{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/46.2-1552.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/46.2-1552.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/46.2-1552.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/46.2-1552.html"}],"law_id":65898,"edition_id":1,"section_id":65898,"structure_id":14806,"section_number":"46.2-1552","catch_line":"Use of dealer’s license plates on newly purchased vehicles","history":"1988, c. 865, \u00a7 46.1-550.5:10; 1989, c. 727; 1991, c. 712.","full_text":"Notwithstanding the provisions of \u00a7 46.2-1550, any dealer who sells and delivers to a purchaser a motor vehicle at a time when the main offices of the Department, its branch offices, or offices of its local agents, are not open for business and the purchaser is therefore unable to register the vehicle, may permit the purchaser to use, for a period not exceeding five days, on the newly purchased vehicle, license plates which have been issued to the dealer, provided that, at the time of the purchase, the dealer executes in duplicate, on forms provided by the Commissioner, a certificate bearing the date of issuance, the name and address of the purchaser, the identification number of the vehicle, the registration number to be used temporarily on the vehicle, the name of the state in which the vehicle is to be registered, and whatever other information may be required by the Commissioner. The original of the certificate and a bona fide bill of sale shall be delivered to the purchaser and shall be in the possession of the purchaser at all times when operating the vehicle under dealer plates. One copy of the certificate shall be retained by the dealer, filed by him, and shall be subject to inspection at any time by the Department’s agents. If the vehicle is to be titled and registered in the Commonwealth, application for title and registration shall be made by the purchaser on the first business day following issuance of the certificate and a copy of the certificate shall accompany the applications.\n\t\tLicense plates temporarily used by the purchaser shall be returned to the dealer by the purchaser not later than five days after the issuance of the certificate.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":239469,"text":"Notwithstanding the provisions of \u00a7 46.2-1550, any dealer who sells and delivers to a purchaser a motor vehicle at a time when the main offices of the Department, its branch offices, or offices of its local agents, are not open for business and the purchaser is therefore unable to register the vehicle, may permit the purchaser to use, for a period not exceeding five days, on the newly purchased vehicle, license plates which have been issued to the dealer, provided that, at the time of the purchase, the dealer executes in duplicate, on forms provided by the Commissioner, a certificate bearing the date of issuance, the name and address of the purchaser, the identification number of the vehicle, the registration number to be used temporarily on the vehicle, the name of the state in which the vehicle is to be registered, and whatever other information may be required by the Commissioner. The original of the certificate and a bona fide bill of sale shall be delivered to the purchaser and shall be in the possession of the purchaser at all times when operating the vehicle under dealer plates. One copy of the certificate shall be retained by the dealer, filed by him, and shall be subject to inspection at any time by the Department’s agents. If the vehicle is to be titled and registered in the Commonwealth, application for title and registration shall be made by the purchaser on the first business day following issuance of the certificate and a copy of the certificate shall accompany the applications.\n\t\tLicense plates temporarily used by the purchaser shall be returned to the dealer by the purchaser not later than five days after the issuance of the certificate.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":14806,"edition_id":1,"name":"Dealer's License Plates","identifier":"5","label":"article","depth":4,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13356,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:50:03","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:50:03","permalink":{"id":231379,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14806,"identifier":"5","token":"46.2\/IV\/15\/5","url":"\/46.2\/IV\/15\/5\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13356,"edition_id":1,"name":"Motor Vehicle Dealers","identifier":"15","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13355,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:42","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:42","permalink":{"id":231067,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13356,"identifier":"15","token":"46.2\/IV\/15","url":"\/46.2\/IV\/15\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13355,"edition_id":1,"name":"Dealers and Driver Training Schools","identifier":"IV","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12770,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:42","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:42","permalink":{"id":231065,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13355,"identifier":"IV","token":"46.2\/IV","url":"\/46.2\/IV\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12770,"edition_id":1,"name":"Motor Vehicles","identifier":"46.