Authorizes MVC to enter into contract with private vendor for marketing and sale of certain license plates.

A4786

ASSEMBLY, No. 4786

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

INTRODUCED MARCH 19, 2026

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman� WILLIAM F. MOEN, JR.

District 5 (Camden and Gloucester)

SYNOPSIS

���� Authorizes MVC to enter into contract with private
vendor for marketing and sale of certain license plates.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� As introduced.

��

An Act

concerning contracts for the marketing and sale
of certain license plates issued by the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission and
supplementing Title 39 of the Revised Statutes.

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

���� 1.��� a.� The New Jersey Motor
Vehicle Commission may enter into a contract with the private vendor whose
proposal is most advantageous to the State in accordance with paragraphs (6),
(8), and (9) of subsection a. of section 13 of P.L.2003, c.13 (C.39:2A-13), as
determined from competitive sealed proposals, for the marketing and sale of
personalized, courtesy, or special license plates authorized by this Title, including
license plates that the public may compete to obtain by auction.

���� b.��� Any contract that the
commission enters into with a private vendor, in accordance with subsection a.
of this section, shall be for a period of not less than five years with the
initial contract term commencing upon the public advertisement of the license
plate program with which the private vendor is under contract, and shall be
renewable for up to two additional contract terms for a period of not less than
five� years each in duration.

���� c.���� Any contract that the
commission enters into with a private vendor, in accordance with the provisions
of subsection a. of this section, shall also provide for the commission to
recover all costs incurred by the commission in implementing this section.�

���� Under the contract the
commission may require the private vendor to reimburse the commission in
advance for:

���� (1)�� not more than one-half
of the commission's anticipated costs in connection with the contract; and

���� (2)�� the commission's
anticipated costs in connection with the introduction of a new personalized,
courtesy, or specialty license plate, including any license plate that the
public may compete to obtain by auction.

���� d.��� Instead of the fees and
the license plate year terms for the registration of motor vehicles established
for personalized, courtesy, and special license plates authorized by this Title,
including license plates that the public may compete to obtain by auction, the
commission may promulgate rules to establish fees and license plate year terms
for the registration of motor vehicles for the issuance or renewal of
personalized, courtesy, or special license plates, including license plates
that the public may compete to obtain by auction, that are marketed and sold by
the private vendor.� Fees shall be reasonable and not less than the amounts necessary
to allow the commission to recover all reasonable costs to the commission
associated with the implementation and enforcement of the contract, including
direct, indirect, and administrative costs.� License plate year terms for the
registration of motor vehicles shall be offered at annual and various
multi-year term lengths as approved by the commission. A fee established under
this subsection shall be in addition to:�

���� (1)�� the registration fee
prescribed by this Title for the registration of a motor vehicle; and

���� (2)�� any renewal fee
established for a special license plate by the provision of law that authorizes
the issuance of the special license plate.

���� e.���� Any contract with a
private vendor for the marketing and sale of personalized, courtesy, or special
license plates, including license plates that the public may compete to obtain
by auction, is payable only from amounts derived from the collection of the fees
established under subsection d. of this section.

���� f.���� To the extent that
specialty license plate fees collected under this section are in excess of the
minimum amount required under subsections d. or e., the excess amount shall be
deposited as a credit to the General Fund.

���� g.��� The commission may
approve a new design and color combinations for personalized or courtesy
license plates that are marketed and sold by a private vendor under a contract
entered into with the private vendor pursuant to subsection a. of this
section.� Each approved license plate design and color combination shall remain
the property of the commission and shall be in accordance with the provisions
of R.S.39:3-33, section 1 of P.L.1954, c.221 (C.39:3-33.2), section 2 of
P.L.1989, c.202 (C.39:3-33.9), and the regulations promulgated pursuant thereto.

