Amends and adds to existing law to eliminate the fee for the copyrighted license plate design and to establish the America250 license plate for the benefit of the Idaho Heritage Trust.

LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO Sixty-eighth Legislature Second Regular Session - 2026 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES HOUSE BILL NO. 825 BY WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE AN ACT1 RELATING TO MOTOR VEHICLES; PROVIDING LEGISLATIVE INTENT; AMENDING SEC-2 TION 49-402, IDAHO CODE, TO PROVIDE FOR A CERTAIN FEE AND TO MAKE A3 TECHNICAL CORRECTION; AMENDING CHAPTER 4, TITLE 49, IDAHO CODE, BY4 THE ADDITION OF A NEW SECTION 49-416A, IDAHO CODE, TO ESTABLISH AMER-5 ICA250 LICENSE PLATES; AMENDING SECTION 49-450, IDAHO CODE, TO REVISE6 PROVISIONS REGARDING ADDITIONAL FEES FOR EACH PLATE ISSUED; AMENDING7 SECTION 67-7602B, IDAHO CODE, TO REVISE PROVISIONS REGARDING FUNDING;8 AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.9

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Idaho:10

SECTION 1. LEGISLATIVE INTENT. It is the intent of the Legislature, in11 recognition of Idaho's long-standing relationship with the Idaho Heritage12 Trust, to create a specific and limited exception to section 49-402C, Idaho13 Code, which prohibits new special license plates or special license plate14 programs for the benefit of any entity that is not the state of Idaho or an15 agency of the state of Idaho. This legislation discontinues a plate fee that16 was being paid to the Idaho Heritage Trust for the use of the red, white, and17 blue copyrighted design described in section 49-443(1), Idaho Code. Here-18 after, the Idaho Heritage Trust will receive funds from the newly created19 America250 license plates.20

SECTION 2. That Section 49-402, Idaho Code, be, and the same is hereby21 amended to read as follows:22 49-402. ANNUAL REGISTRATION. (1) The annual fee for operating each23 pickup truck, each neighborhood electric vehicle and each other motor ve-24 hicle having a maximum gross weight not in excess of eight thousand (8,000)25 pounds and that complies with the federal motor vehicle safety standards as26 defined in section 49-107, Idaho Code, shall be:27 Vehicles one (1) and two (2) years old .........................$69.0028 Vehicles three (3) and four (4) years old ......................$57.0029 Vehicles five (5) and six (6) years old ........................$57.0030 Vehicles seven (7) and eight (8) years old .....................$45.0031 Vehicles over eight (8) years old .............................$45.0032 There shall be twelve (12) registration periods, starting in January33 for holders of validation registration stickers numbered 1, and proceed-34 ing consecutively through December for holders of validation registration35 stickers numbered 12, each of which shall start on the first day of a calen-36 dar month and end on the last day of the twelfth month from the first day of37 the beginning month. Registration periods shall expire at midnight on the38 last day of the registration period in the year designated by the validation39 registration sticker. The numeral digit on the validation registration40 stickers shall, as does the registration card, fix the registration period41

2 under the staggered registration system for the purpose of reregistration1 and notice of expiration.2 A vehicle that has once been registered for any of the above-designated3 periods shall, upon reregistration, be registered for the period bearing the4 same number, and the registration card shall show and be the exclusive proof5 of the expiration date of registration and licensing. Vehicles may be ini-6 tially registered for less than a twelve (12) month period, or for more than a7 twelve (12) month period, and the fee prorated on a monthly basis if the frac-8 tional registration tends to fulfill the purpose of the monthly series reg-9 istration system.10 (2) For all school buses operated either by a nonprofit, nonpublic11 school or operated pursuant to a service contract with a school district for12 transporting children to or from school or in connection with school-ap-13 proved activities, the annual fee shall be twenty-four dollars ($24.00) and14 shall be subject to staggered registration for the purpose of reregistration15 and notice of expiration.16 (3) For all motorcycles and motor-driven cycles that comply with the17 federal motor vehicle safety standards, operated on the public highways, the18 annual fee shall be nineteen dollars ($19.00) and shall be subject to stag-19 gered registration for the purpose of reregistration and notice of expira-20 tion.21 (4) For operation of an all-terrain vehicle, utility type vehicle or22 motorbike, excluding a motorbike with an engine displacement of fifty (50)23 cubic centimeters or less, on city, county or highway district roads or24 highways open to such use, a restricted vehicle license plate fee pursuant25 to section 49-450, Idaho Code, shall be paid. In addition, the certifi-26 cate of number fee specified in section 67-7122, Idaho Code, shall be paid27 as provided in section 67-7122, Idaho Code. The certificate of number and28 restricted vehicle license plate exemption provided in section 49-426(2),29 Idaho Code, applies to all-terrain vehicles, utility type vehicles, motor-30 bikes and motorcycles used for the purposes described in section 49-426(2),31 Idaho Code. Nonresidents shall be allowed to purchase a restricted vehicle32 license plate and validation sticker pursuant to section 67-7124, Idaho33 Code, for an all-terrain vehicle, utility type vehicle, or motorbike.34 (5) For all motor homes, the fee shall be as specified in subsection (1)35 of this section and shall be in addition to the fees provided for in section36 49-445, Idaho Code.37 (6) Registration fees shall not be subject to refund.38 (7) A financial institution or repossession service contracted to39 a financial institution repossessing vehicles under the terms of a secu-40 rity agreement shall move the vehicle from the place of repossession to the41 financial institution's place of business on a repossession plate. The42 repossession plate shall also be used for demonstrating the vehicle to a43 prospective purchaser for a period not to exceed ninety-six (96) hours. The44 registration fees for repossession plates shall be as required in subsection45 (1) of this section for a vehicle one (1) and two (2) years old. All other46 fees required under chapter 4, title 49, Idaho Code, shall be in addition to47 the registration fee. The repossession plate shall be subject to staggered48 registration for the purpose of reregistration and notice of expiration.49

