Vehicles: temporary license plates.

Existing law requires the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) , upon registering a vehicle, to issue to the owner 2 license plates, as specified. Existing law also requires that the license plates be securely fastened to the vehicle for which they are issued, and makes a violation of this requirement a crime. Existing law requires vehicle dealers and lessor-retailers to attach numbered report-of-sale forms issued by the DMV to a vehicle at the time of sale, and to submit to the DMV an application for registration of the vehicle, and the applicable fees, within a specified period after the date of sale. This bill would require the DMV to contract with a private industry partner for the development of a temporary license plate system to enable vehicle dealers and lessor-retailers to print temporary license plates on weatherproof paper or other media selected by the DMV. The bill would require the DMV to ensure that the system is operational on or before January 1, 2016. This bill would also require, commencing January 1, 2016, a motor vehicle dealer or lessor-retailer to install temporary license plates at the time of sale, and to electronically record and transmit certain information to the temporary license plate system, including the temporary license plates' number and vehicle's make and model. The bill would authorize vehicle dealers and the DMV to impose fees for temporary license plate processing, as specified. The bill would make failure to display temporary license plates an infraction, and would make counterfeiting a temporary license plate a felony, as specified. By creating a new crime and expanding the scope of an existing crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would also make other related and conforming changes. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.