Sec. 801h.

(1) Notwithstanding any other provision in this act, the owner or lessee of a fleet of 300 or more vehicles that are or will be registered under section 801 may apply to the secretary of state for special registration plates for any number of 300 or more vehicles in a fleet. An application shall be on a form prescribed by the secretary of state and include an agreement that, at a minimum, the applicant agrees to pay annual fleet registration taxes under this section in a manner determined by the secretary of state.

(2) Upon approval of the application and payment of the required registration taxes, the secretary of state may issue the applicant a registration plate under section 224 and a registration certificate under section 222 for each vehicle. The registration plate and certificate shall each be in a format as prescribed by the secretary of state.

(3) The name, emblem, trademark, or logo of the company issued fleet registration plates under this section shall be prominently displayed on the right and left sides of all vehicles registered under this section by that applicant. The name, emblem, trademark, or logo shall contain letters, figures, or numerals in sharp contrast to the background of the name, emblem, trademark, or logo and shall be of a size, shape, and color that is readily legible during daylight hours from a distance of 50 feet. This subsection does not apply to passenger vehicle rental fleets.

(4) The registration tax for each vehicle registered under this section shall be paid annually. Registration taxes under this section are payable in full not later than the due date provided in section 226. If the owner of a vehicle registered under this section fails to pay the annual registration tax for that vehicle, the secretary of state shall collect a late fee of $100.00 for the individual vehicle registration for that vehicle, in addition to the registration tax. If the owner of a vehicle registered under this section fails to comply with the terms of the fleet registration plate agreement provided in subsection (1), except as otherwise provided in this subsection, the secretary of state shall immediately suspend the registration of all vehicles registered by that owner under this section. The registration shall remain suspended and the owner shall not apply for the registration or reregistration of a vehicle under this section until payment in full of the tax, and late fee, if applicable, owed is made. After providing notice to the owner, the secretary of state shall notify law enforcement of any plate suspended under this section. The secretary of state shall not suspend the registration of all vehicles registered under a fleet vehicle registration plate agreement under subsection (1) for failure to timely pay the annual registration tax for an individual vehicle registered under the fleet vehicle registration plate agreement.

(5) At any time an owner or lessee in good standing may add a vehicle to the list of vehicles registered under this section. To add a vehicle, the owner or lessee shall make application to the secretary of state, in a form prescribed by the secretary of state, accompanied by the registration taxes required under section 801.

(6) At any time an owner or lessee may delete the registration of a vehicle from the list of vehicles registered under this section. To delete a vehicle, the owner shall notify the secretary of state of the proposed deletion in a form prescribed by the secretary of state and, except as otherwise provided in this subsection, surrender to the secretary of state the registration plate assigned to the deleted vehicle. The secretary of state shall collect a late fee of $100.00 from a vehicle owner who does not return a fleet registration plate to the secretary of state within 30 days after deleting that vehicle's registration under this subsection. A vehicle owner is not required to surrender a fleet registration plate assigned to a deleted vehicle if the fleet registration plate is properly transferred to another vehicle in that fleet and the registration for the vehicle to which the fleet registration plate is transferred is transferred within 30 days after the deleted vehicle is removed from the fleet. A vehicle owner shall surrender to the secretary of state a fleet registration plate that has been transferred from a deleted vehicle to another vehicle in the same fleet as provided in this subsection when the registration for that vehicle expires or when that vehicle is deleted from the fleet.

(7) A vehicle not titled or leased in the name of the applicant is not eligible for registration under this section. A vehicle registered under section 801g is not eligible for registration under this section.

(8) The secretary of state or the authorized representative of the secretary of state may visit and examine the vehicle registration records of an owner whose vehicles are registered under this act. This authority only applies to visits during the regular business hours of the owner and to those vehicles and records necessary for the secretary of state to determine an owner's compliance with this section.

History: Add. 1996, Act 551, Eff. Oct. 1, 1997 ;-- Am. 2018, Act 425, Eff. Apr. 1, 2019