§ 14-18 — Display of number plates and stickers. Issuance of sample number plates. Return of number plates to commissioner.

Connecticut § 14-18

• Jurisdiction: Connecticut
• Title 14: Motor Vehicles. Use of the Highway By Vehicles. Gasoline
• Ch. 246: Motor Vehicles

Text

(a)(1) Each motor vehicle for which one number plate has been issued shall, while in use or operation upon any public highway, display in a conspicuous place at the rear of such vehicle the number plate. The commissioner may issue a sticker denoting the expiration date of the registration. Such sticker shall be displayed in such place on the vehicle as the commissioner may direct. Such sticker may contain the corresponding letters and numbers of the registration and number plate issued by the commissioner. (2) Each motor vehicle for which two number plates have been issued shall, while in use or operation upon any public highway, display in a conspicuous place at the front and the rear of such vehicle the number plates. The commissioner may issue a sticker denoting the expiration date of the registration. Such sticker shall be displayed in such place on the vehicle as the commissioner may direct. Such sticker may contain the corresponding letters and numbers of the number plate issued by the commissioner. (b) Repealed by 1969, P.A. 247, S. 1. (c) Official number plates when displayed upon motor vehicles shall be entirely unobscured and the numerals and letters thereon shall be plainly legible at all times. Such number plates shall be horizontal, and shall be fastened so as not to swing and, during the time when a motor vehicle is required to display lights, the rear number plate shall be so illuminated as to be legible at a distance of fifty feet. Nothing may be affixed to a motor vehicle or to the official number plates displayed on such vehicle that obscures or impairs the visibility of any information on such number plates. Not more than one number plate shall be displayed on the front or rear of any motor vehicle in operation upon the public highways of the state; provided any motor vehicle may, upon permission of the commissioner, display more than one number plate in front or rear, subject to such conditions as the commissioner prescribes. If any number plate supplied by the commissioner is lost, or if the registered number thereon becomes mutilated or illegible, the owner of or the person in control of the motor vehicle for which such number plate was furnished shall immediately place a temporary number plate bearing said registration number upon such motor vehicle, which temporary number plate shall conform to the regular number plate and shall be displayed as nearly as possible as herein provided for such regular number plate; and such owner shall, within forty-eight hours after such loss or mutilation of the number plate, give notice thereof to the commissioner and apply for a new number plate. The commissioner may issue a permit to operate with such temporary plate and shall supply new number plates upon payment of the fee therefor as provided in section 14-50a . Upon receipt of such new number plates and new certificate, the remaining old number plate, if any, and certificate shall be surrendered to the commissioner. (d) All number plates shall be the property of the state and no title therein shall pass to any person registering a motor vehicle under the provisions of this chapter. The owner of any registered motor vehicle which is not reregistered at the end of a registration period shall, within ten days, cancel such registration in accordance with procedures established by the commissioner and may return the number plates to the commissioner. Any person who sells a motor vehicle pursuant to section 14-150 or 49-61 shall, within ten days of such sale, return to the commissioner any number plates displayed on the vehicle or which come into such person's possession in connection with such sale. When the commissioner issues a new type of number plate for use by all persons registering motor vehicles, the obsolete number plates shall become the property of the registrant upon the expiration date. (e) The commissioner may issue a number plate inscribed with the legend “SAMPLE”. Such number plate shall not be displayed on any motor vehicle or used as official registration marker plates. The commissioner may impose a fee for the issuance of such number plate. Such fee shall be sufficient to cover the cost of manufacturing and issuing such number plate. (f) No person shall wilfully damage or destroy any number plate. (g) Violation of any provision of subsection (a), (c), (d), (e) or (f) of this section shall be an infraction. See Sec. 14-107 re liability of owner, operator or lessee of vehicle in prosecutions for violation of this section.

