Subchapter A. GENERAL PROVISIONS

§ 63.1. Purpose.

 The purpose of this chapter is to establish rules and procedures to implement bilateral agreements and the International Registration Plan entered into with other jurisdictions for the registration of fleets of vehicles on an apportioned basis as authorized by 75 Pa.C.S. § §  6142 and 6145 (relating to reciprocity agreements, arrangements and declarations authorized; and proportional registration of fleet vehicles).

 (a)  Registration recognition. Vehicles proportionally registered in jurisdictions which have entered into proportional registration agreements, including the International Registration Plan, under this chapter and have paid fees to the Commonwealth will be deemed to be fully registered in this Commonwealth for any type of movement or operation, if the registrant has proper interstate or intrastate authority from the appropriate regulatory agency or is exempt from regulation by the regulatory agency.

 (b)  Other fees not waived. The agreements do not waive fees or taxes charged or levied by a jurisdiction in connection with the ownership or operation of vehicles other than the apportionable fees as defined in this chapter. Other fees and taxes shall be paid to each jurisdiction in accordance with the laws of each jurisdiction.

 (c)  Base jurisdiction choice. Registrants based in a jurisdiction other than a member jurisdiction, who have been licensing vehicles in a member jurisdiction under the basing point, allocation or proration forms of registration may declare the Commonwealth as a base jurisdiction for purposes of the agreements until the registrant’s base jurisdiction becomes a member jurisdiction if the most miles traveled among the member jurisdictions are in this Commonwealth.

 (d)  Options of registrants.

   (1)  The registrant may choose to fully register in a jurisdiction or purchase a limited number of trip permits in lieu of apportioned registration.

   (2)  The registrant may divide his vehicles into a number of fleets.

   (3)  A vehicle or combination of vehicles which travels in two or more member jurisdictions but which is not otherwise within the definition of ‘‘apportionable vehicle’’ may be proportionally registered at the option of the registrant.

 (e)  Other general rules.

   (1)  Apportionable vehicles registered nonproportionally in member jurisdictions or registered proportionally in a member jurisdiction but excluding the Commonwealth in their apportionment shall be subject to the restrictions contained in 75 Pa.C.S. §  1303 (relating to vehicles of nonresidents exempt from registration).

   (2)  Rental vehicles subject to §  63.34 (relating to rental vehicles) which are not proportionally allocated or registered with this Commonwealth shall be subject to the restrictions contained in 75 Pa.C.S. §  1303.

   (3)  A vehicle based in this Commonwealth for use only in this Commonwealth or nonmember jurisdictions, or both, shall continue to be registered in this Commonwealth on a nonapportioned basis.

 The following are member jurisdictions of the International Registration Plan: Alabama, Alberta, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

 The following words and terms, when used in this chapter, have the following meanings, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

   Agent-lessor—One who furnishes facilities and service including sales, warehousing, motorized equipment and drivers under contract or other arrangement to a carrier for transportation of property by a household goods carrier.

   Applicant—A person, firm or corporation in whose name an application to apportion the registrations of a fleet of vehicles is filed.

   Apportionable fee—A periodically recurring fee required for licensing or registering vehicles, such as, but not limited to, registration fees, license or weight fees.

   Apportionable vehicle—A vehicle, except recreational vehicles, vehicles displaying restricted plates, city pickup and delivery vehicles, buses used in transportation of chartered parties and government-owned vehicles, used or intended for use in two or more member jurisdictions for the transportation of persons for hire or designed, used or maintained primarily for the transportation of property:

     (i)   Having a gross vehicle weight in excess of 26,000 pounds.

     (ii)   Having three or more axles, regardless of weight.

     (iii)   If used in combination, with a gross weight of such combination exceeding 26,000 pounds.

   Auxiliary axle—An auxiliary under carriage assembly with a fifth wheel and tow bar used to convert a semi-trailer to a full trailer.

   Base jurisdiction—For the purpose of fleet registration, the jurisdiction where the registrant has an established place of business, where mileage is accrued by the fleet and where operational records of the fleet are maintained or can be made available.

   Base plate—The registration plate issued by the base jurisdiction, identified by having the word ‘‘APPORTIONED’’ and the base jurisdiction’s name on the plate.

   Bilateral agreement—A registration reciprocity agreement between the Commonwealth and another jurisdiction providing the payment of registration fees on the basis of fleet miles operated in each jurisdiction.

   Bureau—The Bureau of Motor Vehicles of the Department.

   Cab card—A registration card issued by the base jurisdiction for a vehicle of an apportioned fleet containing the make and VIN of the vehicle, the base plate number, the jurisdictions in which the vehicle is registered, registered gross weight for each jurisdiction and other information deemed necessary.

   Carrier—An individual, partnership or corporation engaged in the business of transporting goods or persons.

   Chartered party—A group of persons who—under a common purpose and under a single contract, and at a fixed charge for the vehicle in accordance with the carrier’s tariff, lawfully on file with the Interstate Commerce Commission—have acquired the exclusive use of a passenger-carrying motor vehicle to travel together as a group to a specified destination or for a particular itinerary, either agreed upon in advance or modified by the chartered group after having left the place of origin.

   Commercial Registration Section—The Commercial Registration Section of the Bureau.

   Credentials—A cab card and apportioned plate issued for a vehicle registered by a jurisdiction which is a party to an agreement.

