Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes
Chapter 13 - Registration of Vehicles
Section 1332 - Display of registration plate


(a) General rule.--Every registration plate shall, at all times, be securely fastened to the vehicle to which it is assigned or on which its use is authorized in accordance with regulations promulgated by the department.
(a.1) Motorcycle registration plate.--
(1) A registration plate issued for a motorcycle may be mounted on the motorcycle in a vertical manner if:
(i) the identifying characters on the plate are displayed in a vertical alignment; and
(ii) the mounting complies with all other provisions of this section.
(2) A registration plate that has its identifying characters displayed horizontally shall not be displayed and mounted vertically.
(3) The department shall produce a registration plate for motorcycles which displays the identifying characters on the plate in a vertical alignment. The department shall issue such a plate upon request and upon payment of a fee of $20, which shall be in addition to the annual registration fee.
(4) No later than January 1, 2016, the department shall report to the chairman and minority chairman of the Transportation Committee of the Senate and the chairman and minority chairman of the Transportation Committee of the House of Representatives on the number of motorcycle registration plates issued in a vertical alignment, the cost of issuance and any required revision to the fee so as to maintain necessary financial support for the highway system in this Commonwealth.
(b) Obscuring plate.--It is unlawful to display on any vehicle a registration plate which:
(1) is so dirty as to prevent the reading of the number or letters thereon at a reasonable distance;
(2) is illegible, obscured, covered or otherwise obstructed in any manner which inhibits the proper operation of an automated red light enforcement system in place pursuant to section 3116 (relating to automated red light enforcement systems in first class cities) or 3117 (relating to automated red light enforcement systems in certain municipalities) or any other automated enforcement system authorized by this title or an electronic toll collection system as authorized under 74 Pa.C.S. ยง 8117 (relating to electronic toll collection);
(3) is illegible, obscured, covered or otherwise obstructed in any manner at a reasonable distance;
(4) is illegible, obscured, covered or otherwise obstructed in any manner which inhibits the visibility of the issuing jurisdiction at a reasonable distance; or
(5) has a tinted plate cover.
(b.1) Construction.--Nothing under subsection (b) shall be construed to prohibit a vehicle from being affixed with a registration plate frame that minimally outlines the registration plate in such a manner that the registration plate's number and issuing jurisdiction is identifiable by an automated enforcement system under subsection (b)(2) or by law enforcement.
(c) Penalty for obscured plate.--Any person who violates subsection (b)(2) or (4) commits a summary offense and shall, upon conviction, be sentenced to pay a fine of $100.
(d) Validating registration stickers.--Validating registration stickers shall not be issued or required to be displayed.
(Feb. 9, 2004, P.L.65, No.8; July 2, 2012, P.L.735, No.84, eff. 90 days; Nov. 25, 2013, P.L.974, No.89; Nov. 4, 2016, P.L.1277, No.165, eff. 9 months; Nov. 3, 2022, P.L.1734, No.112)

2022 Amendment. Act 112 amended subsec. (b) and added subsec. (b.1). Section 10(1)(ii) of Act 112 provided that the amendment or addition of subsecs. (b)(2), (3) and (4) and (b.1) shall take effect immediately and the remainder of the section shall take effect in 60 days.
2016 Amendment. Act 165 amended subsecs. (b) and (c).
2013 Amendment. Act 89 added subsecs. (a.1) and (d), effective in 90 days as to subsec. (a.1) and December 31, 2016, as to subsec. (d). See the preamble to Act 89 in the appendix to this title for special provisions relating to legislative findings and declarations.
Cross References. Section 1332 is referred to in sections 6110.1, 6309.1 of this title.

