Req. No. 5884 Page 1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 STATE OF OKLAHOMA 1st Session of the 58th Legislature (2021) HOUSE BILL 1065 By: Hardin (Tommy) AS INTRODUCED An Act relating to motor vehicles; amending 47 O.S. 2011, Sections 1115, as last amended by Section 1, Chapter 14, O.S.L. 2019 an d 1132, as amended by Section 2, Chapter 337, O.S.L. 2012 (47 O.S. Supp. 2020, Sections 1115 and 1132), which relate to vehicle registration fees; permitting waiver of certain penalty for certain instances when a car is stolen; clarifying maximum penalty f or delinquent registration; providing criteria to qualify for waiver; and providing an effective date. BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA: SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 47 O.S. 2011, Section 1115, as last amended by Section 1, Chapter 14, O.S.L. 2019 (47 O.S. Supp. 2020, Section 1115), is amended to read as follows: Section 1115. A. Unless provided otherwise by statute, the following vehicles shall be registered annually: manufactured homes, vehicles registe red with a permanent nonexpiring license plate pursuant to Section 1113 of this title, and commercial vehicles registered pursuant to the installment plan provided in subsection H of Section 1133 of this title. The following schedule Req. No. 5884 Page 2 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 shall apply for such vehicle purchased in this state or brought into this state by residents of this state: 1. Between January 1 and March 31, the payment of the full annual fee shall be required; 2. Between April 1 and June 30, the payment of three -fourths (3/4) the annual fee shall be required; 3. Between July 1 and September 30, the payment of one -half (1/2) the annual fee shall be required; and 4. Between October 1 and November 30, one -fourth (1/4) the annual fee shall be required. License plates or decals for each year shall be made available on December 1 of each preceding year for such vehicles. Any person who purchases such vehicle or manufactured home between December 1 and December 31 of any year shall register it within thirty (30) days from date of purchase and obtain a license plate or Manufactured Home License Registration Decal, as appropriate, for the following calendar year upon payment of the full annual fee. Unless provided otherwise by statute, all annual license, registration and other fees for such veh icles shall be due and payable on January 1 of each year and if not paid by February 1 shall be deemed delinquent. B. 1. All vehicles, other than those required to be registered pursuant to the provisions of subsection A of this section, shall be registered on a staggered system of registration and licensing on a Req. No. 5884 Page 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 monthly series basis to distribute the work of registering such vehicles as uniformly and expeditiously as practicable throughout the calendar year unless otherwise provided in this section. Aft er the end of the month following the expiration date, the license and registration fees for the new registration period shall become delinquent. 2. All fleet vehicles registered pursuant to new applications approved pursuant to the provisions of Section 1120 of this title shall be registered on a staggered system monthly basis. 3. Applicants seeking to establish Oklahoma as the base jurisdiction for registering apportioned fleet vehicles shall have a one-time option of registering for a period of not les s than six (6) months nor greater than eighteen (18) months. Subsequent renewals for these registrants will be for twelve (12) months, expiring on the last day of the month chosen by the registrant under the one - time option as provided herein. In additio n, registrants with multiple fleets may designate a different registration month of expiration for each fleet. As used in this section, "fleet" shall have the same meaning as set forth in the International Registration Plan. 4. Effective January 1, 2004, all motorcycles and mopeds shall be registered on a staggered system of registration. The Oklahoma Tax Commission shall notify in writing, prior to December 1, 2003, all owners of motorcycles or mopeds registered as of such date, who Req. No. 5884 Page 4 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 shall have a one-time option of registering for a period of not less than three (3) months nor greater than fifteen (15) months. Subsequent renewals for these registrants will be for twelve (12) months, expiring on the last day of the month chosen by the registrant under the one-time option as provided herein. All motorcycles and mopeds registered pursuant to new applications received on or after December 1, 2003, shall also be registered pursuant to the provisions of this paragraph. 5. Any three or more commercial vehicles owned by the same person and previously registered in this state may be registered at the same time regardless of the month or months in which they were previously registered. The month in which the commercial vehicles are newly registered shall be the mo nth in which their registration is renewed annually. If a commercial vehicle is registered pursuant to this paragraph in the same calendar year in which it was previously registered, license and registration fees shall be prorated to account for the diffe rence between the previous renewal month and the new renewal month and those fees shall be due at the time of registration pursuant to this paragraph. C. The following penalties shall apply for delinquent registration fees: 1. For fleet vehicles required to be registered pursuant to the provisions of Section 1120 of this title for which a properly completed application for registration has not been received by the Req. No. 5884 Page 5 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Corporation Commission by the last day of the month following the registration expiration da te, a penalty of thirty percent (30%) of the Oklahoma