AN ACT to authorize the division of motor vehicles to issue stock car racing theme special plates.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  G.S. 20‑63(b) reads as rewritten:
"(b)	Every license plate shall have displayed upon it the registration number assigned to the vehicle for which it is issued, the name of the State of North Carolina, which may be abbreviated, and the year number for which it is issued or the date of expiration. A plate issued for a commercial vehicle, as defined in G.S. 20‑4.2(1), and weighing 26,001 pounds or more, must bear the word "commercial," unless the plate is a special registration plate authorized in G.S. 20‑79.4 or the commercial vehicle is a trailer or is licensed for 6,000 pounds or less. The plate issued for vehicles licensed for 7,000 pounds through 26,000 pounds must bear the word "weighted".
Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, a registration plate issued by the Division for a private passenger vehicle or for a private hauler vehicle licensed for 6,000 pounds or less shall be a "First in Flight" plate. A "First in Flight" plate shall have the words "First in Flight" printed at the top of the plate above all other letters and numerals. The background of the plate shall depict the Wright Brothers biplane flying over Kitty Hawk Beach, with the plane flying slightly upward and to the right. The following special registration plates do not have to be a "First in Flight" plate. The design of the plates that are not "First in Flight" plates must be approved by the Division and the State Highway Patrol for clarity and ease of identification.
(1)	Friends of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
(2)	Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation.
(3)	Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation.
(4)	Friends of the Appalachian Trail.
(5)	NC Coastal Federation.
(6)	Stock Car Racing Theme."
SECTION 2.  G.S. 20‑79.4(b) is amended by adding a new subdivision to read:
"(b)	Types. – The Division shall issue the following types of special registration plates:
…
(44c)	Stock Car Racing Theme. – Issuable to the registered owner of a motor vehicle pursuant to G.S. 20‑81.12. This is a series of plates bearing an emblem, seal, other symbol or design displaying themes of professional stock car auto racing, or professional stock car auto racing drivers. The Division shall not develop any plate in the series without a license to use copyrighted or registered words, symbols, trademarks, or designs associated with the plate. The plate shall be designed in consultation with and approved by the person authorized to provide the State with the license to use the words, symbols, trademarks, or designs associated with the plate. The Division shall not pay a royalty for the license to use the copyrighted or registered words, symbols, trademarks, or designs associated with the plate."
SECTION 3.  G.S. 20‑79.7(a) reads as rewritten:
"(a)	Fees. – Upon request, the Division shall provide and issue free of charge one registration plate to a recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor, a 100% disabled veteran, and an ex‑prisoner of war. All other special registration plates, including additional Congressional Medal of Honor, 100% Disabled Veteran, and Ex‑Prisoner of War plates, are subject to the regular motor vehicle registration fee in G.S. 20‑87 or G.S. 20‑88 plus an additional fee in the following amount:

Special Plate	Additional Fee Amount

Crystal Coast	$30.00
Historical Attraction	$30.00
Personalized	$30.00
State Attraction	$30.00
Stock Car Racing Theme	$30.00
Buffalo Soldiers	$25.00
Collegiate Insignia	$25.00
Goodness Grows	$25.00
Kids First	$25.00
Olympic Games	$25.00
NC Agribusiness	$25.00
NC Coastal Federation	$25.00
Nurses	$25.00
(Effective until June 30, 2006)	
Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation	$25.00
Special Olympics	$25.00
Surveyor Plate	$25.00
The V Foundation for Cancer Research Division	$25.00
University Health Systems of Eastern Carolina	$25.00
Animal Lovers	$20.00
Audubon North Carolina	$20.00
Be Active NC	$20.00
Ducks Unlimited	$20.00
(Effective until June 30, 2006)	
Harley Owners' Group	$20.00
First in Forestry	$20.00
Litter Prevention	$20.00
March of Dimes	$20.00
Omega Psi Phi Fraternity	$20.00
Save the Sea Turtles	$20.00
Scenic Rivers	$20.00
School Technology	$20.00
Soil and Water Conservation	$20.00
Special Forces Association	$20.00
Support Public Schools	$20.00
Wildlife Resources	$20.00
Zeta Phi Beta Sorority	$20.00
Active Member of the National Guard	None
100% Disabled Veteran	None
Ex‑Prisoner of War	None
Legion of Valor	None
Purple Heart Recipient	None
Silver Star Recipient	None
All Other Special Plates	$10.00."
SECTION 4.  G.S. 20‑79.7(b) reads as rewritten:
"(b)	Distribution of Fees. – The Special Registration Plate Account and the Collegiate and Cultural Attraction Plate Account are established within the Highway Fund. The Division must credit the additional fee imposed for the special registration plates listed in subsection (a) among the Special Registration Plate Account (SRPA), the Collegiate and Cultural Attraction Plate Account (CCAPA), the Natural Heritage Trust Fund (NHTF), which is established under G.S. 113‑77.7, and the Parks and Recreation Trust Fund, which is established under G.S. 113‑44.15, as follows:
Special Plate	SRPA	CCAPA	NHTF	PRTF