Structure Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes

Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes

Title 75 - VEHICLES

Chapter 13 - Registration of Vehicles

Extra - Chapter Notes

Section 1301 - Registration and certificate of title required

Section 1302 - Vehicles exempt from registration

Section 1303 - Vehicles of nonresidents exempt from registration

Section 1304 - Registration criteria

Section 1305 - Application for registration

Section 1306 - Grounds for refusing registration

Section 1307 - Period of registration

Section 1307.1 - Permanent fleet registration

Section 1308 - Issuance of registration card

Section 1309 - Renewal of registration

Section 1309.1 - Apportioned registration renewal

Section 1310 - Temporary registration cards

Section 1310.1 - Temporary registration permits

Section 1311 - Registration card to be signed and exhibited on demand

Section 1312 - Notice of change of name or address

Section 1313 - Duplicate registration cards

Section 1314 - Transfer of registration

Section 1315 - Operation of vehicle following death of owner

Section 1316 - Department records

Section 1317 - Acknowledgment of littering provisions

Section 1318 - Duties of agents

Section 1319 - Duties of motor carrier vehicle owners

Section 1320 - Contributions to Veterans' Trust Fund

Section 1321 - Contributions for pediatric cancer research

Section 1322 - Contributions to Keystone Tree Restricted Account

Section 1323 - Contributions for breast cancer research

Section 1324 - Contributions for the prevention of child abuse and neglect

Section 1331 - Issuance and reissuance of registration plates

Section 1332 - Display of registration plate

Section 1333 - Lost, stolen, damaged or illegible registration plate

Section 1334 - Return of registration plate

Section 1334.1 - Seizure of registration plate

Section 1335 - Registration plates for manufacturers and dealers

Section 1336 - Use of dealer registration plates

Section 1336.1 - Use of multipurpose dealer registration plates

Section 1336.2 - Farm equipment dealer registration plates

Section 1337 - Use of "Miscellaneous Motor Vehicle Business" registration plates

Section 1337.1 - Fleet owner transporter registration plate

Section 1338 - Person with disability plate and placard

Section 1339 - Legislative plate

Section 1340 - Antique, classic and collectible plates

Section 1340.1 - Street rod plate

Section 1341 - Special registration plates

Section 1341.1 - Personal organization registration plates

Section 1342 - Veteran plates and placard

Section 1343 - Use of school bus or school vehicle plates

Section 1344 - Use of farm vehicle plates

Section 1344.1 - Use of farm equipment dealer registration plates

Section 1345 - Special plates for recipients of the Medal of Honor

Section 1346 - Special plates for recipients of Purple Heart

Section 1347 - Hearing impaired plates

Section 1348 - Special plates for Pearl Harbor survivors

Section 1349 - Circus or carnival plates

Section 1350 - Special plates for veterans of Korean War

Section 1350.1 - Special plates for recipients of Korean Defense Service Medal

Section 1351 - Special plates for veterans of Persian Gulf War

Section 1352 - Wild resource conservation plate

Section 1352.1 - Appalachian Trail organization registration plates

Section 1352.2 - Pollinator conservation registration plate

Section 1353 - Preserve our heritage registration plate

Section 1353.1 - Pennsylvania monument registration plate

Section 1354 - Flagship Niagara commemorative registration plate (Repealed)

Section 1354.1 - United States Olympic plate

Section 1355 - Zoological plate

Section 1355.1 - Pennsylvania Hunting Heritage registration plates

Section 1356 - Special plates for recipients of Expeditionary Forces Medal

Section 1357 - Special plates for World War II veterans

Section 1357.1 - Special plates for individuals in the service of the United States Merchant Marine

Section 1358 - DARE plate (Repealed)

Section 1358.1 - Share the Road plate

Section 1358.2 - Distracted Driving Awareness plate

Section 1359 - Special plates for steelworkers

Section 1360 - Special plates for veterans of Vietnam Conflict

Section 1361 - Special motorcycle plates related to veterans

Section 1362 - Operation Iraqi Freedom veterans plate

Section 1363 - Operation Enduring Freedom veterans plate

Section 1363.1 - Afghanistan and Iraq veterans plate

Section 1364 - Special plates for veterans

Section 1364.1 - Special plates for current members of the armed forces of the United States

Section 1365 - Gold Star Family plate

Section 1366 - Special plates for recipients of Silver Star

Section 1366.1 - Special plates for United States military airborne units

Section 1366.2 - Blue Star Family plate

Section 1366.3 - Special plates for recipients of Air Medal

Section 1367 - Special plates for recipients of Bronze Star

Section 1368 - Special plates for recipients of Bronze Star for Valor

Section 1368.1 - Special plates for recipients of Soldier's Medal

Section 1368.2 - Special plates for recipients of Presidential Service Badge

Section 1368.3 - Special plates for recipients of Legion of Merit

Section 1369 - Special plates for recipients of Distinguished Service Cross, Distinguished Flying Cross, Navy Cross or Air Force Cross

Section 1369.1 - Special plates for recipients of Combat Action Badge, Combat Infantryman Badge, Combat Action Ribbon, Combat Action Medal or Combat Medical Badge

Section 1369.2 - Special "In God We Trust" plates

Section 1369.3 - Special plates for veterans of an ally foreign country

Section 1369.4 - USA semiquincentennial registration plates

Section 1370 - Report to General Assembly

Section 1371 - Operation following suspension of registration

Section 1372 - Unauthorized transfer or use of registration

Section 1373 - Suspension of registration

Section 1374 - Suspension or revocation of vehicle business registration plates

Section 1375 - Suspension of registration of unapproved carriers

Section 1376 - Surrender of registration plates and cards upon suspension or revocation

Section 1377 - Judicial review

Section 1378 - Suspension of motor carrier vehicle registration

Section 1379 - Suspension of registration upon sixth unpaid parking violation in cities of the first class

Section 1380 - Suspension of registration upon unpaid tolls