Distinctive license plates generally cannot be transferred between vehicle owners, but the county probate judge or license commissioner may authorize transfer or replacement in specified vehicle-acquisition situations.
The distinctive license plates issued pursuant to this division shall not be transferable as between motor vehicle owners, and in the event the owner of a vehicle bearing such distinctive plates shall sell, trade, exchange, or otherwise dispose of same, such plates shall be retained by the owner to whom issued and by him or her returned to the probate judge or license commissioner of the county, who shall receive and account for same in the manner stated below. In the event such owner shall acquire by purchase, trade, exchange, or otherwise a vehicle for which no standard plates have been issued during the current license period, the probate judge or license commissioner of the county shall, upon being furnished by the owner thereof proper certification of the acquisition of such vehicle and the payment of the motor vehicle license tax due upon such vehicle, authorize the transfer to the vehicle of the distinctive license plates previously purchased by such owner, which plates shall authorize the operation of the vehicle for the remainder of the then current license period. In the further event the owner of such distinctive plates shall acquire by purchase, trade, exchange, or otherwise a vehicle for which standard plates have been issued during the current license year, the probate judge or license commissioner shall, upon proper certification of such owner and upon delivery to such official of the standard plates previously issued for such vehicle, authorize the owner of such newly-acquired vehicle to place the distinctive plates previously purchased by him or her upon such vehicle and use same thereon for the remainder of the then current license period. Such notice of transfer of ownership shall be made of record by the probate judge or the license commissioner. Any person acquiring by purchase, trade, exchange, or otherwise any vehicle formerly bearing such distinctive plates shall be authorized, upon certification of such fact to the probate judge or license commissioner of the county and the payment of the fee now required by law, to purchase standard replacement plates for such vehicle which shall authorize the operation of such vehicle by the new owner for the remainder of the license period.