1. A person may request that the Department design, prepare and issue a special license plate by submitting an application to the Department. A person may submit an application for a special license plate that is intended to generate financial support for an organization only if:
(a) For an organization which is not a governmental entity, the organization is established as a nonprofit charitable organization which provides services to the community relating to public health, education or general welfare;
(b) For an organization which is a governmental entity, the organization only uses the financial support generated by the special license plate for charitable purposes relating to public health, education or general welfare;
(c) The organization is registered with the Secretary of State, if registration is required by law, and has filed any documents required to remain registered with the Secretary of State;
(d) The name and purpose of the organization do not promote, advertise or endorse any specific product, brand name or service that is offered for profit;
(e) The organization is nondiscriminatory; and
(f) The license plate will not promote a specific religion, faith or antireligious belief.
2. An application submitted to the Department pursuant to subsection 1:
(a) Must be on a form prescribed and furnished by the Department;
(b) Must specify whether the special license plate being requested is intended to generate financial support for a particular cause or charitable organization and, if so:
(1) The name of the cause or charitable organization; and
(2) Whether the financial support intended to be generated for the particular cause or charitable organization will be for:
(I) General use by the particular cause or charitable organization; or
(II) Use by the particular cause or charitable organization in a more limited or specific manner;
(c) Must include the name and signature of a person who represents:
(1) The organization which is requesting that the Department design, prepare and issue the special license plate; and
(2) If different from the organization described in subparagraph (1), the cause or charitable organization for which the special license plate being requested is intended to generate financial support;
(d) Must include proof that the organization satisfies the requirements set forth in subsection 1;
(e) Must be accompanied by a surety bond posted with the Department in the amount of $5,000, except that if the special license plate being requested is one of the type described in subsection 3 of NRS 482.367008, the application must be accompanied by a surety bond posted with the Department in the amount of $20,000;
(f) Must, if the organization is a charitable organization, not including a governmental entity whose budget is included in the executive budget, include a budget prepared by or for the charitable organization which includes, without limitation, the proposed operating and administrative expenses of the charitable organization; and
(g) May be accompanied by suggestions for the design of and colors to be used in the special license plate.
3. If an application for a special license plate has been submitted pursuant to this section but the Department has not yet designed, prepared or issued the plate, the applicant shall amend the application with updated information when any of the following events take place:
(a) The name of the organization that submitted the application has changed since the initial application was submitted.
(b) The cause or charitable organization for which the special license plate being requested is intended to generate financial support has a different name than that set forth on the initial application.
(c) The cause or charitable organization for which the special license plate being requested is intended to generate financial support is different from that set forth on the initial application.
(d) A charitable organization which submitted a budget pursuant to paragraph (f) of subsection 2 prepares or has prepared a new or subsequent budget.
The updated information described in this subsection must be submitted to the Department within 90 days after the relevant change takes place, unless the applicant has received notice that the special license plate is on an agenda to be heard at a meeting of the Commission on Special License Plates, in which case the updated information must be submitted to the Department within 48 hours after the applicant receives such notice. The updating of information pursuant to this subsection does not alter, change or otherwise affect the issuance of special license plates by the Department in accordance with the chronological order of their authorization or approval, as described in subsection 2 of NRS 482.367008.
4. The Department may design and prepare a special license plate requested pursuant to subsection 1 if:
(a) The Department determines that the application for that plate complies with subsection 2; and
(b) The Commission on Special License Plates recommends to the Department that the Department approve the application for that plate pursuant to subsection 5 of NRS 482.367004.
5. Upon making a determination to issue a special license plate pursuant to this section, the Department shall notify:
(a) The person who requested the special license plate pursuant to subsection 1;
(b) The charitable organization for which the special license plate is intended to generate financial support, if any; and
(c) The Commission on Special License Plates.
6. Except as otherwise provided in NRS 482.367008, the Department may issue a special license plate that:
(a) The Department has designed and prepared pursuant to this section;
(b) The Commission on Special License Plates has recommended the Department approve for issuance pursuant to subsection 5 of NRS 482.367004; and
(c) Complies with the requirements of subsection 6 of NRS 482.270,
for any passenger car or light commercial vehicle upon application by a person who is entitled to license plates pursuant to NRS 482.265 and who otherwise complies with the requirements for registration and licensing pursuant to this chapter. A person may request that personalized prestige license plates issued pursuant to NRS 482.3667 be combined with a special license plate issued pursuant to this section if that person pays the fees for personalized prestige license plates in addition to the fees for the special license plate.
7. The Department must promptly release the surety bond posted pursuant to subsection 2:
(a) If the Department determines not to issue the special license plate;
(b) If the Department distributes the additional fees collected on behalf of a charitable organization to another charitable organization pursuant to subparagraph (3) of paragraph (b) of subsection 5 of NRS 482.38279 and the surety bond has not been released to the initial charitable organization; or
(c) If it is determined that at least 1,000 special license plates have been issued pursuant to the assessment of the viability of the design of the special license plate conducted pursuant to NRS 482.367008, except that if the special license plate is one of the type described in subsection 3 of NRS 482.367008, the Department must promptly release the surety bond posted pursuant to subsection 2 if it is determined that at least 3,000 special license plates have been issued pursuant to the assessment of the viability of the design of the special license plate conducted pursuant to NRS 482.367008.
8. If, during a registration period, the holder of license plates issued pursuant to the provisions of this section disposes of the vehicle to which the plates are affixed, the holder shall:
(a) Retain the plates and affix them to another vehicle that meets the requirements of this section if the holder pays the fee for the transfer of the registration and any registration fee or governmental services tax due pursuant to NRS 482.399; or
(b) Within 30 days after removing the plates from the vehicle, return them to the Department.
(Added to NRS by 2003, 3064; A 2007, 323, 798, 1037; 2013, 1400, 1474, 2549, 2833; 2015, 996; 2019, 200)