SEARCH SITE

VIRGINIA LAW PORTAL

SEARCHABLE DATABASES

ACROSS SESSIONS

Developed and maintained by the Division of Legislative Automated Systems.

2003 SESSION

030024838
HOUSE BILL NO. 1745
Offered January 8, 2003
Prefiled January 6, 2003
A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 46.2-665, 46.2-666, 46.2-668, and 46.2-670 of the Code of Virginia, relating to distance limitation on operation of certain vehicles exempt from registration.
----------
Patrons-- McDougle and Athey
----------
Referred to Committee on Transportation
----------

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That §§ 46.2-665, 46.2-666, 46.2-668, and 46.2-670 of the Code of Virginia are amended and reenacted as follows:

§ 46.2-665. Vehicles used for agricultural or horticultural purposes.

A. No person shall be required to obtain the registration certificate, license plates and decals, or pay a registration fee for any motor vehicle, trailer, or semitrailer used exclusively for agricultural or horticultural purposes on lands owned or leased by the vehicle's owner.

B. This exemption shall only apply to vehicles whichthat are not operated on or over any public highway in this Commonwealth for any purpose other than:

1. Crossing a highway;

2. Operating along a highway for a distance of no more than thirty miles from one part of the owner's land to another, irrespective of whether the tracts adjoin;

3. Taking the vehicle or attached fixtures to and from a repair shop for repairs;

4. Taking another vehicle exempt from registration under any provision of §§ 46.2-664 through 46.2-668 or § 46.2-672, or any part or subcomponent of such a vehicle, to or from a repair shop for repairs, including return trips;

5. Operating along a highway to and from a refuse disposal facility for the purpose of disposing of trash and garbage generated on a farm; or

6. Operating along a highway for a distance of no more than thirty miles for the purpose of obtaining supplies for agricultural or horticultural purposes, seeds, fertilizers, chemicals, or animal feed and returning.

§ 46.2-666. Vehicles used for seasonal transportation of farm produce and livestock.

No person shall be required to obtain the registration certificate, license plates and decals, or pay a registration fee prescribed for any motor vehicle, trailer, or semitrailer owned by the owner or lessee of a farm and used by him on a seasonal basis in transporting farm produce and livestock along public highways for a distance of no more than thirty miles or the distance to the nearest storage house, packing plant, or market, but in no event more than fifty miles.

§ 46.2-668. Vehicles validly registered in other states and used in conjunction with harvesting operations.

A. No person shall be required to obtain the registration certificate, license plates and decals, or pay a registration fee for any motor vehicle, trailer, or semitrailer which is validly registered in another state and bears valid license plates issued by that state when the use of the vehicle has been contracted for by the owner or lessee of a farm as an incidental part of the harvesting of a crop from his farm. This exemption shall only be valid while the vehicle is engaged in transporting farm produce from the farm:

1. As an incidental part of harvesting operations;

2. Along a public highway for a distance of not more than twenty miles to a storage house, packing plant, market, or transportation terminal;

3. When the use is a seasonal operation; and

4. When the owner of the vehicle has secured from the Commissioner an exemption permit for each vehicle.

B. The Commissioner, upon receipt of certification by the Superintendent of State Police that a vehicle is entitled to the exemption set forth in this subsection, shall issue an exemption permit on a form prescribed by him. The exemption permit shall be carried at all times by the operator of the vehicle for which it is issued or displayed in a conspicuous place on the vehicle. The exemption permit shall be valid for a period of ninety days from date of issue and shall be renewable by the procedure set forth in the foregoing provisions of this section.

§ 46.2-670. Vehicles owned by farmers and used to transport certain wood products.

No person shall be required to obtain the registration certificate, license plates and decals, or pay a registration fee for any motor vehicle, trailer, or semitrailer owned by a farm owner when the vehicle is operated or moved along a highway for no more than twenty miles between a sawmill or sawmill site and his farm to transport sawdust, wood shavings, slab wood, and other wood wastes.