SECTION 46.2-711. Furnishing number and design of plates; displaying on vehicles required  

A. The Department shall furnish one license plate for every registered moped, motorcycle, autocycle, tractor truck, semitrailer, or trailer, and two license plates for every other registered motor vehicle, except to licensed motor vehicle dealers and persons delivering unladen vehicles who shall be furnished one license plate. The license plates for trailers, semitrailers, commercial vehicles, and trucks, other than license plates for dealers, may be of such design as to prevent removal without mutilating some part of the indicia forming a part of the license plate, when secured to the bracket.

B. The Department shall issue appropriately designated license plates for:

1. Passenger-carrying vehicles for rent or hire for the transportation of passengers for private trips, other than TNC partner vehicles as defined in § 46.2-2000 and emergency medical services vehicles pursuant to clause (iii) of § 46.2-2000 ;

2. Taxicabs;

3. Passenger-carrying vehicles operated by common carriers or restricted common carriers;

4. Property-carrying motor vehicles registered pursuant to § 46.2-2000 except pickup or panel trucks as defined in § 46.2-2000 ;

5. Applicants, other than TNC partners as defined in § 46.2-2000 and emergency medical services vehicles pursuant to clause (iii) of § 46.2-2000 , who operate motor vehicles as passenger carriers for rent or hire;

6. Vehicles operated by nonemergency medical transportation carriers as defined in § 46.2-2000 ; and

7. Trailers and semitrailers.

C. The Department shall issue appropriately designated license plates for motor vehicles held for rental as defined in § 46.2-2000 .

D. The Department shall issue appropriately designated license plates for low-speed vehicles.

E. The Department shall issue appropriately designated license plates for military surplus motor vehicles registered pursuant to § 46.2-2000 .

F. No vehicles shall be operated on the highways in the Commonwealth without displaying the license plates required by this chapter. The provisions of this subsection shall not apply to vehicles used to collect and deliver the United States mail to the extent that their rear license plates may be covered by the "CAUTION, FREQUENT STOPS, U.S. MAIL" sign when the vehicle is engaged in the collection and delivery of the United States mail.

G. For any summons issued for a violation of this section, the court may, in its discretion, dismiss the summons, where proof of compliance with this section is provided to the court on or before the court date.

Code 1950, §§ 46-96, 46-160; 1950, p. 625; 1954, c. 211; 1958, c. 541, § 46.1-99; 1974, cc. 150, 477; 1989, c. 727; 1993, c. 290; 1995, c. 46.2-2000 ; 1997, cc. 46.2-2000 , 46.2-2000 ; 2001, c. 46.2-2000 ; 2005, c. 46.2-2000 ; 2011, cc. 46.2-2000 , 46.2-2000 , 46.2-2000 , 46.2-2000 ; 2013, c. 46.2-2000 ; 2014, cc. 46.2-2000 , 46.2-2000 ; 2015, cc. 46.2-2000 , 46.2-2000 ; 2016, cc. 46.2-2000 , 46.2-2000 ; 2017, cc. 46.2-2000 , 46.2-2000 , 46.2-2000 ; 2018, c. 46.2-2000 .