Section R17-4-310. Personalized License Plates

A.      Definitions.

1.        “Division” means the Motor Vehicle Division of the Ari- zona Department of Transportation.

2.        “Division Director” means the Assistant Division Direc- tor for the Motor Vehicle Division of the Arizona Depart- ment of Transportation.

3.        “Personalized plate” means a license plate with a registra- tion number chosen by a person rather than assigned by the Division.

4.        “Plate number” means the combination of letters, num- bers, and spaces on a vehicle license plate.

B.       A person who wants to receive a personalized plate shall file an application with the Division on a form provided by the Division.

1.        An applicant shall provide the following information on the form:

a.         Name of the vehicle’s owner or lessee;

b.        Vehicle owner’s or lessee’s mailing address;

c.         Vehicle’s make and year;

d.        Vehicle identification number;

e.         Vehicle’s current plate number;

f.         Date the vehicle’s current registration expires;

g.        Plate number to appear on the personalized plate;

h.        Meaning or message of the personalized plate; and

i.         Other information required by the Division.

2.        If an applicant is purchasing the personalized plate as a gift for the vehicle’s owner or lessee, the applicant shall also provide the applicant’s name and mailing address.

C.      The Division shall reject the application if the requested plate number:

1.        Refers to or connotes breasts, genitalia, pubic area, but- tocks, or relates to sexual or eliminatory functions;

2.        Refers to or connotes the substance, paraphernalia, sale, use, purveyor of, or physiological state produced by any illicit drug, narcotic, or intoxicant;

3.        Expresses contempt for or ridicule or superiority of a class of persons;

4.        Duplicates another registration number;

5.        Has connotations that are profane or obscene; or

6.        Uses linguistics, numbers, phonetics, translations from foreign languages or upside-down or reverse reading to achieve a reference or connotation prohibited in subsec- tion (C)(1) through (C)(3) or (C)(5).

D.      Rejection of application.

1.        If the Division does not issue personalized plates to an applicant, the Division shall inform the applicant by mail.

2.        An applicant may make a written appeal by letter for a review of the rejection, within 10 days after the date of the Division’s notice, to the following address:

Motor Vehicle Division

Special Plates Unit, Mail Drop 801Z PO Box 2100

Phoenix, Arizona 85001-2100.

E.       Revocation of personalized plates; appeal.

1.        If the Division determines that a personalized plate should not have been issued because it contains a plate number prohibited under subsection (C), the Division shall require the plate holder to surrender the plates to the division within 30 days after the date of the Division’s mailed notice, unless the plate holder requests an appeal under subsection (D)(2).

2.        A person who has been directed to surrender a personal- ized plate may submit a written appeal by letter as pre- scribed under subsection (D)(2).

3.        Refund of personalized plate fees on revocation.

a.         The Division shall refund the amount of the person- alized plate fee and the pro rated amount of the spe- cial annual renewal fee to the person holding the revoked personalized plate along with any credit or refund calculated by the Division.

b.        A person whose plate is revoked may request that instead of a refund, the Division issue the person a different personalized plate. The person shall apply for the personalized plate as prescribed under sub- section (B).

4.        The Division shall cancel the vehicle plate of a vehicle if the person who holds a revoked personalized plate does not surrender the plate within 30 days after the date of the Division’s notice or, if the person timely requests an appeal, within 30 days after the Division issues a final decision.

Historical Note

Former Rule, General Order 25. Former Section R17-4- 09 renumbered without change as Section R17-4-310 (Supp. 87-2). Transferred to R17-1-310 (Supp. 92-4). New Section recodified from R17-4-708 at 7 A.A.R. 3479, effective July 20, 2001 (Supp. 01-3). Amended by final rulemaking at 8 A.A.R. 4227, effective November 15, 2002 (Supp. 02-3).