A5634

An Act concerning a centralized fleet vehicle registration system and supplementing Title 39 of the Revised Statutes.

Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. As used in P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill):

“Centralized fleet vehicle registration system” or “system” means the system established pursuant to subsection a. of section 2 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill).

“Chief administrator” means the Chief Administrator of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission.

“Commission” means the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission.

“Eligible government entity” means and includes the State and counties, municipalities, independent authorities, commissions, school districts, and other public bodies or instrumentalities of the State that own or operate 10 or more vehicles.

“Eligible private entity” means and includes a private business, non-profit organization, public utility, contractor, or other entity that owns or operates 10 or more light duty vehicles.

“Fleet vehicles” means 10 or more vehicles owned or operated by an eligible government entity or an eligible private entity. “Fleet vehicles” shall not include any vehicle registered, or required to be registered, under the International Registration Plan.

“Light duty vehicle” means any two-axle, four-wheel vehicle, designed primarily for passenger travel or light duty commercial use, and approved for travel on public roads. “Light duty vehicle” includes, but is not limited to, any vehicle commonly referred to as a car, minivan, sport utility vehicle, cross-over, or pick-up truck.

“Public utility” means the same as that term is defined in R.S.48:2-13.

“Registration year” means the 12-month registration period for which the registration fees are calculated, which period begins upon the registration of an eligible government entity’s or eligible private entity’s fleet vehicles with the centralized fleet vehicle registration system.

2. a. The chief administrator shall establish, or cause to be established, an online centralized fleet vehicle registration system that enables each eligible government entity and each eligible private entity to annually register its fleet vehicles through a single transaction.

b. At a minimum, the centralized fleet vehicle registration system shall:

(1) enable an eligible government entity or eligible private entity to electronically add or remove vehicles from the system;

(2) be accessible to each eligible government entity and each eligible private entity through the commission’s Internet website; and

(3) to the extent feasible, be capable of identifying and alerting the responsible eligible government entity or eligible private entity of any impending expiration dates concerning any vehicle’s registration, insurance, or inspection, or any other applicable requirements established under Title 39 of the Revised Statutes, or any rule or regulation adopted pursuant thereto.

c. Nothing in P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill) shall be construed to affect the insurance, inspection, certificate of ownership, or other applicable requirements established under Title 39 of the Revised Statutes or any rule or regulation adopted pursuant thereto, and all existing annual registration fees and other applicable charges shall remain due and payable unless otherwise provided by an applicable law, rule, or regulation.

d. The chief administrator may establish a reasonable administrative fee as may be necessary to administer the centralized fleet vehicle registration system. However, no eligible government entity or eligible private entity shall be required to pay any additional fees beyond the reasonable administrative fee to utilize the centralized fleet vehicle registration system.

e. (1) Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, a vehicle shall not be deemed to be registered with the centralized fleet vehicle registration system until the requisite documentation, including a registration application, proof of insurance coverage, and any other documentation required by the chief administrator, is received and any applicable fees and charges are paid.

(2) For any vehicle with an extended registration period, as provided under R.S.39:3-4, or any other applicable law, rule, or regulation, an eligible government entity or eligible private entity may, in lieu of providing a registration application, proof of insurance coverage, and any other documentation required by the chief administrator, certify, at the time of the initial registration with the centralized fleet vehicle registration system, and each year after that for the duration of the extended registration period, that the registration is valid. No fees or charges shall be due during the extended registration period. At the end of the extended registration period, upon receipt of the requisite documentation, including a registration application, proof of insurance coverage, and any other documentation required by the chief administrator, is received and any applicable fees and charges are paid, the vehicle shall be treated as a vehicle added to the centralized fleet vehicle registration system after the commencement of the registration year pursuant to subsection b. of section 3 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill).

