60-3,128. Nebraska Cornhusker Spirit Plates; application; fee; delivery; transfer; credit allowed.

(1) A person may apply to the department for Nebraska Cornhusker Spirit Plates in lieu of regular license plates on an application prescribed and provided by the department for any motor vehicle, trailer, or semitrailer, except for motor vehicles or trailers registered under section 60-3,198. An applicant receiving a spirit plate for a farm truck with a gross weight of over sixteen tons or for a commercial motor vehicle registered for a gross weight of five tons or over shall affix the appropriate tonnage decal to the spirit plate. The department shall make forms available for such applications through the county treasurers. Each application for initial issuance or renewal of spirit plates shall be accompanied by a fee of seventy dollars. Fees collected pursuant to this subsection shall be remitted to the State Treasurer. Until January 1, 2021, the State Treasurer shall credit forty-three percent of the fees for initial issuance and renewal of spirit plates to the Department of Motor Vehicles Cash Fund and fifty-seven percent of the fees to the Spirit Plate Proceeds Fund until the fund has been credited five million dollars from such fees and thereafter to the Highway Trust Fund. Beginning January 1, 2021, the State Treasurer shall credit sixty percent of the fees for initial issuance and renewal of spirit plates to the Department of Motor Vehicles Cash Fund and forty percent of the fees to the Highway Trust Fund.

(2)(a) When the department receives an application for spirit plates, the department may deliver the plates and registration certificate to the applicant by United States mail or to the county treasurer of the county in which the motor vehicle or trailer is registered and the delivery of the plates and registration certificate shall be made through a secure process and system. The county treasurer or the department shall issue spirit plates in lieu of regular license plates when the applicant complies with the other provisions of law for registration of the motor vehicle or trailer. If spirit plates are lost, stolen, or mutilated, the licensee shall be issued replacement license plates pursuant to section 60-3,157.

(b) This subdivision applies beginning on an implementation date designated by the director. The director shall designate an implementation date that is on or before January 1, 2021. The county treasurer or the department may issue temporary license stickers to the applicant under this section for the applicant to lawfully operate the vehicle pending receipt of the license plates. No charge in addition to the registration fee shall be made for the issuance of a temporary license sticker under this subdivision. The department shall furnish temporary license stickers for issuance by the county treasurer at no cost to the counties. The department may adopt and promulgate rules and regulations regarding the design and issuance of temporary license stickers.

(3)(a) The owner of a motor vehicle or trailer bearing spirit plates may make application to the county treasurer to have such spirit plates transferred to a motor vehicle or trailer other than the motor vehicle or trailer for which such plates were originally purchased if such motor vehicle or trailer is owned by the owner of the spirit plates.

(b) The owner may have the unused portion of the spirit plate fee credited to the other motor vehicle or trailer which will bear the spirit plate at the rate of eight and one-third percent per month for each full month left in the registration period.

(c) Application for such transfer shall be accompanied by a fee of three dollars. Fees collected pursuant to this subsection shall be remitted to the State Treasurer for credit to the Department of Motor Vehicles Cash Fund.

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