portion of the annual registration fee, or Two Hundred Dollars ($200.00), whichever is greater, shall be assessed. The license and registration cards issued by the Corporation Commission for each fleet vehicle shall be valid until two (2) months after the registration expiration date; 2. For commercial vehicles registered under the provisions of subsection B of this section, except those vehicles registered pursuant to Section 1133.1 of this title, a p enalty shall be assessed after the last day of the month following the registration expiration date. A penalty of twenty -five cents ($0.25) per day shall be added to the license fee of such vehicle and shall accrue for one (1) month. Thereafter, the pena lty shall be thirty percent (30%) of the annual registration fee, or Two Hundred Dollars ($200.00), whichever is greater; 3. For new or used manufactured homes, not registered within thirty (30) days from date of purchase or date such manufactured home was brought into this state, a penalty equal to the registration fee shall be assessed; or 4. For all vehicles a penalty shall be assessed after the last day of the month following the expiration date and no penalty shall be waived by the Oklahoma Tax Commi ssion or any motor license agent except as provided for in subsection H of Section 1133 , and Req. No. 5884 Page 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 subsection C of Section 1127 of this title , or when the vehicle was stolen as certified by a police report or other documentation as required by the Oklahoma Tax C ommission. A penalty of One Dollar ($1.00) per day shall be added to the license fee of such vehicle, provided that the total cumulative penalty related to delinquent registration shall not exceed One Hundred Dollars ($100.00). Of each dollar penalty col lected pursuant to this subsection: a. twenty-one cents ($0.21) shall be apportioned as provided in Section 1104 of this title, b. twenty-one cents ($0.21) shall be retained by the motor license agent, and c. fifty-eight cents ($0.58) shall be deposited in the General Revenue Fund. D. In addition to all other penalties provided in the Oklahoma Vehicle License and Registration Act, the following penalties shall be imposed and collected by any Enforcement Officer of the Corporation Commission upon finding an y commercial vehicle being operated in violation of the provisions of the Oklahoma Vehicle License and Registration Act. The penalties shall apply to any commercial vehicle found to be operating in violation of the following provisions: 1. A penalty of not less than Fifty Dollars ($50.00) shall be imposed upon any person found to be operating a commercial vehicle sixty (60) days after the end of the month in which the license Req. No. 5884 Page 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 plate or registration credentials expire without the current year license plate or registration credential displayed. Such penalty shall not exceed the amount established by the Corporation Commission pursuant to the provisions of subsection A of Section 1167 of this title. Revenue from such penalties shall be apportioned as provided in Section 1167 of this title; 2. A penalty of not less than Fifty Dollars ($50.00) shall be imposed for any person operating a commercial vehicle subject to the provisions of Section 1120 or Section 1133 of this title without the proper display of, or, carrying in such commercial vehicle, the identification credentials issued by the Corporation Commission as evidence of payment of the fee or tax as provided in Section 1120 or Section 1133 of this title. Such penalty shall not exceed the amount established by the Corporation Commission pursuant to the provisions of subsection A of Section 1167 of this title. Revenue from such penalties shall be apportioned as provided in Section 1167 of this title; and 3. A penalty of not less than One Hundred Dollars ( $100.00) shall be imposed for any person that fails to register any commercial vehicle subject to the Oklahoma Vehicle License and Registration Act. Such penalty shall not exceed the amount established by the Corporation Commission pursuant to the provisi ons of subsection A of Section 1167 of this title. Revenue from such Req. No. 5884 Page 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 penalties shall be apportioned as provided in Section 1167 of this title. E. The Tax Commission, or Corporation Commission with respect to vehicles registered under Section 1120 or Sect ion 1133 of this title, shall assess the registration fees and penalties for the year or years a vehicle was not registered. For vehicles not registered for two (2) or more years, the registration fees and penalties shall be due only for the current year and one (1) previous year. F. In addition to any other penalty prescribed by law, there shall be a penalty of not less than Twenty Dollars ($20.00) upon a finding by an enforcement officer that: 1. The registration of a vehicle registered pursuant to Sec tion 1132 of this title is expired and it is sixty (60) or more days after the end of the month of expiration; or 2. The registration fees for a vehicle that is subject to the registration fees pursuant to Section 1132 of this title have not been paid. Such penalty shall not exceed the amount established by the Corporation Commission pursuant to the provisions of subsection A of Section 1167 of this title. Revenue from such penalties shall be apportioned as provided in Section 1167 of this title. G. If a vehicle is donated to a nonprofit charitable organization, the nonprofit charitable organization shall be exempt from paying any current or past due registration fees, excise tax, Req. No. 5884 Page 9 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 transfer fees, and penalties and interest. However, after the donation, if the person donating the vehicle, or someone on behalf of such person, purchases the same vehicle back from the nonprofit charitable organization to which the vehicle