Animal Lovers	$10	$10	0	0
Audubon North Carolina	$10 	$10	0	0
Be Active NC	$10 	$10	0 	0
Buffalo Soldiers	$10 	$15	0	0  
Crystal Coast	$10 	$20	0	0
Ducks Unlimited	$10 	$10 	0	0
First in Forestry	$10	0	$10	0
Goodness Grows	$10 	$15	0	0
(Effective until June 30, 2006)				
Harley Owners' Group	$10 	$10	0	0
Historical Attraction	$10	$20	0	0
In‑State Collegiate Insignia	$10 	$15	0	0
Kids First 	$10 	$15	0	0
Litter Prevention	$10 	$10	0	0
March of Dimes	$10 	$10	0	0
NC Agribusiness	$10 	$15	0	0
NC Coastal Federation 	$10	$15	0	0
Nurses	$10	$15	0	0
Olympic Games	$10	$15	0	0
Omega Psi Phi Fraternity 	$10 	$10	0	0
Out‑of‑state Collegiate Insignia 	10	0	$15	0
Personalized 	$10 	0	$15	$5
(Effective until June 30, 2006)				
Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation	$10 	$15	0 	0
Save the Sea Turtles	$10	$10	0	0
Scenic Rivers	$10	$10	0	0
School Technology	$10	$10	0	0
Soil and Water Conservation	$10	$10	0	0
Special Forces Association	$10	$10	0	0
Special Olympics	$10	$15	0	0
State Attraction	$10	$20	0	0
Stock Car Racing Theme	$10	$20	0	0
Support Public Schools	$10	$10	0	0
Surveyor Plate	$10	$15	0	0
The V Foundation for 
	Cancer Research	$10	$15	0	0
University Health Systems of 
	Eastern Carolina	$10	$15	0	0
Wildlife Resources	$10	$10	0	0
Zeta Phi Beta Sorority	$10	$10	0	0
All other Special Plates	$10	0	0	0."
SECTION 5.  G.S. 20‑81.12 is amended by adding a new subsection to read:
"(b31)	Stock Car Racing Theme. – The Division may issue any plate in this series without a minimum number of applications if the person providing the State with the license to use the words, logos, trademarks, or designs associated with the plate produces the plate for the State without a minimum order quantity. 
The cost of the Stock Car Racing Theme plate shall include all costs to produce blank plates for issuance by the Division. Notwithstanding G.S. 66‑58(b), the Division or the Department of Correction may contract for the production of the blank plates in this series to be issued by the Division, provided the plates meet or exceed the State's specifications including durability and retroreflectivity, and provided the plates are manufactured using high-quality embossable aluminum. The cost of the blank plates to the State shall be substantially equivalent to the price paid to the Department of Correction for license tags, as provided in G.S. 66‑58(b)(15).
The Division shall transfer quarterly the money in the Collegiate and Cultural Attraction Plate Account derived from the sale of Stock Car Racing Theme plates to the North Carolina Motorsports Foundation, Inc."
SECTION 6.  G.S. 20‑85(a) reads as rewritten:
"(a)	The following fees are imposed concerning a certificate of title, a registration card, or a registration plate for a motor vehicle. These fees are payable to the Division and are in addition to the tax imposed by Article 5A of Chapter 105 of the General Statutes. 
(1)	Each application for certificate of title	$35.00
(2)	Each application for duplicate or 
	corrected certificate of title	10.00
(3)	Each application of repossessor for
	certificate of title	10.00
(4)	Each transfer of registration	10.00
(5)	Each set of replacement registration
	plates	10.00
(6)	Each application for duplicate registration
	card	10.00
(7)	Each application for recording supplementary
	lien	10.00
(8)	Each application for removing a lien from a
	certificate of title	10.00
(9)	Each application for certificate of title for a
	motor vehicle transferred to a manufacturer,
	as defined in G.S. 20‑286, or a motor vehicle
	retailer for the purpose of resale	10.00
(10)	Each application for a salvage certificate of title
	made by an insurer	10.00
(11)	Each set of replacement Stock Car Racing
	Theme plates issued under G.S. 20‑79.4	25.00."

SECTION 7.  This act becomes effective October 1, 2004.
In the General Assembly read three times and ratified this the 12th day of July, 2004.

	s/	 Beverly E. Perdue
	 President of the Senate

	s/	 Richard T. Morgan
	 Speaker of the House of Representatives

	s/	 Michael F. Easley
	 Governor

Approved 11:50 a.m. this 11th day of August, 2004