N.J. Admin. Code § 13:21-15.11

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 24, December 18, 2024

Section 13:21-15.11 - Dealer and leasing dealer plates

(a) Licensees selling or leasing fewer than four vehicles permanently registered in New Jersey through a retail sale or lease in their first 12 months of operation or any 12-month period thereafter are not authorized to obtain or retain dealer or leasing dealer plates.

1. Upon request from the Commission, a licensee shall provide documentation of its previous year's retail sales and/or leases, as applicable, and New Jersey registration records. Licensees not meeting the required minimum of four retail sales or leases per year may be required to forfeit their dealer or leasing dealer plates.

2. For the purpose of this subsection only, the sale of mobile or manufactured homes as defined in N.J.S.A. 52:27D-121, motorized bikes, ATVs, dirt bikes, snowmobiles, motor-drawn vehicles as defined in N.J.S.A. 39:1-1, trailers, specialty vehicles, low-speed vehicles, or any other non-traditional vehicle that is not required to have a motor vehicle dealer license issued by the Commission or not permitted to be used on public roads or highways shall not be counted toward the sale and/or lease and registration minimum required to be eligible for general registration plates.

(b) New motor vehicle dealers shall receive no more than 20 dealer plates upon initial issuance of a new motor vehicle dealer license. Dealers who can show to the satisfaction of the Commission that 20 dealer plates will not be sufficient for their inventory may submit a request for additional plates. A dealer's request for additional plates must be submitted in writing and accompanied by documentation of the dealer's business model/plans, cars in inventory, sales numbers from other states of licensure (if applicable), and any other documents that may assist the Commission in determining sufficient need for the dealer's request.

(c) Used motor vehicle dealers shall receive no more than one set of dealer plates upon initial issuance of a used motor vehicle dealer license. Dealers who can show to the satisfaction of the Commission that one set of dealer plates will not be sufficient for their inventory may submit a request for additional plates not to exceed 20 plates on initial issuance, except as provided in (e) below. A dealer's request for additional plates must be submitted in writing and accompanied by documentation of the dealer's business model/plans, cars in inventory, sales numbers from other states of licensure (if applicable), and any other documents that may assist the Commission in determining sufficient need for the dealer's request.

(d) Leasing dealers shall receive no more than one set of leasing dealer plates upon initial issuance of a leasing dealer license. Leasing dealers who can show to the satisfaction of the Commission that one set of leasing dealer plates will not be sufficient for their inventory may submit a request for additional plates not to exceed 20 plates on initial issuance, except as provided in (e) below. A leasing dealer's request for additional plates must be submitted in writing and accompanied by documentation of the leasing dealer's business model/plans, cars in inventory, sales numbers from other states of licensure (if applicable), and any other documents that may assist the Commission in determining sufficient need for the leasing dealer's request.

(e) Used motor vehicle dealers or leasing dealers who can show, to the satisfaction of the Commission, that their current supply of dealer or leasing dealer plates is insufficient may submit a request for additional plates, except that no dealer or leasing dealer may obtain more plates than allowed by this subsection as indicated below:

1. Used motor vehicle dealers or leasing dealers selling and/or leasing four to 30 vehicles registered in New Jersey per license year are eligible for no more than one set of plates;

2. Used motor vehicle dealers or leasing dealers selling and/or leasing 31 to 60 vehicles registered in New Jersey per license year are eligible for no more than two sets of plates; and

3. Used motor vehicle dealers or leasing dealers selling and/or leasing more than 60 vehicles registered in New Jersey per license year are eligible for one additional set of plates for every additional 30 vehicles sold/leased and permanently registered in New Jersey per license year.

(f) A request for additional plates must be submitted in writing and accompanied by documentation of the licensee's retail sales and/or lease numbers.

(g) All dealer and leasing dealer plates shall be accounted for in an electronic or written record, for which the following information is listed for each dealer or leasing dealer plate:

1. The plate number;

2. VINs of all vehicles to which the plate was assigned, along with dates of assignment; and

3. The location at which the vehicle to which the plate is assigned is garaged (if not at the dealer's or leasing dealer's established place of business).

(h) The electronic or written record required pursuant to (a) above shall be maintained for at least three years and updated as dealer plates are assigned.

(i) A licensee who fails upon the demand of the Commission to produce the electronic or written record required pursuant to (g) above shall, upon notice and opportunity to be heard, be subject to suspension or revocation of the dealer's or leasing dealer's license or the privilege of retaining dealer or leasing dealer plates heretofore issued or purchasing additional plates.

(j) No dealer plates may be affixed to a vehicle that would otherwise require registration as a commercial vehicle unless the vehicle is held solely for sale and is driven solely for demonstration purposes to prospective purchasers.

(k) No dealer plates may be affixed to a vehicle used for purposes of the dealership other than inventory.

(l) No dealer or leasing dealer plates shall be affixed to a vehicle other than one titled in the name of the licensee or for which title documents are accompanied by a bill of sale or documents are held by the licensee to whom the plates were issued.

1. Title documents shall include a manufacturer's certificate of origin or a title of which the licensee is the endorsee.

(m) Lost or stolen dealer plates shall be promptly reported to the local police and the Commission; failure to do so shall be conclusive evidence of improper disposition thereof.

(n) A dealer or leasing dealer plate that is damaged to the extent that the plate is no longer readable from a reasonable distance or unable to be affixed to a vehicle in the proper manner may be remade for any licensee upon request to the Commission, and in the sole discretion of the Chief Administrator. A dealer or leasing dealer plate that was lost, stolen, or completely destroyed shall not be remade.

1. The remake shall contain the same alpha-numeric combination as the damaged plate. Requests for remade plates must be made in writing on a form prescribed by the Commission and accompanied with a replacement plate fee pursuant to N.J.A.C. 13:20-34.5. Remade plates shall not be released to the requesting dealer or leasing dealer until the Commission has received the original damaged plate.

2. Failure to return the damaged plate after requesting a remake may result in forfeiture of any applicable deposit and denial of the request for issuance of the same alpha-numeric combination as the damaged plate.

(o) A licensee not meeting the requirements to obtain or maintain dealer or leasing dealer plates will be notified in writing by the Commission.

1. Upon the Chief Administrator's determination that one or more dealer or leasing dealer plates are to be forfeited, the licensee shall return to the Commission all dealer or leasing dealer plates and any related documentation within 45 days of notification by the Commission. Failure to return the requested plates to the Commission within 45 days of notification may result in the suspension of the registration associated with such plates, forfeiture of any associated deposit(s), and/or suspension of the dealer or leasing dealer license.

N.J. Admin. Code § 13:21-15.11

Amended by 49 N.J.R. 1443(b), effective 6/5/2017

Amended by 56 N.J.R. 1032(a), effective 6/3/2024