3. a. An eligible government entity or eligible private entity may simultaneously register its fleet vehicles through the centralized fleet vehicle registration system on an annual basis. The registration of each vehicle entered in the centralized fleet vehicle registration system by the eligible government entity or eligible private entity shall expire in the same month. The eligible government entity or eligible private entity may select an available expiration month in accordance with any applicable procedures established by the commission.

b. An eligible government entity or eligible private entity may add vehicles acquired after the commencement of the registration year to the centralized fleet vehicle registration system. Notwithstanding any applicable law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, the registration of any vehicle that is added to the centralized fleet vehicle registration system after the commencement of the registration year shall expire at the same time as that of the eligible government entity’s or eligible private entity’s previously registered fleet vehicles. The registration fee for the newly added vehicle shall be prorated for that registration year and shall be due and payable at the time of registration.

c. Fleet vehicles registered through the centralized fleet vehicle registration system shall receive a permanent fleet vehicle registration certificate, decal, credential, or other identifier, as determined by the commission, which shall not be required to be replaced with each annual registration renewal. However, the permanent fleet vehicle registration certificate, decal, credential, or other identifier shall not be deemed to replace or supplant the annual registration requirement for fleet vehicles. If the permanent fleet vehicle registration certificate, decal, credential, or other identifier issued by the commission is defaced, destroyed, lost, or stolen, the eligible government entity or eligible private entity shall apply for a replacement registration certificate, decal, credential, or other identifier issued by the commission in a form and manner to be determined by the chief administrator.

4. The chief administrator shall, in accordance with the “Administrative Procedure Act,” P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), adopt rules and regulations as necessary to implement P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill), including, but not limited to, procedures for identifying and alerting an eligible government entity or eligible private entity, through the centralized fleet vehicle registration system, of any impending expiration dates or other requirements, prior to such requirements becoming due.

5. This act shall take effect on the sixth month next following the date of enactment. However, the Chief Administrator of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission may take any anticipatory administrative action prior to the effective date as may be necessary for the implementation of this act.

STATEMENT

This bill requires the Chief Administrator of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (chief administrator) to establish a centralized fleet vehicle registration system (system).

Specifically, the bill requires the chief administrator to establish, or cause to be established, an online system that enables each eligible government entity and each eligible private entity (collectively, “eligible entities”) to annually register fleet vehicles through a single transaction. At a minimum, the system is required to: (1) enable eligible entities to electronically add or remove their fleet vehicles; (2) be accessible to the eligible entities through the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission’s (commission) Internet website; and (3) be capable of identifying and alerting the responsible eligible entities of impending expiration dates or other requirements concerning any vehicle’s registration, insurance, inspection, or other applicable requirements, to the extent feasible.

The bill clarifies that the provisions of the bill are not to be construed to affect the insurance, inspection, certificate of ownership, or other applicable requirements imposed under current law and that all existing annual registration fees and other applicable charges are to remain due and payable unless otherwise provided by an applicable law, rule, or regulation. The bill also authorizes the chief administrator to establish a reasonable administrative fee as may be necessary to administer the system, provided that the eligible entities are not required to pay any additional fees to utilize the system. The bill clarifies that, with the exception of vehicles with extended registration periods, a vehicle will not be deemed registered with the system until all the requisite documentation is received and any applicable fees and charges are paid.

Under the bill, eligible entities may simultaneously register the fleet vehicles through the system on an annual basis. The registration of each vehicle entered in the system by the respective eligible entities is to expire in the same month. The eligible entities may select an available expiration month in accordance with any applicable procedures established by the commission. The registration of any vehicle that is added to the system after the commencement of the registration year is to expire at the same time as that of the previously registered fleet vehicles. The registration fee for the newly added vehicle is to be prorated for that registration year and is to be due and payable at the time of registration.

Finally, the bill provides that fleet vehicles registered through the system are to receive a permanent fleet vehicle registration certificate, decal, credential, or other identifier, as determined by the commission, (identifier) that is not required to be replaced with each annual registration renewal. However, the identifier is not to be deemed to replace or supplant the annual registration requirement for fleet vehicles. If the identifier is defaced, destroyed, lost, or stolen, the eligible entities may apply for a replacement identifier in a form and manner to be determined by the chief administrator.

It is the sponsor’s intent that the system will streamline the registration and renewal process for the eligible entities. Specifically, the system is intended to reduce the administrative burden associated with managing multiple vehicle registrations by allowing eligible entities to annually register and manage fleet vehicles, select a common registration month for fleet vehicles registered with the system, and receive permanent fleet registration credentials. The system is also intended to improve the commission’s efficiency by consolidating registration transactions, reducing the amount of paperwork, and facilitating the electronic administration of fleet vehicle registrations and compliance requirements. However, the system does not relieve the eligible entities from any applicable registration fees, insurance, inspection, certificate of ownership, or other requirements imposed by law.