Georgia Code
Article 2 - Registration and Licensing Generally
§ 40-2-21. Registration Periods

For purposes of determining the registration period of an owner which is an entity other than a natural person in subparagraphs (A) and (B) of this paragraph, the owner shall be deemed to be the owner whose name appears first on the certificate of title or other record of ownership. Any other provision of this paragraph notwithstanding, registration of vehicles under the International Registration Plan shall be as provided by Code Section 40-2-88, and registration of vehicles under the fleet registration plan shall be as provided by Article 2A of this chapter.
(.1) “Initial registration period” means the 30 day period immediately following the date of purchase or other acquisition of a new or used motor vehicle, including tractors and motorcycles, or trailer.
(.2) “Owner” has the meaning provided by paragraph (39) of Code Section 40-1-1 except that such term shall mean a lessee of a vehicle when the vehicle is operated under a lease agreement.
History. Code 1981, § 40-2-20.1 , enacted by Ga. L. 1986, p. 1053, § 3; Ga. L. 1987, p. 1, §§ 1, 2; Ga. L. 1988, p. 380, § 1; Code 1981, § 40-2-21 , as redesignated by Ga. L. 1990, p. 2048, § 2; Ga. L. 1995, p. 809, § 3; Ga. L. 1996, p. 1118, § 3; Ga. L. 1997, p. 419, § 5; Ga. L. 1998, p. 1179, § 4A; Ga. L. 1999, p. 667, § 1; Ga. L. 1999, p. 741, § 1; Ga. L. 2000, p. 951, § 3-2.
Code Commission notes.
Pursuant to Code Section 28-9-5, in 2001, “the” was substituted for “hte” in division (a)(1)(A)(iii).
Editor’s notes.
Ga. L. 1995, p. 809, § 22, not codified by the General Assembly, provides: “Any local law enacted pursuant to Code Section 40-2-21, which is in conflict with the provisions of this Act shall stand repealed on the effective date of this Act.” The act became effective January 1, 1997.
Ga. L. 1996, p. 1118, § 17, not codified by the General Assembly, provides: “Any local Act enacted pursuant to Code Section 40-2-21 which is in conflict with the provisions of this Act shall stand repealed on the effective date of this Act; provided, however, that any local Act enacted in 1996 pursuant to the provisions of Code Section 40-2-21 as enacted by Act No. 385, Ga. L. 1995, which local Act provides for a four-month staggered registration period for a county, shall not be repealed by the provisions of this Act, but the registration period for such county shall be as provided by subparagraph (a)(1)(B) of Code Section 40-2-21 as enacted by this Act and not as provided in such local Act.”
Ga. L. 1996, p. 1118, § 18, not codified by the General Assembly, provides: “Those parts of Act No. 385, Ga. L. 1995, an Act amending Chapter 2 of Title 40 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to registration and licensing of motor vehicles, and amending Article 10 of Chapter 5 of Title 48 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to ad valorem taxation of motor vehicles and mobile homes, approved April 19, 1995, in conflict with this Act are repealed.”
Law reviews.
For article commenting on the 1997 amendment of this Code section, see 14 Ga. St. U.L. Rev. 215 (1997).

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