§ 251 — Exemption for members of the armed forces and their dependents

§ 251. Exemption for members of the armed forces and their dependents.\n1. The provisions of this chapter relative to the registration of motor\nvehicles and motorcycles and the display of number plates shall not\napply to motor vehicles or motorcycles having registrations and\ndisplaying plates issued by the armed forces of the United States for\nvehicles owned by members of the armed forces or their dependents, but\nsuch exemption shall be valid only for a period of forty-five days after\nthe owner thereof has entered this state for the purpose of traveling to\neither his place of residence or a point of military duty.\n 2. A member of the armed forces who has been issued a license to\noperate a motor vehicle or motorcycle by the armed forces of the United\nStates may operate a motor vehicle or motorcycle on the public highways\nof this state without being licensed under this chapter for a period of\nsixty days after such person has entered this state.\n 2-a. A member of the armed forces and any dependent of such person\nsixteen years of age or older who has complied with the laws of a state,\nterritory, federal district or foreign country which require such\nperson, in order to operate a motor vehicle or motorcycle therein, to be\nlicensed, may operate or drive a motor vehicle or motorcycle on the\npublic highways of this state without being so licensed under this\nchapter. Provided, however, that the recognition granted under this\nsubdivision shall, with respect to a person under the age of eighteen\nyears, only permit the operation of a motor vehicle or motorcycle in\nthis state in accordance with the same restrictions imposed upon New\nYork residents operating or driving motor vehicles or motorcycles with\nclass DJ or MJ licenses under subdivision three of section five hundred\none of this chapter. The exemption granted in this subdivision shall not\napply to persons whose privilege of operating a motor vehicle in this\nstate, or whose former license to drive in this state, has been\nsuspended or revoked, until such suspension or revocation has been\nterminated or privilege of operating a motor vehicle restored.\nNotwithstanding the provisions of subdivision four of this section, for\npurposes of this subdivision, "member of the armed forces" shall mean a\nperson on active duty, other than annual active duty for training, in a\nbranch of the armed forces of the United States and "dependent" shall\nmean a spouse or child of a member of the armed forces residing in the\nsame household and dependent upon such member of the armed forces for\nsupport.\n 3. The provisions of this chapter relative to the registration and\nequipment of motor vehilces, motorcycles and trailers and the display of\nregistration numbers shall not apply to motor vehicles, motorcycles or\ntrailers owned by members of the armed forces or their dependents who\nare non-residents of this state, provided that the owner thereof shall\nhave complied with the provisions of the law of the foreign country,\nstate, territory or federal district of his residence relative to\nregistration and equipment of such motor vehicles, motorcycles or\ntrailers, as the case may be, and the display of registration numbers\nthereon, and shall conspicuously display his registration numbers as\nrequired thereby.\n 4. For the purposes of this section "member of the armed forces" shall\nmean a person on active duty, other than annual active duty for\ntraining, in a branch of the armed forces of the United States or a\nperson who has been discharged from such active duty within the\npreceding sixty days, and "dependent" shall mean a spouse or child of a\nmember of the armed forces or other person residing in the same\nhousehold and dependent upon such member of the armed forces for\nsupport.\n