Amending existing law to revise provisions regarding Appaloosa license plates.

LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO Sixty-eighth Legislature Second Regular Session - 2026 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES HOUSE BILL NO. 665 BY TRANSPORTATION AND DEFENSE COMMITTEE AN ACT1 RELATING TO APPALOOSA LICENSE PLATES; AMENDING SECTION 49-420D, IDAHO CODE,2 TO REVISE PROVISIONS REGARDING APPALOOSA LICENSE PLATES; AND DECLARING3 AN EMERGENCY AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.4

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Idaho:5

SECTION 1. That Section 49-420D, Idaho Code, be, and the same is hereby6 amended to read as follows:7 49-420D. APPALOOSA LICENSE PLATES. (1) On and after January 1, 2003,8 any person who is the owner of a vehicle registered under pursuant to the pro-9 visions of section 49-402, Idaho Code, or registered under pursuant to any10 other provision of law for which the purchase of a special license plate is11 allowed, may apply for and, upon department approval, receive special Ap-12 paloosa license plates in lieu of regular license plates. The provisions of13 this section shall not apply to any vehicle with a registered maximum gross14 weight over sixteen thousand (16,000) twenty-six thousand (26,000) pounds.15 Availability of Appaloosa license plates for other vehicles shall be subject16 to the rules, policies and procedures of the department.17 (2) In addition to the regular registration fee required in chapter 4,18 title 49, Idaho Code, the applicant shall be charged a fee of thirty-five19 dollars ($35.00) for the initial issuance of plates, and twenty-five dollars20 ($25.00) upon each succeeding annual registration. Ten dollars ($10.00)21 of the initial fee and ten dollars ($10.00) of the renewal fee shall be de-22 posited in the state highway account and shall be used to fund the cost of23 administration of this special license plate program. Twenty-five dollars24 ($25.00) of each initial fee and fifteen dollars ($15.00) of each renewal25 fee shall be transferred by the state treasurer for deposit to the Appaloosa26 horse club, museum and heritage center foundation and shall be used exclu-27 sively for the purpose of funding youth horse programs within the state of28 Idaho education and programming related to horses in the state of Idaho.29 (3) Whenever title or interest in a vehicle registered under pursuant30 to the provisions of this section is transferred or assigned, the owner may31 transfer the special plates to another vehicle upon payment of the required32 transfer fees. The owner may only display the plates on another vehicle only33 upon receipt of the new registration from the department.34 (4) The Appaloosa license plate shall be of a color and design in ac-35 cordance with the provisions of section 49-402C, Idaho Code. That portion36 of the design which that features an Appaloosa shall be acceptable to the Ap-37 paloosa horse club, museum and heritage center foundation and shall be ap-38 proved by the department utilizing a numbering system as determined by the39 department. Initial costs of the plate program, including costs of plate de-40 sign, shall be paid by the Appaloosa horse club.41

2 (5) Sample Appaloosa license plates may be purchased for a fee of thirty1 dollars ($30.00), ten dollars ($10.00) of which shall be deposited in the2 state highway account and twenty dollars ($20.00) of which shall be trans-3 ferred to the Appaloosa horse club museum and heritage center foundation. No4 additional fee shall be charged for personalizing sample plates.5

SECTION 2. An emergency existing therefor, which emergency is hereby6 declared to exist, this act shall be in full force and effect on and after7 July 1, 2026.8