(a) Governmental and quasi-governmental entities.--Except as otherwise specifically provided in this title, no fees shall be charged under this title to any of the following:
(1) The Commonwealth.
(2) Political subdivisions.
(3) State and local authorities.
(4) State-related institutions of higher learning.
(5) The Federal Government.
(6) Other states.
(b) Title and registration fees.--No fee shall be charged for titling or registration of any of the following:
(1) Buses registered by urban mass transportation systems.
(2) Vehicles registered by volunteer fire, rescue and ambulance associations. For the purpose of this paragraph, the department shall exempt a volunteer EMS company, volunteer ambulance service and nonprofit emergency medical services agency that is a nonprofit chartered corporation, association or organization located in this Commonwealth, that is licensed by the Department of Health. The exemption shall not include a corporation, association or organization that is primarily engaged in the operation of invalid coaches that are intended for the routine transport of persons who are convalescent or otherwise nonambulatory and do not ordinarily require emergency medical treatment while in transit. The department may not use any other method to determine volunteer status of these organizations.
(3) Vehicles registered by foreign nationals with the rank of vice consul or higher assigned to a consulate in this Commonwealth provided that citizens of the United States are granted reciprocal exemptions.
(4) Vehicles of totally disabled veterans whose disability is certified by the service unit of the armed forces in which the veterans served or by the United States Veterans' Administration as service-connected.
(5) Vehicles on loan or transferred to a nonprofit corporation by the United States Department of Defense or the United States General Services Administration and used exclusively for leasing to political subdivisions, State agencies and the Federal Government. Such vehicles shall be issued the same kind of registration plates as are issued to vehicles registered by political subdivisions.
(6) Vehicles registered to a veteran who lost a limb or eye or who became partially paralyzed while serving in the armed forces of the United States.
(7) Vehicles registered to a person who, as a member of the armed forces of the United States, was captured by the enemy in any armed conflict for which the Department of Defense authorizes a campaign medal.
(8) Vehicles registered to a person who has been awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor or the Purple Heart.
(b.1) Identification card fees.--No fee shall be charged for an initial or renewal identification card, including for a photograph required for an initial or renewal identification card, to an individual who affirms in writing that the individual is:
(1) homeless, as defined on the effective date of this subsection in section 103 of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (Public Law 100-77, 42 U.S.C. § 11302);
(2) a resident of this Commonwealth; and
(3) aware of the prohibitions on unsworn falsification to authorities set forth in 18 Pa.C.S. § 4904 (relating to unsworn falsification to authorities).
(c) Processing fee in lieu of registration fee.--No registration fee shall be charged for vehicles registered by any of the following but the department shall charge a fee of $10 to cover the costs of processing for issuing or renewing the registration:
(1) Hospital.
(2) Humane society.
(3) Nonprofit youth center.
(4) American Red Cross.
(5) Church.
(6) Girl Scouts of America.
(7) Boy Scouts of America.
(8) Salvation Army.
(9) Duly chartered posts of national veterans' organizations.
(10) Young Men's Christian Association.
(11) Young Men's Hebrew Association.
(12) Young Women's Christian Association.
(13) Young Women's Hebrew Association.
(14) Jewish Community Center.
(15) Nonprofit corporations of musical marching groups of youths.
(16) (i) Subject to adjustment under subparagraph (ii), a person who is retired and receiving social security or other pension and whose total annual income does not exceed $29,906. Unless the retired person is physically or mentally incapable of driving the vehicle, the retired person shall be the principal driver of the vehicle but may from time to time authorize another person to drive the vehicle in his or her stead.
(ii) Beginning the first day of January following the year of the effective date of this subparagraph and each January 1 thereafter, the maximum total annual income amount in subparagraph (i) shall be fixed annually by the department based upon the maximum amount in the prior year as adjusted to reflect the change in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) for the United States for all items as published by the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, for the previous 12-month period. The maximum amount as adjusted shall be rounded to the nearest multiple of $1. The department shall transmit notice of the new maximum amount to the Legislative Reference Bureau for publication in the Pennsylvania Bulletin.
(17) (Deleted by amendment).
(18) (Deleted by amendment).
(19) (Deleted by amendment).
(20) Nonprofit organizations which care for or otherwise provide services for the elderly or the infirm.
(21) Nonprofit organizations which principally serve mentally or physically handicapped or disabled persons.
(22) Nonprofit mobile aviation museum.
(23) Nonprofit corporations that provide ambulance or emergency medical services.
(d) Limitations.--
(1) Vehicles titled and registered under the provisions of this section shall be operated and used exclusively for the purpose for which the vehicles were entitled to the exemptions from fees.
(2) Only one passenger car or truck with a registered gross weight of not more than 9,000 pounds may be registered to any person under the provisions of subsection (b)(4), (6), (7) and (8) and subsection (c)(16).
(e) Penalty.--Any person violating the provisions of this section is guilty of a summary offense.