was donated, such person shall be liable for all current and past -due registration fees, excise tax, title or transfer fees, and penalties and interest on such vehicle. SECTION 2. AMENDATORY 47 O.S. 2011, Section 1132, as amended by Section 2, Chapter 337, O.S.L. 2012 (47 O.S. Supp. 2020, Section 1132), is amended to read as follows: Section 1132. A. For all vehicles, unless otherwise specifically provided by the Oklahoma Vehicle License and Registration Act, a registration fee shall be assessed at the time of initial registration by the owner and annually thereafter , for the use of the avenues of public access within this state in the following amounts: 1. For the first through the fourth year of registration in this state or any other state, Eighty -five Dollars ($85.00); 2. For the fifth through the eighth year of registration in this state or any other state, Seventy -five Dollars ($75.00); 3. For the ninth through the twelfth year of registration in this state or any other state, Fifty -five Dollars ($55.00); Req. No. 5884 Page 10 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 4. For the thirteenth through the sixteenth year of registration in this state or any other state, Thirty -five Dollars ($35.00); and 5. For the seventeenth and any following year of registration in this state or any other state, Fifteen Dollars ($15.00). The registration fee provided for in this subsection s hall be in lieu of all other taxes, general or local, unless otherwise specifically provided. B. For all-terrain vehicles and motorcycles used exclusively for use off roads or highways purchased on or after July 1, 2005, and for all-terrain vehicles and m otorcycles used exclusively for use off roads or highways purchased prior to July 1, 2005, which the owner chooses to register pursuant to the provisions of Section 1115.3 of this title, an initial and nonrecurring registration fee of Eleven Dollars ($11.0 0) shall be assessed at the time of initial registration by the owner. Nine Dollars ($9.00) of the registration fee shall be deposited in the Oklahoma Tax Commission Reimbursement Fund. Two Dollars ($2.00) of the registration fee shall be retained by the motor license agent. The fees required by subsection A of this section shall not be required for all -terrain vehicles or motorcycles used exclusively off roads and highways. C. For utility vehicles used exclusively for use off roads or highways purchased on or after July 1, 2008, and for utility vehicles used exclusively for use off roads or highways purchased Req. No. 5884 Page 11 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 prior to July 1, 2008, which the owner chooses to register pursuant to the provisions of Section 1115.3 of this title, an initial and nonrecurring registration fee of Eleven Dollars ($11.00) shall be assessed at the time of initial registration by the owner. Nine Dollars ($9.00) of the registration fee shall be deposited in the Oklahoma Tax Commission Reimbursement Fund. Two Dollars ($2.00) of the registration fee shall be retained by the motor license agent. The fees required by subsection A of this section shall not be required for utility vehicles used exclusively off roads and highways. D. There shall be a credit allowed with respect to the f ee for registration of a new vehicle which is a replacement for: 1. A new original vehicle which is stolen from the purchaser/registrant within ninety (90) days of the date of purchase of the original vehicle as certified by a police report or other documentation as required by the Oklahoma Tax Commission; or 2. A defective new original vehicle returned by the purchaser/registrant to the seller within six (6) months of the date of purchase of the defective new original vehicle as certified by the manufacturer. The credit shall be in the amount of the fee for registration which was paid for the new original vehicle and shall be applied to the registration fee for the replacement vehicle. In no event will the credit be refunded. Req. No. 5884 Page 12 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 E. Upon every transfer or c hange of ownership of a vehicle, the new owner shall obtain title for and, except in the case of salvage vehicles and manufactured homes, register the vehicle within thirty (30) days of change of ownership and pay a transfer fee of Fifteen Dollars ($15.00) in addition to any other fees provided for in this act. No new decal shall be issued to the registrant. Thereafter, the owner shall register the vehicle annually on the anniversary date of its initial registration in this state and shall pay the fees provided in subsection A of this section and receive a decal evidencing such payment. Provided, used motor vehicle dealers shall be exempt from the provisions of this section. F. In the event a new or used vehicle is not registered, titled and tagged within thirty (30) days from the date of transfer of ownership, the penalty for the failure of the owner of the vehicle to register the vehicle within thirty (30) days shall be One Dollar ($1.00) per day, provided that in no event shall the total cumulative penalty related to delinquent registration exceed One Hundred Dollars ($100.00). No penalty shall be waived by the Oklahoma Tax Commission or any motor license agent except as provided in subsection C of Section 1127 of this title , or when the vehicle was stolen within thirty (30) days from the date of transfer as certified by a police report or other documentation as required by the Oklahoma Tax Commission . Of each dollar penalty collected pursuant to this subsection: Req. No. 5884 Page 13 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 1. Twenty-one cents ($0.21) shall be a pportioned as provided in Section 1104 of this title; 2. Twenty-one cents ($0.21) shall be retained by the motor license agent; and 3. Fifty-eight cents ($0.58) shall be deposited in the General Revenue Fund. SECTION 3. This act shall be come effective November 1, 2021. 58-1-5884 JBH 12/21/20