1344                               Laws of Maryland                          Ch. 534

(b) The provisions of this section requiring that a registration
card be carried in the vehicle to which it refers or by the person
driving it do not apply if the card is used for the purpose of making
application for transfer of registration of the vehicle.

§ 3-410. Registration plates to be furnished by the department.

(a)    The department upon registering a vehicle shall issue to the
owner one registration plate for a motorcycle, trailer, or semitrailer,
and two registration plates for every other vehicle, but the depart-
ment may provide for the issuance of only one temporary registra-
tion plate for any type of vehicle.

(b)    Every registration plate shall have displayed upon it the
registration number assigned to the vehicle for which it is issued, the
name of this State, which may be abbreviated, and the year number
for which it is issued or the date of expiration thereof. The registra-
tion number shall be not less than 3 inches high, with each stroke not
less than ¼ inch in width, except that the number on plates for
vehicles which require only one registration plate shall be not less
than 1 inch high, with each stroke not less than ⅛ inch in width.
The registration number may consist of letters, numerals, or both.
Registration plates SHALL NOT BE REFLECTORIZED BUT shall
be manufactured of a material or processed material warranted to
have a durability of not less than 5 years.

(c)    The commissioner may order the continued use during sub-
sequent registration years of registration plates which are valid dur-
ing any current registration year, and after doing so shall issue, at
the time a vehicle's registration is renewed, a validation tab to evi-
dence payment of the vehicle's annual registration fee. The tab shall
be displayed upon the plates of the vehicle in the manner prescribed
by the commissioner.

(d)    The department shall issue for every passenger motor vehicle
rented without a driver the same type of registration plates as the
type of plates issued for a private passenger vehicle.

§ 3-411. Display of registration plates.

(a)    On vehicles for which two registration plates are issued one
plate shall be attached in the front and the other in the rear of the
vehicle. On vehicles for which one registration plate is issued the
plate shall be attached to the rear of the vehicle.

(b)    Every registration plate at all times shall be securely
fastened in a horizontal position to the vehicle for which it is issued
so as to prevent the plate from swinging and in a place and position
to be clearly visible, and shall be maintained free from foreign
materials and in a condition to be clearly legible.

(c)    No person shall operate nor shall an owner permit to be
operated on any highway of this State, any vehicle required to be
registered hereunder, unless there shall be attached thereto and dis-
played thereon when and as required in this subtitle a valid registra-
tion plate or plates issued therefor by the department for the current
registration period, and any validation tab issued pursuant to section
3-410(c), except as otherwise expressly permitted in this article.