3 (8) A wrecker or towing business engaged in the process of towing motor-1 ized vehicles that have been wrecked, abandoned, salvaged or may be disabled2 may apply for a wrecker plate to be displayed on those vehicles being towed,3 provided the power unit is properly registered under this chapter. The reg-4 istration fees for wrecker plates shall be as required in subsection (1) of5 this section for a vehicle one (1) and two (2) years old. All other fees re-6 quired under chapter 4, title 49, Idaho Code, shall be in addition to the reg-7 istration fee and shall be subject to staggered registration for the purpose8 of reregistration and notice of expiration.9 (9) In addition to the annual registration fee in this section, there10 shall be an initial program fee of twenty-five dollars ($25.00) and an an-11 nual program fee of fifteen dollars ($15.00) for all special license plate12 programs for those license plates issued pursuant to sections 49-404A,13 49-407, 49-408, 49-409, 49-414, 49-416, 49-418 and 49-418D, Idaho Code. For14 special plates issued pursuant to section 49-417E, Idaho Code, there shall15 be an initial program fee of seventy dollars ($70.00) and an annual program16 fee of fifty dollars ($50.00). For special plates issued pursuant to sec-17 tions 49-406 and 49-406A, Idaho Code, there shall be an initial program fee18 of twenty-five dollars ($25.00) but there shall be no annual renewal fee.19 For special plates issued pursuant to sections 49-415D, 49-416A, 49-417,20 49-417A, 49-417B, 49-417C, 49-417D, 49-418A, 49-418B, 49-418C, 49-419,21 49-419A, 49-419C, 49-419E, 49-420, 49-420A, 49-420B, 49-420C, 49-420D,22 49-420E, 49-420J, 49-420K, 49-420L, 49-420M, 49-420N, 49-420O, 49-420P,23 49-420Q, 49-420R, 49-420S, and 49-420T, and 49-420T 49-420U, Idaho Code,24 and unless otherwise expressly provided for in this chapter, any new special25 plate program effective on and after January 1, 2013, pursuant to section26 49-402D, Idaho Code, there shall be an initial program fee of thirty-five27 dollars ($35.00) and an annual program fee of twenty-five dollars ($25.00).28 The fees contained in this subsection shall be applicable to all new special29 plate programs and shall be subject to staggered registration for the pur-30 pose of reregistration and notice of expiration. The initial program fee31 and the annual program fee shall be deposited in the state highway account32 and shall be used to fund the cost of administration of special license plate33 programs, unless otherwise specified by law.34 (10) Any vehicle that does not meet federal motor vehicle safety stan-35 dards shall not be registered and shall not be permitted to operate on public36 highways of the state, as defined in section 40-117, Idaho Code, unless oth-37 erwise specifically authorized.38 (11) In addition to annual registration fees as provided in this sec-39 tion, registrants may pay a fee to purchase an Idaho state parks passport40 authorizing resident motor vehicle entry into all Idaho state parks. Reg-41 istrants may pay the fee for a one (1) year or two (2) year period of time.42 The fee shall be ten dollars ($10.00) for one (1) year and twenty dollars43 ($20.00) for two (2) years. All fees collected pursuant to this subsection44 shall be deposited into the park and recreation fund and shall be subject to45 appropriation. Fees collected pursuant to this subsection shall not be con-46 sidered a motor vehicle registration fee as provided in section 17, article47 VII of the constitution of the state of Idaho.48

