N.Y. Vehicle & Traffic Law Section 404
Issuance of special number plates

1.

The commissioner may issue special number plates to applicants therefor in the same manner as other number plates are issued pursuant to this article. Such special number plates shall be issued only upon payment of an annual service charge of thirty-one dollars and twenty-five cents in addition to the regular fee prescribed by § 401 (Registration of motor vehicles)section four hundred one of this article. Application for special number plates shall be made in accordance with regulations promulgated by the commissioner with respect to issuance of such number plates. Provided, however, in lieu of the annual fee specified herein, the commissioner may establish specific categories of plates for which an annual fee of not less than eighteen dollars and seventy-five cents nor more than thirty-one dollars and twenty-five cents may be charged subject to the approval of the director of the division of the budget. Notwithstanding any inconsistent provision of this section, the difference collected between the special plates fee or service charge set forth in this subdivision in effect on and after September first, two thousand nine and the special plates fee or service charge set forth in this subdivision in effect prior to such date shall be deposited to the credit of the dedicated highway and bridge trust fund. 1-a. The commissioner may issue special number plates to applicants who are members of veterans organizations in the same manner as other number plates are issued pursuant to this article. Such special number plates shall be issued only upon (a) payment of a one-time service charge of ten dollars in addition to the regular registration fee prescribed by § 401 (Registration of motor vehicles)section four hundred one of this article, and

(b)

submission of proof, satisfactory to the commissioner, that the applicant is presently a member of the veterans organization for which such plate is requested. Such membership shall be verified annually by the applicant. Application for such plates shall be made in accordance with regulations promulgated by the commissioner with respect to the issuance of such plates. Provided, however, that nothing contained herein shall be deemed to supersede the provisions of section four hundred four-d, four hundred four-e, four hundred four-h, four hundred four-i, four hundred four-j, four hundred four-k, four hundred four-p, four hundred four-aa, or four hundred four-dd of this article.

2.

For purposes of this section, a special number plate shall be a plate which contains not more than eight letters, numerals or any combination thereof and which is reserved by the commissioner for issuance in accordance with the provisions of this section, or a plate reserved for issuance in a series for vehicles owned by public officers, physicians, visiting nurses, accredited representatives of the press or other groups. In issuing special number plates the commissioner shall give those applicants who held a special number plate at the time of the enactment of this section the right to retain such special number plate upon the payment of the annual service charge of thirty-one dollars and twenty-five cents. Provided, however, that such right of retention shall apply only to the first renewal of the registration of such special number plate following the enactment of this section. Notwithstanding any inconsistent provision of this section, the difference collected between the annual service charge set forth in this subdivision in effect on and after September first, two thousand nine and the annual service charge set forth in this subdivision in effect prior to such date shall be deposited to the credit of the dedicated highway and bridge trust fund.

3.

This section shall not apply to any plates in a series reserved in the public interest for purposes of facilitating identification of state and municipal vehicles and those owned by members of international governmental organizations or any other vehicles which are exempt from the payment of registration fees, nor to plates or series of plates assigned by the commissioner for issuance by county clerks.

4.

Nothing contained in this section shall be construed to require the commissioner to issue a special number plate or plates.

Source: Section 404 — Issuance of special number plates, https://www.­nysenate.­gov/legislation/laws/VAT/404 (updated Jan. 26, 2018; accessed Apr. 27, 2024).

401
Registration of motor vehicles 401‑A
In-transit permits 401‑B
Registration of tow trucks 402
Distinctive number 402‑A
Facsimile license plates 403
Number plates continued 403‑A
Temporary indicia of registration 403‑B
Sales of special number or distinctive license plates by certain dealers 404
Issuance of special number plates 404‑A
Registration of motor vehicles of severely disabled persons 404‑AA
Distinctive plates for members of the Catholic War Veterans of America 404‑B
Distinctive plates for volunteer firefighters 404‑BB
Distinctive Cystic Fibrosis Foundation license plates 404‑C
Distinctive plates for former prisoners of war 404‑CC
Distinctive “Cure Childhood Cancer” plates 404‑D
Distinctive plates for members of the organized militia and reserve 404‑DD
Distinctive plates for members of AMVETS 404‑DD*2
Mental illness anti-stigma license plates 404‑E
Distinctive plates for purple heart recipients 404‑EE
Distinctive “West Indian American Day Carnival” license plates 404‑EE*2
Distinctive Down’s syndrome awareness license plates 404‑EE*3
Distinctive “September eleventh, two thousand one remembrance” license plates 404‑EE*4
Distinctive “Jamaican bobsled team” number plates 404‑F
Distinctive plates for members of volunteer ambulance services 404‑G
Distinctive plates bearing the words “Birthplace of Baseball” 404‑H
Distinctive plates for members of the Jewish War Veterans of America 404‑I
Distinctive plates for gold star mothers 404‑J
Registration and issuance of special number plates for veterans who survived the Pearl Harbor attack 404‑K
Distinctive plates for Marine Corps League members 404‑L
Distinctive regional design plates 404‑M
Distinctive license plates commemorating the World University Games 404‑N
Issuance of distinctive conservation plates 404‑O
Distinctive “Olympic Spirit” license plates 404‑OO
Deposit of service charges for distinctive license plates 404‑P
Distinctive “Animal Population Control Fund” license plates 404‑P*2
Distinctive plates for congressional medal of honor recipients 404‑Q
Distinctive “drive for the cure” license plates 404‑Q*2
Distinctive plates for the council on the arts 404‑R
Distinctive “foreign organization” license plates 404‑R*2
Distinctive plates for New York state licensed dentists who are members of the New York State Dental Association 404‑S
Issuance of distinctive “I Love New York” plates 404‑S*2
Issuance of distinctive plates for agriculture 404‑S*3
Distinctive “drive out diabetes” license plates 404‑S*4
Distinctive plates for the Saratoga national cemetery honor guard association 404‑T
Distinctive marine and coastal district of New York license plates 404‑T*2
Distinctive conserve habitat license plates 404‑T*3
Distinctive “peace at home” license plates 404‑U
Distinctive “keep kids drug free” license plates 404‑U*2
Distinctive “national multiple sclerosis society” license plates 404‑U*3
Distinctive gift of life license plates 404‑U*4
Distinctive “Erie canal” license plates 404‑V
Distinctive plates for water rescue team members 404‑V*2
Distinctive plates for the United States Naval Armed Guard 404‑V*3
Distinctive plates for the arts and cultural institutions and museums 404‑V*4
Distinctive plates for members of the Eighth Air Force Historical Society 404‑V*5
Issuance of distinctive “Discover Queens” license plates 404‑V*6
Distinctive autism awareness license plates 404‑V*7
Distinctive “Love your library” plates 404‑W
Distinctive plates for war on terror veterans 404‑W*2
Distinctive plates for Persian Gulf veterans 404‑X
Distinctive “Ducks Unlimited” license plates 404‑Y
Distinctive plates for veterans of the Iraq War and veterans of the Afghanistan War 404‑Y*2
Distinctive “Appalachian Trail” license plates 404‑Y*3
Distinctive plates for members of the Kiwanis International 404‑Y*4
Distinctive plates for conspicuous service cross recipients 404‑Y*5
Distinctive lupus awareness license plates 404‑Y*6
Distinctive sickle cell disease awareness license plates 404‑Z
Distinctive “Elks Association” license plates
Green check means up to date. Up to date

Accessed:
Apr. 27, 2024

Last modified:
Jan. 26, 2018

§ 404’s source at nysenate​.gov

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