Title 21, Motor Vehicles

§ 2140S. United Way of Delaware Pride Council special license plate. (a) The owner of any vehicle described in subsection (b) of this section may apply to the Division of Motor Vehicles (“Division”) for a special United Way of Delaware Pride Council license plate. The Division sh…

§ 2140T. William Penn High School special license plate. (a) The owner of any vehicle described in subsection (b) of this section may apply to the Division of Motor Vehicles (“Division”) for a special William Penn High School license plate. The Division shall issue the plate only…

§ 2140U. Delaware’s celebration of America’s 250th anniversary special license plate [Expires Dec. 31, 2026, pursuant to 85 Del. Laws, c. 219, § 1]. (a) The owner of any vehicle described in subsection (b) of this section may apply to the Division of Motor Vehicles (“Division”) f…

§ 2140V. Special license plates supporting Preservation Delaware, Inc. (a) The owner of any vehicle described in subsection (b) of this section may apply to the Division of Motor Vehicles (“Division”) for a special Preservation Delaware, Inc. license plate. The Division shall iss…

§ 2140W. Special registration plates supporting Delaware State University. (a) The owner of any vehicle described in subsection (b) of this section may apply to the Division of Motor Vehicles for a special Delaware State University registration plate. The Division shall issue the…

§ 2141. Inspection places. The Department shall provide and maintain 1 or more places in each county together with such facilities and such number of qualified inspectors as may be required for registration and inspection purposes.36 Del. Laws, c. 10, § 24; Code 1935, § 5562; 43 …

§ 2142. Purpose of inspections. Inspection shall be for the purpose of determining whether a vehicle is in a safe and fit condition to be operated upon the highways of the State, and whether it is equipped in the manner provided by law.36 Del. Laws, c. 10, § 24; Code 1935, § 5562…

§ 2143. Inspection of motor vehicle before registration; exception; vehicles outside State. (a) Before the Department registers, renews the registration of or reregisters a motor vehicle required to be registered under this title, such vehicle shall first be inspected by the Depa…

§ 2144. Other inspections; procedure; duty of owner. (a) At any time and notwithstanding the possession of current registration plates, as provided by this title, the Secretary, or any authorized agent of the Department or any police officer may, upon reasonable cause, require th…

§ 2145. School bus inspection. All school buses which transport pupils of any public, parochial or private school of this State shall receive a special inspection twice yearly at such time and place as specified by Department regulations. At such inspection each school bus shall …

§ 2146. Regulation of vehicular flow through inspection places. The Department shall adopt and enforce by July 1, 1969, such administrative rules and regulations as may be necessary to insure an even distribution of vehicular inspections at the inspection places in each county on…

§ 2147. Reconstructed motor vehicles. (a) Any motor vehicle that is more than 25 years old with a title brand of “reconstructed” that does not qualify to be registered as an antique motor vehicle under this chapter shall be exempt from emissions testing by the Division of Motor V…

§ 2151. Fee schedule; time of payment [For application of this section, see 85 Del. Laws, c. 40, § 15]. At the time of application for the registration of a motor vehicle and prior to the issuance of the current registration plates required by this title, there shall be paid to t…

§ 2151A. Alternative fuel registration fees [For application of this section, see 85 Del. Laws, c. 40, § 15]. At the time of application for the registration of a motor vehicle and prior to the issuance of the current registration plates required by this title, there shall be pai…

§ 2152. Optional provision for tractor trailer units. (a) The owner of every pickup truck, truck or truck tractor which is used to pull a semitrailer may elect to have the total gross load weight of the pickup truck, truck or truck tractor and semitrailer assessed against the pic…

§ 2153. Fee for manufacturers’, transporters’, automotive recyclers’ and dealers’ plates. Manufacturers, transporters, automotive recyclers and dealers who qualify under this chapter for special number plates shall pay to the Department for each calendar year $10 for each set of …

§ 2154. Special number plates for towed stock cars and other motor vehicles. (a) An owner of a stock car of the type used for racing may apply to the Department, upon appropriate forms provided by the Department, for a special plate which shall be displayed on the stock car when …

§ 2155. Fees for half-year and quarter-year registration. The registration fees for vehicles provided by this chapter shall be for a period of 12 months, but if the vehicle is registered or the registration renewed for a 6-month period, the applicant shall pay to the Department 1…

§ 2156. Fee for convertible vehicles, station wagons and suburbans; gross load weight of buses. (a) The registration fee for all convertible vehicles shall be ascertained upon the basis of the vehicle’s gross load weight. It shall be determined which is the greater, the gross loa…

§ 2157. Credit for registration fee on destroyed vehicle. Whenever the Department is furnished with satisfactory evidence of the destruction of a motor vehicle, either complete or to such an extent as to render it impossible to operate such vehicle as a motor vehicle during the p…

§ 2158. Fee for duplicate certificate of registration, registration plate or validation sticker. (a) The fee for a duplicate certificate of registration shall be $10. (b) The fee for a duplicate registration plate shall be $5.00. (c) The fee for a duplicate registration validatio…

§ 2159. Motor vehicles exempt from registration fees; plates for ambulances and fire and rescue trucks. (a) The following motor vehicles shall be registered but shall be exempt from the payment of registration fees: (1) All motor vehicles of the State or any governmental agency t…

§ 2160. Optional 7-year registration plates for trailers. (a) The owner of a fleet of trailers, meeting the requirements specified under § 2143(c) of this title, may elect to register such trailers for a 7-year period, by making application to the Department in accordance with th…