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SECTION 3. That Chapter 4, Title 49, Idaho Code, be, and the same is1 hereby amended by the addition thereto of a NEW SECTION, to be known and des-2 ignated as Section 49-416A, Idaho Code, and to read as follows:3 49-416A. AMERICA250 PLATES. (1) Notwithstanding the provisions of4 section 49-402C, Idaho Code, on and after July 1, 2026, any person who is the5 owner of a vehicle registered under the provisions of section 49-402, Idaho6 Code, or registered under any other section of law for which the purchase7 of special plates is allowed, may apply for and, upon department approval,8 receive special America250 license plates in lieu of regular license plates.9 (2) The provisions of this section shall not apply to any vehicle with10 a registered maximum gross weight over twenty-six thousand (26,000) pounds.11 Availability of America250 license plates for other vehicles shall be sub-12 ject to the rules, policies, and procedures of the department.13 (3) In addition to the regular registration fee, the applicant shall be14 charged a fee of thirty-five dollars ($35.00) for the initial issuance of the15 plates and twenty-five dollars ($25.00) upon each succeeding annual regis-16 tration. Ten dollars ($10.00) of the initial fee and ten dollars ($10.00)17 of the renewal fee shall be deposited in the state highway account and shall18 be used to fund the cost of the administration of this special license plate19 program. Twenty-five dollars ($25.00) of each initial fee and fifteen dol-20 lars ($15.00) of each renewal fee shall be transferred by the state treasurer21 to the Idaho heritage trust.22 (4) Whenever title or interest in a vehicle registered under the pro-23 visions of this section is transferred or assigned, the owner may transfer24 the special plates to another vehicle upon payment of the required transfer25 fees. The owner may only display the plates on another vehicle upon receipt26 of the new registration from the department.27 (5) The America250 license plate shall have a red, white, and blue back-28 ground and display the text "America250" centered on the bottom. The design29 shall be acceptable to the Idaho heritage trust and shall be approved by the30 department. Initial costs of the plate program, including costs of plate de-31 sign, shall be paid by the Idaho heritage trust.32 (6) Sample America250 license plates may be purchased for a fee of33 thirty dollars ($30.00), ten dollars ($10.00) of which shall be deposited34 in the state highway account and twenty dollars ($20.00) of which shall be35 transferred to the Idaho heritage trust.36

SECTION 4. That Section 49-450, Idaho Code, be, and the same is hereby37 amended to read as follows:38 49-450. ADDITIONAL FEE FOR EACH PLATE ISSUED. In addition to the vehi-39 cle registration fee provided by law, whenever any plate is issued for ve-40 hicle registration, there shall be charged a fee of three dollars and sev-41 enty-five cents ($3.75) per plate, which shall be deposited into the plate42 manufacturing account created in section 49-450A, Idaho Code. The actual43 cost of producing and distributing license plates and the fifty cents (50¢)44 per plate fee designated to the Idaho heritage trust for the use of the copy-45 righted design provided for in section 49-443(1), Idaho Code, shall be paid46 from the plate manufacturing account. The difference between deposits into47 the account and disbursements out of the account not anticipated for future48

5 production cost increases, shall be transferred by the state controller from1 the plate manufacturing account to the highway distribution account as es-2 tablished in section 40-701, Idaho Code, for apportionment as designated in3 that section. Funds designated to the Idaho heritage trust shall be matched4 with equal funds from other sources for funding projects designed to pre-5 serve Idaho's historic resources.6

SECTION 5. That Section 67-7602B, Idaho Code, be, and the same is hereby7 amended to read as follows:8 67-7602B. FUNDING. The Idaho heritage trust shall receive funds col-9 lected in section 49-450 pursuant to section 49-416A, Idaho Code, in the10 amount of fifty cents (50¢) per plate for the use of the copyrighted design11 provided in section 49-443(10), Idaho Code. The Idaho transportation de-12 partment shall collect such funds and distribute them to the Idaho heritage13 trust fund quarterly. The role of the heritage trust is to accept proposals14 from the public requesting funds for heritage preservation projects. The15 proposals are evaluated on established criteria, and if in the opinion of16 the heritage trust they qualify, a grant may be awarded subject to the avail-17 ability of funds. The heritage trust shall insure ensure that the following18 occurs in respect to the management of funds:19 (1) Funds earned from the use of the motor vehicle license plate design20 pursuant to section 49-416A, Idaho Code, shall be deposited directly into21 the trust fund where it will earn interest that will be used for heritage22 preservation projects. Contributions from private fund raising fundraising23 efforts may also be deposited to the trust fund.24 (2) Only the interest earned from the trust fund shall be expended, and25 the trust fund shall remain as a permanent endowment generating income in26 perpetuity for heritage preservation.27 (3) The Idaho heritage trust shall require project sponsors to match28 the funds granted for each project, so that no more than half the monetary29 support for any project shall come from the proceeds of the trust fund.30

SECTION 6. An emergency existing therefor, which emergency is hereby31 declared to exist, this act shall be in full force and effect on and after32 July 1, 2026.33