Legislative History

(1949 Rev., S. 2366; 1955, S. 1291d; 1957, P.A. 10; 145; 1959, P.A. 657, S. 1; 1963, P.A. 236; 1967, P.A. 832, S. 3; 1969, P.A. 247, S. 1; 1971, P.A. 324, S. 1; 649, S. 1; P.A. 74-26, S. 1; P.A. 75-577, S. 16, 126; P.A. 76-435, S. 52, 82; P.A. 80-47; 80-466, S. 6, 25; P.A. 85-252, S. 1; P.A. 86-388, S. 23, 31; P.A. 87-80, S. 1, 2; P.A. 90-106, S. 1, 3; P.A. 91-407, S. 5, 42; P.A. 93-341, S. 31, 38; P.A. 94-189, S. 26, 34; P.A. 98-182, S. 1, 22; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 99-1, S. 26, 51; P.A. 01-191, S. 1; P.A. 09-187, S. 65; P.A. 10-110, S. 23; 10-179, S. 26; P.A. 18-164, S. 4.) History: 1959 act removed provisions in Subsec. (a) rendered obsolete by staggered system of registration renewal; 1963 act amended Subsec. (a) to require display of inserts or stickers as well as plates; 1967 act amended Subsec. (c) to regulate attachments to number plate holders and to forbid any attachments to the plates themselves; 1969 act repealed Subsec. (b) which had required commissioner to furnish individually registered vehicles with one set of plates and to furnish dealers, manufacturers or repairers with a maximum of twenty-four sets; 1971 acts amended Subsec. (c) to allow attachment of toll station markers to license plates and amended Subsec. (a) to include vehicles displaying a general distinguishing number or mark; P.A. 74-26 amended Subsec. (a) to include reference to Sec. 14-35; P.A. 75-577 amended Subsec. (f) to replace $50 fine with reference to violation as infraction; P.A. 76-435 amended Subsec. (c) to replace reference to repealed Sec. 14-49(r) with reference to Sec. 14-50a; P.A. 80-47 amended Subsec. (d) to require return of plates within ten days by person selling vehicle pursuant to Sec. 14-150 or 49-61; P.A. 80-466 amended Subsec. (a) to refer to single plate, insert or sticker and to delete obsolete reference to single plate, sticker or insert previously applicable to motorcycles, trailers, etc.; P.A. 85-252 amended Subsec. (a), requiring that inserts or stickers be affixed only to lower right corner of number plate commencing with registrations issued on and after October 1, 1985; P.A. 86-388 subdivided Subsec. (a) into three Subdivs., requiring in (1) the display of one number plate on each motor vehicle until July 1, 1993, and in (2) the display of two number plates on and after July 1, 1993, on each motor vehicle except motorcycles, camp trailers, commercial trailers or vehicles displaying a general distinguishing number; P.A. 87-80 amended Subsec. (a)(2) and (3) to require the display of one sticker affixed to the rear plate, and its placement only on the upper right corner of such plate in the case of plates issued on and after July 1, 1987; P.A. 90-106 amended Subsec. (a)(1) and (2) to substitute “1995” for “1993”; P.A. 91-407 amended Subsec. (c) by removing provision re toll station registration marker; P.A. 93-341 amended Subsec. (a)(1) and (2) by deleting the exception for fire department apparatus not registered under the provisions of Sec. 14-19 and by applying Subdiv. (1) to motor vehicles for which one number plate has been issued and Subdiv. (2) to motor vehicles for which two number plates have been issued, deleting provisions concerning motorcycles, camp trailers, commercial trailers and certain other vehicles and amended Subsec. (a)(3) by replacing existing language re sticker placement with new language, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 94-189 amended Subsec. (a)(1) and (2) by deleting references to the display of an insert or sticker denoting the expiration month and year of the registration, replacing them with directives concerning the display of a sticker on the number plate or elsewhere on the vehicle denoting the expiration date of the registration and deleted Sub. (a)(3), effective July 1, 1994; P.A. 98-182 added Subsec. (e) providing for the issuance of number plates inscribed with the legend “SAMPLE” and redesignated former Subsecs. (e) and (f) as (f) and (g), effective July 1, 1998; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 99-1 amended Subsec. (c) to delete provisions re plates, devices or attachments affixed to the number plate holder, to add provision that no plates, devices or attachments may be covering the number plates and to make technical changes, effective July 1, 1999; P.A. 01-191 amended Subsec. (a) by adding provisions allowing the sticker denoting the expiration date of registration to contain the corresponding letters and numbers of the registration and number plate; P.A. 09-187 amended Subsec. (c) to replace prohibition re plates, devices or attachments affixed to or covering official number plates with prohibition re anything affixed to motor vehicle or to official number plates displayed thereon that obscures or impairs visibility of information on plates and to make a technical change; P.A. 10-110 amended Subsec. (a) to replace requirements that motor vehicle display sticker denoting registration expiration date on number plate or elsewhere as directed by commissioner with provisions making issuance of such sticker by commissioner discretionary and to make technical changes, effective June 5, 2010; P.A. 10-179 amended Subsec. (a) to make the same changes as made by P.A. 10-110, effective May 7, 2010; P.A. 18-164 amended Subsec. (d) to add provision re cancelation of registration in accordance with procedures and to permit return of number plates, effective July 1, 2018. Cited. 181 C. 299.