Section 40-2-31. Five-year and annual license plates; design; costs of manufacture and delivery retained from registration fees; revalidation and county decals; "In God We Trust" decals

   (a) If the applicant meets the requirements set forth in this chapter, the commissioner shall issue to the applicant a license plate bearing a distinctive number.

(b) Such license plates shall be at least six inches wide and not less than 12 inches in length, except motorcycle license plates which shall be at least four inches wide and not less than seven inches in length, and shall show in boldface characters the month and year of expiration, the serial number, and either the full name or the abbreviation of the name of the state, shall designate the county from which the license plate was issued unless specifically stated otherwise in this chapter, and shall show such other distinctive markings as in the judgment of the commissioner may be deemed advisable, so as to indicate the class of weight of the vehicle for which the license plate was issued; and any license plate for a low-speed vehicle shall designate the vehicle as such. Such plates may also bear such figures, characters, letters, or combinations thereof as in the judgment of the commissioner will to the best advantage advertise, popularize, and otherwise promote Georgia as the "Peach State." The license plate shall be of such strength and quality that the plate shall provide a minimum service period of at least five years. The commissioner shall adopt rules and regulations, pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 13 of Title 50, the "Georgia Administrative Procedure Act," for the design and issuance of new license plates and to implement the other provisions of this Code section.

(b.1) Notwithstanding the provisions of Code Sections 40-2-131 and 48-2-17, the commissioner shall retain the costs of manufacturing and delivery of license plates, revalidation decals, and county name decals from the registration fee as set forth in Code Section 40-2-151.

(c) The face of the license plate to be displayed shall be treated completely with a retroreflective material which will increase the nighttime visibility and legibility of the plate. The department shall prepare the specifications which such retroreflective material shall meet.

(d) In those years in which a new license plate is not issued, a revalidation decal with a distinctive serial number shall be issued and affixed in the space provided on the license plate issued to the applicant which shall indicate the year and month through which the registration of the vehicle shall be valid; provided, however, that if the commissioner determines that it is necessary, two revalidation decals shall be issued for each license plate to reflect the required information. When an applicant is issued a revalidation decal and such applicant registered the vehicle in another county the previous year, the applicant shall also be issued a new county decal which shall be properly affixed to the license plate and shall replace the other county decal.

(e) The commissioner shall furnish without cost to each tag agent reflective adhesive decals in sufficient number, upon which there shall be printed the name of the agent's county. Such a decal shall be issued with each metal license plate and shall be affixed in the space provided on the license plate without obscuring any number or other information required to be present on the plate. A tag agent shall offer, upon such issuance of a new permanent license plate, the option of obtaining a county decal or a decal providing for the nation's motto, "In God We Trust."

(f) A county tag agent shall issue a county name decal, upon request, for the agent's county only if:

   (1) The applicant is a resident of or a business located in the county named on the decal;

   (2) The applicant is registering a new vehicle in such county, is renewing a current vehicle registration, or is transferring registration of a vehicle to the county named on the decal; and

   (3) The application for registration of the vehicle is being made in the county named on the decal.

(g) The commissioner shall furnish without cost to each tag agent reflective adhesive decals in sufficient number, upon which there shall be printed the nation's motto, "In God We Trust." A tag agent shall offer, upon such issuance of a new permanent license plate, the option of obtaining a county decal or a decal providing for the nation's motto, "In God We Trust." Such a decal shall be issued, upon request and free of charge, by a county tag agent with each new permanent license plate.

Ga. L. 1927, p. 226, § 8; Ga. L. 1931, p. 7, § 84; Code 1933, § 68-214; Ga. L. 1939, p. 182, § 2; Ga. L. 1943, p. 341, § 3; Ga. L. 1953, Nov.-Dec. Sess., p. 343, Part 1, § 1; Ga. L. 1955, p. 659, § 7C; Ga. L. 1969, p. 266, §§ 2, 3; Ga. L. 1979, p. 615, § 1; Ga. L. 1981, p. 714, §§ 1, 2; Code 1981, § 40-2-29; Ga. L. 1982, p. 1584, §§ 2A, 5A; Ga. L. 1986, p. 1333, § 1; Ga. L. 1987, p. 949, § 2; Ga. L. 1988, p. 380, § 3; Code 1981, § 40-2-31, as redesignated by Ga. L. 1990, p. 2048, § 2; Ga. L. 1995, p. 809, § 4; Ga. L. 1996, p. 1118, § 4; Ga. L. 1997, p. 419, § 6; Ga. L. 2001, p. 4, § 40; Ga. L. 2002, p. 512, § 6; Ga. L. 2006, p. 434, § 1/HB 363; Ga. L. 2010, p. 9, § 1-67/HB 1055; Ga. L. 2012, p. 1070, § 2/SB 293.