A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to change the renewal period for VEHICLE REGISTRATION to two years and to change the renewal period for drivers licenses to eight years.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  G.S. 20‑66(a) reads as rewritten:
"(a)	Annual Renewal. – The registration of a vehicle must be renewed every two years. To renew the registration of a vehicle, the owner of the vehicle must file an application with the Division and pay the required registration fee. The Division may receive and grant an application for renewal of registration at any time before the registration expires."
SECTION 2.  G.S. 20‑87 reads as rewritten:
"§ 20‑87.  Passenger vehicle registration fees.
These fees shall be paid to the Division per year for the registration and licensing of passenger vehicles, according to the following classifications and schedules:
(1)	For‑Hire Passenger Vehicles. – The fee for a passenger vehicle that is operated for compensation and has a capacity of 15 passengers or less is seventy‑eight dollars ($78.00). The fee for a passenger vehicle that is operated for compensation and has a capacity of more than 15 passengers is one dollar and forty cents ($1.40) per hundred pounds of empty weight of the vehicle.
(2)	U‑Drive‑It Vehicles. – U‑drive‑it vehicles shall pay the following tax: 
Motorcycles:	1‑passenger capacity 	$18.00
	2‑passenger capacity 	22.00
	3‑passenger capacity 	26.00
Automobiles:	15 or fewer passengers 	$41.00
Buses:	16 or more passengers 	$1.40 per
	hundred
	pounds of
	empty weight
Trucks under 
7,000 pounds 
that do not 
haul products
for hire: 	4,000 pounds 	$41.50
	5,000 pounds 	$51.00
	6,000 pounds 	$61.00.
(3)	Repealed by Session Laws 1981, c. 976, s. 3.
(4)	Limousine Vehicles. – For‑hire passenger vehicles on call or demand which do not solicit passengers indiscriminately for hire between points along streets or highways, shall be taxed at the same rate as for‑hire passenger vehicles under G.S. 20‑87(1) but shall be issued appropriate registration plates to distinguish such vehicles from taxicabs.
(5)	Private Passenger Vehicles. – There shall be paid to the Division annually, as of the first day of January, for the registration and licensing of private passenger vehicles, fees according to the following classifications and schedules: Private passenger vehicles of not more than fifteen passengers $20.00 Private passenger vehicles over fifteen passengers 23.00 Provided, that a fee of only one dollar ($1.00) shall be charged for any vehicle given by the federal government to any veteran on account of any disability suffered during war so long as such vehicle is owned by the original donee or other veteran entitled to receive such gift under Title 38, section 252, United States Code Annotated.
(6)	Private Motorcycles. – The base fee on private passenger motorcycles shall be nine dollars ($9.00); except that when a motorcycle is equipped with an additional form of device designed to transport persons or property, the base fee shall be sixteen dollars ($16.00). An additional fee of three dollars ($3.00) is imposed on each private motorcycle registered under this subdivision in addition to the base fee. The revenue from the additional fee, in addition to any other funds appropriated for this purpose, shall be used to fund the Motorcycle Safety Instruction Program created in G.S. 115D‑72.
(7)	Dealer License Plates. – The fee for a dealer license plate is the regular fee for each of the first five plates issued to the same dealer and is one‑half the regular fee for each additional dealer license plate issued to the same dealer. The regular fee" is the fee set in subdivision (5) of this section for a private passenger motor vehicle of not more than 15 passengers.
(8)	Driveaway Companies. – Any person engaged in the business of driving new motor vehicles from the place of manufacture to the place of sale in this State for compensation shall pay a fee of one‑half of the amount that would otherwise be payable under this section for each set of plates.
(9)	House Trailers. – In lieu of other registration and license fees levied on house trailers under this section or G.S. 20‑88, the registration and license fee on house trailers shall be seven dollars ($7.00) for the license year or any portion thereof.
(10)	Special Mobile Equipment. – The fee for special mobile equipment for the license year or any part of the license year is two times the fee in subdivision (5) for a private passenger motor vehicle of not more than 15 passengers.
(11)	Any vehicle fee determined under this section according to the weight of the vehicle shall be increased by the sum of three dollars ($3.00) to arrive at the total fee.
(12)	Low‑Speed Vehicles. – The fee for a low‑speed vehicle is the same as the fee for private passengers vehicles of not more than 15 passengers."
SECTION 3.  G.S. 20‑7(f) reads as rewritten:
"(f)	Duration and Renewal of Licenses. – 
Drivers licenses shall be issued and renewed pursuant to the provisions of this subsection.
(1)	Duration of license for persons under age 18. – A full provisional license issued to a person under the age of 18 shall expire on the person's 21st birthday.
(2)	Duration of license for persons at least 18 years of age or older. – A drivers license issued to a person at least 18 years old but less than 38 years old expires eight years after the date of issuance. A drivers license issued to a person at least 57 years old expires five years after the date of issuance. 
(3)	Duration of license for certain visa holders. – A drivers license that was issued by the Division and is renewed by the Division expires at the end of the period provided by this subsection after the expiration date of the license that is renewed unless the Division determines that a license of shorter duration should be issued when the applicant holds a visa of limited duration from the United States Department of State. A person may apply to the Division to renew a license during the 180 day period before the license expires. The Division may not accept an application for renewal made before the 180 day period begins.
(4)	Renewal by mail. – The Division may renew by mail a drivers license issued by the Division to a person who meets any of the following descriptions:
a.	Is serving on active duty in the armed forces of the United States and is stationed outside this State.
b.	Is a resident of this State and has been residing outside the State for at least 30 continuous days.
When renewing a license by mail, the Division may waive the examination that would otherwise be required for the renewal and may impose any conditions it finds advisable. A license renewed by mail is a temporary license that expires 60 days after the person to whom it is issued returns to this State."
SECTION 5.  This act becomes effective January 1, 2006.