H.B. 1729 - Motor Vehicle Law Changes Summary

• Extended commercial driver's license validity from 3 years to 5 years, and renewed commercial licenses from 3 years to 5 years after the expiration date of the previous license.

• Increased dealer license plates available to dealers based on vehicles sold, with new maximums ranging from 3 plates (for fewer than 12 vehicles sold) to 8 plates or 5 times the number of qualifying sales representatives (for 49 or more vehicles sold).

• Increased civil penalties for violations of dealer and transporter license plate restrictions from $50 to $100 for individual drivers and from $200 to $250 for dealers or businesses.

• Modified registration plate frame regulations to prohibit covers that make plate numbers, letters, state name, or registration stickers illegible, and established these violations as infractions with penalties under G.S. 14-3.1.

• Added Incident Management Assistance Patrol vehicles operated by the Department of Transportation to the list of vehicles authorized to use rear-facing red lights while stopped for assistance or incident management purposes.