GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 1999
SESSION LAW 1999-392
AN ACT TO INCREASE THE FEES FOR REGISTRATION OF BOATS.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1. G.S. 75A-4 reads as rewritten:
"§ 75A-4. Identification numbers required.
Every vessel on the waters of this State shall be numbered.
numbered, except those vessels exempted from numbering under G.S. 75A-7.
No person shall operate or give permission for the operation of any vessel
on such waters unless the vessel is numbered in accordance with this Chapter,
or in accordance with applicable federal law, or in accordance with a federally
approved numbering system of another state, and unless
(1) The certificate of number awarded to such vessel is in full force and effect, and
(2) The identifying number set forth in the certificate of number is displayed on each side of the bow of such vessel."
Section 2. G.S. 75A-5(a) reads as rewritten:
"(a) The owner of each
vessel requiring numbering by this State shall file an application for number
with the Wildlife Resources Commission on forms approved by it. The
application shall be signed by the owner of the vessel, or his agent, and shall
be accompanied by a fee of eight dollars ($8.00) ten dollars ($10.00)
for a one-year period or by a fee of twenty dollars ($20.00) twenty-five
dollars ($25.00) for a three-year period; provided, however, there shall be
no fee charged for vessels owned and operated by nonprofit rescue squads if
they are operated exclusively for rescue purposes, including rescue
training. The applicant shall have the option of selecting a one-year
numbering period or a three-year numbering period. Upon receipt of the
application in approved form, the Commission shall have the same entered upon
the records of its office and issue to the applicant a certificate of number
stating the number awarded to the vessel and the name and address of the owner,
and a validation decal indicating the expiration date of the certificate of number.
The owner shall paint on or attach to each side of the bow of the vessel the
identification number in such manner as may be prescribed by rules of the
Commission in order that it may be clearly visible. The number shall be
maintained in legible condition. The validation decal shall be displayed
on the starboard bow of the vessel immediately following the number. The
certificate of number shall be pocket size and shall be available at all times
for inspection on the vessel for which issued, whenever such vessel is in
operation. Provided, however, any person charged with failing to so carry
such certificate of number shall not be convicted if he produces in court a
certificate of number theretofore issued to him and valid at the time of his arrest."
Section 3. G.S. 75A-5(c) reads as rewritten:
"(c) Should the ownership
of a vessel change, a new application form with a fee of eight dollars
($8.00) ten dollars ($10.00) for a one-year period or by a fee of twenty
dollars ($20.00) twenty-five dollars ($25.00) for a three-year
period shall be filed with the Wildlife Resources Commission and a new
certificate bearing the same number shall be awarded the new owner in the
manner as provided for in an original award of number. In case a
certificate should become lost, a new certificate bearing the same number shall
be issued upon payment of a fee of two dollars ($2.00). Possession of the
certificate shall in cases involving prosecution for violation of any provision
of this Chapter be prima facie evidence that the person whose name appears
therein is the owner of the boat referred to therein."
Section 4. G.S. 75A-5(h) reads as rewritten:
"(h) (Effective July 1,
1999) Each certificate of number awarded pursuant to this Chapter must be
renewed on or before the first day of the month next succeeding that during
which the same expires; otherwise, such certificate shall lapse and be void
until such time as it may thereafter be renewed. Application for renewal shall
be submitted on a form approved by the Wildlife Resources Commission and shall
be accompanied by a fee of eight dollars ($8.00) ten dollars ($10.00)
for a one-year period or by a fee of twenty dollars ($20.00) twenty-five
dollars ($25.00) for a three-year period; provided, there shall be no fee
required for renewal of certificates of number which have been previously
issued to commercial fishing vessels as defined in G.S. 75A-5.1, upon
compliance with all of the requirements of that section."
Section 5. G.S. 75A-3(c) reads as rewritten:
"(c) The Boating Account is established within the Wildlife Resources Fund created under G.S. 143-250. All moneys collected pursuant to the numbering and titling provisions of this Chapter shall be credited to this Account. Gasoline excise tax revenue is credited to the Account under G.S. 105-449.126. Revenue in the Account shall be used by the Wildlife Resources Commission, subject to the Executive Budget Act and the Personnel Act, for the administration and enforcement of this Chapter; for activities relating to boating and water safety including education and waterway marking and improvement; and for boating access area acquisition, development, and maintenance. At least three dollars ($3.00) of each one-year vessel registration fee and at least nine dollars ($9.00) of each three-year vessel registration fee collected under the numbering provisions of G.S. 75A-5 shall be used for boating access area acquisition, development, and maintenance."
Section 6. Section 5 of this act becomes effective January 1, 2000, and applies to fees collected from each boat registration in effect on or after that date. The remainder of this act becomes effective January 1, 2000.
In the General Assembly read three times and ratified this the 15th day of July, 1999.
s/ Dennis A. Wicker
President of the Senate
s/ James B. Black
Speaker of the House of Representatives
s/ James B. Hunt, Jr.
Governor
Approved 10:24 p.m. this 4th day of August, 1999