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:52","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:52","permalink":{"id":225289,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12770,"identifier":"46.2","token":"46.2","url":"\/46.2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":60822,"structure_id":14806,"section_number":"46.2-1545.1","catch_line":"Watercraft trailer dealers and watercraft trailers","url":"\/46.2-1545.1\/","token":"46.2\/IV\/15\/5\/46.2-1545.1","metadata":false},{"id":82643,"structure_id":14806,"section_number":"46.2-1545.2","catch_line":"Exclusion of transit buses, all-terrain vehicles, and off-road motorcycles","url":"\/46.2-1545.2\/","token":"46.2\/IV\/15\/5\/46.2-1545.2","metadata":false},{"id":75245,"structure_id":14806,"section_number":"46.2-1546","catch_line":"Registration of dealers; fees","url":"\/46.2-1546\/","token":"46.2\/IV\/15\/5\/46.2-1546","metadata":false},{"id":70428,"structure_id":14806,"section_number":"46.2-1547","catch_line":"License under this chapter prerequisite to receiving dealer's license plates; insurance required; Commissioner may revoke plates","url":"\/46.2-1547\/","token":"46.2\/IV\/15\/5\/46.2-1547","metadata":false},{"id":73069,"structure_id":14806,"section_number":"46.2-1548","catch_line":"Transferable license plates","url":"\/46.2-1548\/","token":"46.2\/IV\/15\/5\/46.2-1548","metadata":false},{"id":65556,"structure_id":14806,"section_number":"46.2-1549","catch_line":"Dealer's, manufacturer's, and distributor's license plates to distinguish between various types of dealers","url":"\/46.2-1549\/","token":"46.2\/IV\/15\/5\/46.2-1549","metadata":false},{"id":59461,"structure_id":14806,"section_number":"46.2-1549.1","catch_line":"Dealer's promotional license plates","url":"\/46.2-1549.1\/","token":"46.2\/IV\/15\/5\/46.2-1549.1","metadata":false},{"id":66981,"structure_id":14806,"section_number":"46.2-1549.2","catch_line":"Special license plate combination","url":"\/46.2-1549.2\/","token":"46.2\/IV\/15\/5\/46.2-1549.2","metadata":false},{"id":72295,"structure_id":14806,"section_number":"46.2-1550","catch_line":"Use of dealer's and manufacturer's license plates, generally","url":"\/46.2-1550\/","token":"46.2\/IV\/15\/5\/46.2-1550","metadata":false},{"id":75442,"structure_id":14806,"section_number":"46.2-1550.1","catch_line":"Use of dealer's license plates and temporary transport plates on certain vehicles","url":"\/46.2-1550.1\/","token":"46.2\/IV\/15\/5\/46.2-1550.1","metadata":false},{"id":61332,"structure_id":14806,"section_number":"46.2-1550.2","catch_line":"Issuance and use of temporary transport plates, generally","url":"\/46.2-1550.2\/","token":"46.2\/IV\/15\/5\/46.2-1550.2","metadata":false},{"id":72427,"structure_id":14806,"section_number":"46.2-1550.3","catch_line":"Alternative print-on-demand program for issuance of temporary transport license plates to dealers and vehicle owners","url":"\/46.2-1550.3\/","token":"46.2\/IV\/15\/5\/46.2-1550.3","metadata":false},{"id":59153,"structure_id":14806,"section_number":"46.2-1551","catch_line":"Use of dealer's license plates or temporary transport plates on certain vehicles traveling from one establishment to another for purpose of having special equipment installed","url":"\/46.2-1551\/","token":"46.2\/IV\/15\/5\/46.2-1551","metadata":false},{"id":65898,"structure_id":14806,"section_number":"46.2-1552","catch_line":"Use of dealer's license plates on newly purchased vehicles","url":"\/46.2-1552\/","token":"46.2\/IV\/15\/5\/46.2-1552","metadata":false},{"id":68641,"structure_id":14806,"section_number":"46.2-1552.1","catch_line":"Use of dealer's license plates or temporary transport plates for demonstrating trucks or tractor trucks","url":"\/46.2-1552.1\/","token":"46.2\/IV\/15\/5\/46.2-1552.1","metadata":false},{"id":56634,"structure_id":14806,"section_number":"46.2-1553","catch_line":"Operation without license plate prohibited","url":"\/46.2-1553\/","token":"46.2\/IV\/15\/5\/46.2-1553","metadata":false},{"id":74422,"structure_id":14806,"section_number":"46.2-1554","catch_line":"Movement by manufacturer to place of shipment or delivery","url":"\/46.2-1554\/","token":"46.2\/IV\/15\/5\/46.2-1554","metadata":false},{"id":87244,"structure_id":14806,"section_number":"46.2-1555","catch_line":"Movement by dealers to salesrooms","url":"\/46.2-1555\/","token":"46.2\/IV\/15\/5\/46.2-1555","metadata":false},{"id":72569,"structure_id":14806,"section_number":"46.2-1556","catch_line":"Operation under foreign dealer's license","url":"\/46.2-1556\/","token":"46.2\/IV\/15\/5\/46.2-1556","metadata":false},{"id":70871,"structure_id":14806,"section_number":"46.2-1557","catch_line":"Use of certain foreign-registered motor vehicles in driver education programs","url":"\/46.2-1557\/","token":"46.2\/IV\/15\/5\/46.2-1557","metadata":false},{"id":80274,"structure_id":14806,"section_number":"46.2-1557.1","catch_line":"Removal of plates by Department of Motor Vehicles investigators; cancellation; reissuance","url":"\/46.2-1557.1\/","token":"46.2\/IV\/15\/5\/46.2-1557.1","metadata":false},{"id":65801,"structure_id":14806,"section_number":"46.2-1557.2","catch_line":"Penalties for violations of article; service of summons","url":"\/46.2-1557.2\/","token":"46.2\/IV\/15\/5\/46.2-1557.2","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":59153,"structure_id":14806,"section_number":"46.2-1551","catch_line":"Use of dealer's license plates or temporary transport plates on certain vehicles traveling from one establishment to another for purpose of having special equipment installed","url":"\/46.2-1551\/","token":"46.2\/IV\/15\/5\/46.2-1551","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":68641,"structure_id":14806,"section_number":"46.2-1552.1","catch_line":"Use of dealer's license plates or temporary transport plates for demonstrating trucks or tractor trucks","url":"\/46.2-1552.1\/","token":"46.2\/IV\/15\/5\/46.2-1552.1","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/46.2-1552\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1988. