CHAPTER 57. STAGGERED REGISTRATION

 The purpose of this chapter is to implement the staggered registration system mandated by 75 Pa.C.S. §  1307(a) (relating to period of registration).

 This chapter applies to every vehicle required to bear Pennsylvania registration plates except:

   (1)  Antique or classic vehicles.

   (2)  Vehicles bearing dealer or miscellaneous motor vehicle business registration plates.

   (3)  Vehicles bearing semipermanent registration plates issued to governmental or quasigovernmental bodies.

 (a)  New registrations. A new registration shall expire 1 year after the last day of the month preceding either the date of issuance of a registration card by the Department or the date of issuance of a temporary registration card by either the Department or an authorized agent of the Department, whichever occurs first.

 (b)  Renewed registration. A renewed registration shall expire as follows:

   (1)  If a registration is renewed before 2 months have elapsed since its scheduled expiration, the renewed registration shall expire 1 year after the last day of the month in which it had been scheduled to expire.

   (2)  If a registration is renewed after 2 months have elapsed since expiration, the renewed registration shall expire 1 year after the last day of the month preceding the date of issuance of the renewed registration.

 (c)  Fleet vehicle registrations. Fleet vehicle registrations shall expire as follows:

   (1)  Upon renewal or initial issuance of registration of a vehicle within his fleet, a person who owns or leases a fleet of 15 or more vehicles may request on a form furnished by the Department that the registration for such vehicle shall be designated to expire as follows:

     (i)   Registration of vehicles—other than trucks and truck tractors in the registered gross weight classes of 9 through 25, trailers, and school buses—shall expire annually on the last day of one of the following months elected by the registrant and approved by the Bureau: January, February, March, April, June, July, August, September, October, November or December.

     (ii)   Registrations of trucks and truck tractors in the registered gross weight classes of 9 through 25 and trailers shall expire annually May 31.

     (iii)   Registration of school buses shall expire on an annual basis on July 31.

   (2)  Upon the designation of an expiration date under paragraph (1), the registration fee shall be prorated by multiplying the number of months in the registration period, which shall consist of not less than 6 months nor more than 17 months, by 1/12 of the annual registration fee.

   (3)  For the purpose of computing the registration fee, the registration period for a fleet vehicle whose initial registration will expire according to the provisions of paragraph (1) shall commence on the 1st day of the month of either the date of issuance of a registration card by the Department or the date of issuance of a temporary registration card by the Department or an authorized agent of the Department, whichever occurs first.

   (4)  After the designation of an expiration date under paragraph (1), the registration renewal fee for each vehicle shall be the annual registration fee regardless of the month of renewal. The registrant has the option of maintaining the expiration date designated for the vehicle under paragraph (1) or changing the date of the registration expiration to 1 year after the last day of the month preceding the month of renewal.

   The provisions of this §  57.4 adopted November 30, 1979, effective December 1, 1979, 9 Pa.B. 3946; reserved June 24, 1983, effective June 25, 1983, 13 Pa.B. 2000. Immediately preceding text appears at serial page (56425).