���� h.��� The commission may
approve new design and color combinations for special license plates authorized
by this Title, including license plates that the public may compete to obtain
by auction, that are marketed and sold by a private vendor under a contract
entered into with the private vendor pursuant to subsection a. of this
section.� Each approved license plate design and color combination shall remain
the property of the commission and shall be in accordance with the provisions
of R.S.39:3-33, section 1 of P.L.1954, c.221 (C.39:3-33.2), section 2 of
P.L.1989, c.202 (C.39:3-33.9), and the regulations promulgated pursuant
thereto.�

���� Nothing in this section shall
be construed to authorize or permit:

���� (1)�� the commission to
approve a design or color combination for a special license plate that is
inconsistent with the design or color combination specified for the special
license plate by the provision of law that authorizes the issuance of the
special license plate; or

���� (2)�� the private vendor to
market and sell a special license plate with a design or color combination that
is inconsistent with the design or color combination specified by the provision
of law that authorizes the issuance of the special license plate.

���� i.���� The commission may
cancel a license plate or require the discontinuation of an approved license
plate design or color combination that is marketed and sold by a private vendor
under contract at any time if the commission determines that the cancellation
or discontinuation is in the best interest of this State or the motoring
public.

���� 2.��� This act shall take
effect on the first day of the next month following enactment.� The Chief
administrator may take such administrative actions as may be necessary for the
timely implementation of this act.

STATEMENT

����� This bill authorizes the New
Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) to enter into a contract with an
experienced private vendor for the marketing and sale of personalized,
courtesy, or special license plates, including plates that the public may
compete to obtain by auction, for a period of not less than five years with the
initial contract term commencing upon the public advertisement of the license
plate program but may be renewed for up to two additional contract terms for a
period of not less than five years each in duration.

���� Any contract that MVC enters
into with a private vendor is required to provide for the recovery of all costs
incurred by MVC in implementing the provisions of this bill but may also
require that the private vendor reimburse MVC in advance for not more than
one-half of MVC�s anticipated costs in connection with the contract and the
introduction of a new personalized, courtesy, or specialty license plate.

���� Under the bill, instead of the
fees and the license plate year terms for the registration of motor vehicles
established for personalized, courtesy, and special license plates authorized
by statute, including plates that the public may compete to obtain by auction,
the MVC may, by rule, establish fees and license plate year terms for the
registration of motor vehicles for the issuance or renewal of personalized,
courtesy, or special license plates, including plates that the public may
compete to obtain by auction, that are marketed and sold by the private
vendor.� The fees are to be reasonable and not less than the amounts necessary
to allow the MVC to recover all reasonable costs associated with the
implementation and enforcement of the contract, including direct, indirect, and
administrative costs. �License plate year terms for the registration of motor
vehicles are to be offered at certain term lengths, as approved by the MVC.�
The fee is to be in addition to the registration fee prescribed by law for the registration
of a motor vehicle and any renewal fee established for a special license plate
by the provision of law that authorizes the issuance of the special license
plate.

���� The bill provides that any
contract with a private vendor for the marketing and sale of personalized,
courtesy, or special license plates, including plates that the public may
compete to obtain by auction, is to be payable only from amounts derived from
the fees established by the bill.� Any fees collected in excess of the minimum
fees established by MVC are to be deposited as a credit to the General Fund.

���� The bill also provides that
the MVC may approve a new design and color combinations for personalized,
courtesy, or special license plates, including plates that the public may
compete to obtain by auction, that are marketed and sold by a private vendor under
a contract entered into with the private vendor.� Each approved license plate
design and color combination is to remain the property of the MVC and conform
to applicable laws and regulations concerning the style and form of license
plates in this State.

���� Nothing in the bill, however,
is to be construed to authorize or permit: �(1) the MVC to approve a design or
color combination for a special license plate that is inconsistent with the
design or color combination specified for the special license plate by the
provision of law that authorizes the issuance of the special license plate; or (2)
the private vendor to market and sell a special license plate with a design or
color combination that is inconsistent with the design or color combination
specified by the provision of law that authorizes the issuance of the special
license plate.

���� Finally, the bill permits the
MVC to cancel a license plate or require the discontinuation of an approved
license plate design or color combination that is marketed and sold by a
private vendor under contract at any time if the MVC determines that the
cancellation or discontinuation is in the best interest of this State or the
motoring public.