   Department—The Department of Transportation of the Commonwealth.

   Established place of business—A physical structure owned or leased by a fleet registrant designated by a street and number or road location, which is open during normal business hours and in which are located:

     (i)   A telephone publicly listed in the name of the fleet registrant.

     (ii)   A person conducting the fleet registrant’s business.

     (iii)   The operational records of the fleet unless the records can be made available.

   Fleet—One or more apportionable vehicles.

   Household goods—

     (i)   Personal effects and property used or to be used in a dwelling when a part of the equipment or supply of such dwelling.

     (ii)   Furniture; fixtures; equipment; and the property of stores, offices, museums, institutions, hospitals or other establishments, when a part of the stock, equipment or supply of such stores, offices, museums, institutions, hospitals or other establishments.

     (iii)   Articles including objects of art, displays and exhibits which because of their unusual nature or value require the specialized handling and equipment usually employed in moving household goods.

   Hunter permit—A temporary vehicle registration permit issued to an owner-operator, not operating as a lessor, for a registered gross weight not exceeding the empty weight of the vehicle.

   I.V.M.R.—Individual vehicle mileage record.

   In-jurisdiction miles—The total number of miles operated by a fleet of proportionally registered vehicles in a jurisdiction during the preceding year. Mileage of Commonwealth registered vehicles accrued in jurisdictions which are not member jurisdictions shall be counted as in-jurisdiction miles operated in this Commonwealth.

   International Registration Plan—A registration reciprocity agreement among the signatory states of the United States and provinces of Canada providing for the payment of registration fees on the basis of fleet miles operated in each jurisdiction, which agreement is the product of the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators, 1201 Connecticut Avenue, N. W., Washington, D. C. 20036, and is generally administered by that association.

   Interstate operations—Vehicle movement between or through two or more jurisdictions.

   Intrastate operations—Vehicle movement from one point within a jurisdiction where passengers or freight are loaded to another point within the same jurisdiction, where passengers or freight are unloaded regardless of the route travelled.

   Jurisdiction—A state, territory or possession of the United States; the District of Columbia; or a province of Canada.

   Lease—A written document vesting exclusive possession and control of a vehicle owned by another.

   Lessor—A person, firm or corporation which under the terms of a lease, grants the legal right of possession and control of a vehicle to another person, firm or corporation—the lessee.

   Long-term lease—A lease having a term of 30 days or more.

   Member jurisdiction—A jurisdiction which has signed an agreement with the Commonwealth or a jurisdiction which is a party to the International Registration Plan.

   Negotiable title—A title issued by a jurisdiction which documents ownership of a vehicle and can be used to transfer ownership.

   Operational records—Documents supporting in-jurisdiction miles traveled in each jurisdiction and total miles traveled, such as fuel reports, trip sheets and logs.

   Owner-operator—An equipment lessor who leases his vehicular equipment with driver to a carrier pursuant to Interstate Commerce Commission regulations, 49 CFR 1057 or similar regulations of a jurisdiction’s regulatory body.

   Power unit—A vehicle which is self propelled by power other than muscular power.

   Preceding year—The 12-month period after June 30 of one year and before July 1 of the following year, which immediately precedes the registration or license year for which proportional registration is sought.

   Reciprocity—Exemption from further registration by any member jurisdiction of an apportionable vehicle registered under an agreement.

   Recreational vehicle—An apportionable vehicle designed or converted and used exclusively for personal pleasure or travel by an individual or the individual’s family.

   Registrant—A person, firm, or corporation in whose name a vehicle is registered.

   Registration year—The 12-month period during which the registration plates issued by the base jurisdiction are valid according to the laws of the base jurisdiction.

   Restricted plate—A registration plate which is restricted as to time—less than a full registration year, geographic area, mileage or commodities or persons which may be hauled—Example—Farm truck plate, Dealer Plate.

   Service representative—An agent-lessor.

   Short term lease—A lease having a term of less than 30 days.

   Telegram of authority—A temporary registration transmitted by a wire service authorizing the operation of a Commonwealth-based vehicle for 60 days while application for a change in fleet registration is being processed by the Bureau.

   Temporary authorization certificate—A temporary registration authorizing the operation of a Commonwealth-based vehicle for 60 days while application for a change in fleet registration is being processed by the Bureau.

   Total miles—The total number of miles operated by a fleet of proportionally registered vehicles in all jurisdictions during the preceding year.

   Tractor—A motor vehicle designed and used primarily for drawing other vehicles but not so constructed as to carry a load other than a part of the weight of the vehicles and load so drawn.

   Trip permit—A temporary permit issued by a jurisdiction in lieu of regular apportioned registration.

   Truck tractor—A motor vehicle designed and used primarily for drawing other vehicles but so constructed as to carry a load other than a part of the weight of the vehicle and load so drawn.

   The provisions of this §  63.4 amended under the Vehicle Code, 75 Pa.C.S. § §  6103 and 7501—7506.

   The provisions of this §  63.4 adopted April 29, 1983, effective April 30, 1983, 13 Pa.B. 1440; readopted May 6, 1988, effective immediately and applies retroactively to April 30, 1988, 18 Pa.B. 2130; amended January 15, 1993, effective January 16, 1993, 23 Pa.B. 278; amended June 2, 2006, effective June 3, 2006, 36 Pa.B. 2684. Immediately preceding text appears at serial pages (260005) to (260009).