle a lower registration fee than other similar type vehicles. Title 21, §§ 2151(2) and 2156(a), requires the Division to charge a passenger car registration fee twenty dollars ($20) per year for Chevrolet Suburbans but does not grant the same fee to owners of various other luxury sport utility vehicles weighing over 5,000 pounds. The change will require vehicle owners of Chevrolet Suburbans to pay the same fee as owners of other vehicles weighing over 5,000 pounds.