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 865 of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. Unfortunately, the 1988 \u201cActs\u201d aren\u2019t available online. It has been modified 2 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 1989, chapter 727; in 1991, chapter 712.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":[{"id":72295,"section_number":"46.2-1550","catch_line":"Use of dealer's and manufacturer's license plates, generally","order_by":null,"url":"\/46.2-1550\/"}],"permalink":{"id":231433,"object_type":"law","relational_id":65898,"identifier":"46.2-1552","token":"46.2\/IV\/15\/5\/46.2-1552","url":"\/46.2-1552\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/46.2-1552\/","token":"46.2\/IV\/15\/5\/46.2-1552","dublin_core":{"Title":"Use of dealer’s license plates on newly purchased vehicles","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 46.2-1552","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

Notwithstanding the provisions of \u00a7 46.2-1550<\/a>, any dealer<\/span> who sells and delivers to a purchaser a motor vehicle<\/span> at a time when the main offices of the Department<\/span>, its branch offices, or offices of its local agents<\/span>, are not open for business and the purchaser is therefore unable to register the vehicle, may permit the purchaser to use, for a period not exceeding five days, on the newly purchased vehicle, license plates<\/span> which have been issued to the dealer<\/span>, provided that, at the time of the purchase, the dealer<\/span> executes in duplicate, on forms provided by the Commissioner<\/span>, a certificate bearing the date of issuance, the name and address of the purchaser, the identification number of the vehicle, the registration number to be used<\/span> temporarily on the vehicle, the name of the state in which the vehicle is to be registered, and whatever other information may be required by the Commissioner<\/span>. The original of the certificate and a bona fide bill of sale shall be delivered to the purchaser and shall be in the possession<\/span> of the purchaser at all times when operating the vehicle under dealer<\/span> plates. One copy of the certificate shall be retained by the dealer<\/span>, filed by him, and shall be subject to inspection at any time by the Department<\/span>’s agents<\/span>. If the vehicle is to be titled and registered in the Commonwealth, application for title and registration shall be made by the purchaser on the first business day following issuance of the certificate and a copy of the certificate shall accompany the applications.\n\t\tLicense plates<\/span> temporarily used<\/span> by the purchaser shall be returned to the dealer<\/span> by the purchaser not later than five days after the issuance of the certificate.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nUSE OF DEALER’S LICENSE PLATES ON NEWLY PURCHASED VEHICLES (\u00a7 46.2-1552)\n\nNotwithstanding the provisions of \u00a7 46.2-1550, any dealer who sells and\ndelivers to a purchaser a motor vehicle at a time when the main offices of the\nDepartment, its branch offices, or offices of its local agents, are not open for\nbusiness and the purchaser is therefore unable to register the vehicle, may\npermit the purchaser to use, for a period not exceeding five days, on the newly\npurchased vehicle, license plates which have been issued to the dealer, provided\nthat, at the time of the purchase, the dealer executes in duplicate, on forms\nprovided by the Commissioner, a certificate bearing the date of issuance, the\nname and address of the purchaser, the identification number of the vehicle, the\nregistration number to be used temporarily on the vehicle, the name of the state\nin which the vehicle is to be registered, and whatever other information may be\nrequired by the Commissioner. The original of the certificate and a bona fide\nbill of sale shall be delivered to the purchaser and shall be in the possession\nof the purchaser at all times when operating the vehicle under dealer plates.\nOne copy of the certificate shall be retained by the dealer, filed by him, and\nshall be subject to inspection at any time by the Department’s agents. If\nthe vehicle is to be titled and registered in the Commonwealth, application for\ntitle and registration shall be made by the purchaser on the first business day\nfollowing issuance of the certificate and a copy of the certificate shall\naccompany the applications.\n\t\tLicense plates temporarily used by the purchaser shall be returned to the\ndealer by the purchaser not later than five days after the issuance of the\ncertificate.\n\nHISTORY: 1988, c. 865, \u00a7 46.1-550.5:10; 1989, c. 727; 1991, c. 712.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}