§ 2160A. Issuance of vehicle registration expiration notice upon request. Upon request by a vehicle owner, the Department shall mail a vehicle registration expiration notice 40 days prior to the expiration of the registration for the vehicle. A minimum fee of $1.00 per notice to …

§ 2161. Grounds for refusal to grant registration. The Department shall not grant an application for the registration of a motor vehicle when: (1) The applicant is not entitled thereto under this title; (2) The applicant has neglected or refused to furnish the Department with the…

§ 2162. Rescission, cancellation or suspension of registration. (a) The Department shall rescind, cancel or suspend the registration of a motor vehicle whenever the person to whom the registration card or registration or number plates therefor have been issued makes or permits to…

§ 2163. Appeal from decision of Department. An appeal to the Superior Court of the county wherein the registrant resides may be taken from any decision of the Department refusing, rescinding, cancelling or suspending the registration of any motor vehicle.36 Del. Laws, c. 10, § 24…

§ 2164. Registration and inspection of motor vehicles of disabled veterans. Any motor vehicle owned by a veteran with a disability who shall ever have been eligible for certain benefits under 38 U.S.C. § 1901 et seq. or Public Law 538, 93rd Congress shall be registered, but shall…

§ 2171. Operation of unregistered taxicab or limousine; exception. No person shall drive or move, nor shall any person, being the owner of a taxicab or limousine, knowingly permit to be driven or moved upon any highway, any taxicab or limousine which is not registered as a taxica…

§ 2172. Number plates. (a) The Department shall furnish for each vehicle registered as a taxicab or limousine 1 number plate as hereinafter provided. Upon the termination of the lawful use of any such plates, they shall be returned to the Department. (b) The number plate shall ha…

§ 2173. Marking of taxicabs. Every motor vehicle which is at any time used as a taxicab or which is intended to be used as a taxicab on any highway shall have painted thereupon in distinctive color and shall at all times bear the word “TAXI,” in letters having height of at least …

§ 2174. Penalties. Whoever violates this subchapter shall for the first offense be fined not less than $25 nor more than $100. For each subsequent like offense, such person shall be fined not less than $100 nor more than $200, or imprisoned not less than 10 nor more than 30 days,…

§ 2196. Special antique motor vehicle plates. (a) Upon application, the Department may furnish to the owner of a registered antique motor vehicle a special antique motor vehicle plate to be displayed on such antique motor vehicle. This special plate shall be issued in addition to…

§ 2197. Street rods. (a) If any modified antique motor vehicle manufactured more than 25 years prior to the current year, hereinafter referred to as a “street rod,” is duly registered in the State, the owner of such street rod may apply to the Secretary of the Department of Trans…

§ 2198. Inspection. (a) A motor vehicle registered as an antique motor vehicle shall be exempt from annual inspection. A motor vehicle must pass an initial inspection prior to the motor vehicle being registered as an antique motor vehicle. Motor vehicles registered as antique mot…

§ 2301. Certificate of title required before vehicle registered or operated. (a) The Department shall not register or renew the registration of any motor vehicle or truck tractor unless and until the owner thereof makes application for and is granted an official certificate of ti…

§ 2302. Application for certificate of title. (a) Every application for an original certificate of title shall be made upon the appropriate form furnished or approved by the Department and shall contain a full description of the motor vehicle including the name of the maker, the …

§ 2303. Bill of sale for new vehicle. When the application for a certificate of title refers to a new vehicle purchased from a dealer, the application shall be accompanied by the bill of sale or other written statement of the sale by the dealer, which bill of sale or statement sh…

§ 2304. Certificate of title; transfer-on-death. (a) A motor vehicle may be titled in transfer-on-death form by including in the certificate of title a designation of a beneficiary or beneficiaries to whom the motor vehicle shall be transferred on death of the owner or the last t…

§ 2305. Fee [For applicability of this section, see 80 Del. Laws, c. 77, § 23]. The fee for issuing a certificate of title for a vehicle shall be $35. Such fee shall be in addition to any fee charged for registration of the vehicle.32 Del. Laws, c. 8; Code 1915, § 254K; 34 Del. L…

§ 2306. Certificate of title; issuance. (a) The Department, when satisfied that the applicant for a certificate of title is the owner of the motor vehicle, shall thereupon issue in the name of the owner a certificate bearing a serial number and the signature of the Secretary, und…

§ 2307. Duration of certificate. The certificate of title shall be good for the life of the motor vehicle so long as the vehicle is owned or held by the original holder of such certificate.36 Del. Laws, c. 10, § 36; 38 Del. Laws, c. 28, § 2; Code 1935, § 5574; 21 Del. C. 1953, § …

§ 2308. File of surrendered certificates of title; return of certificates to issuing jurisdictions. The Department shall retain and appropriately file every surrendered certificate of title or copy thereof. The file is to be so maintained as to permit the tracing of title of the …

§ 2309. Duplicate certificates; fee. In the event of the loss of a certificate of title, the loss of which is accounted for to the satisfaction of the Department, a duplicate or substitute may be issued, the charge therefor to be $50.36 Del. Laws, c. 10, §§ 26, 40; Code 1935, §§ …

§ 2310. Altered or changed serial number. The owner of a motor vehicle, the serial number of which has been altered, removed or defaced, may make application for a special number in the form prescribed by the Department accompanied by a fee of $2.00. The applicant shall furnish s…

§ 2312. Refusal or revocation of certificate of title — Grounds. If the Department determines that an applicant for a certificate of title to a motor vehicle is not entitled thereto, it may refuse to issue such certificate and, in that event, unless the Department reverses its de…