                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

PERMIT FOR EMERGENCY USE OF LICENSE PLATES (§ 46.2-719)

A. The Commissioner may, in his discretion, grant a special permit for the use
of license plates on a vehicle other than the vehicle for which the license
plates were issued, when the vehicle for which the license plates were issued is
undergoing repairs in a licensed motor vehicle dealer&#8217;s repair shop and
when the license plates are being used on a vehicle owned by the dealer in whose
repair shop the vehicle is being repaired.

B. Application for the permit shall be made jointly by the dealer and the person
whose vehicle is being repaired, on forms provided by the Department and shall
show, in addition to whatever other information may be required by the
Commissioner, that an emergency exists which would warrant the issuance of the
permit.

C. The permit shall be evidenced by a certificate, issued by the Commissioner,
which shall show the date of issuance, the person to whom issued, the motor
number, serial number or identification number of the vehicle on which the
license plates are to be used, and shall be in the immediate possession of the
person operating the vehicle at all times while operating it. The certificate
shall be valid for a period of five days from its issuance. On its expiration,
application may be made for a renewal permit in the manner provided for the
original permit, but only one renewal permit shall be issued to cover any one
emergency.

D. The Commissioner may, subject to the limitations and conditions set forth in
this section, authorize a motor vehicle dealer licensed in the Commonwealth to
issue such permit on behalf of the Commissioner in accordance with the
provisions of subsections A, B, and C of this section provided such permits are
issued only with regard to the transfer in an emergency situation of license
plates from a vehicle undergoing repairs in that dealer&#8217;s repair shop. Any
dealer to whom the authority is delegated by the Commissioner shall use the
forms provided by the Commissioner and shall maintain in permanent form a record
of all permits issued by him and any other relevant information that may be
required by the Commissioner. Each record shall be kept by the dealer for not
less than three years from the date of entry. The dealer shall allow full access
to these records, during regular business hours, to duly authorized
representatives of the Department and to law-enforcement officers. One copy of
any permit of this kind issued by a dealer and the application form submitted
for the permit shall be filed promptly by the dealer with the Department. The
Commissioner, on determining that the provisions of this section or the
directions of the Department are not being complied with by a dealer, may
suspend the right of such dealer to issue license plate transfer permits.

HISTORY: Code 1950, § 46-104.1; 1952, c. 537; 1958, c. 541, § 46.1-110; 1978,
c. 289; 1989, c. 727.