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Home » US Law » 2022 West Virginia Code » Chapter 17A. Motor Vehicle Administration, Registration, Certificate of Title, and Antitheft Provisions » Article 5. Permits to Nonresident Owners » §17A-5-1. Exemptions From Registration of Nonresident Owners; Special Permit and Certificate in Lieu of Registration for Nonresidents Maintaining Temporary and Recurrent or Seasonal Residence in State

(a) A nonresident owner, except as otherwise provided in this section, owning any vehicle registered in a foreign state or country of a Class A type otherwise subject to registration hereunder may operate or permit the operation of such vehicle within this state for a period of thirty days without registering such vehicle in, or paying any fees to, this state subject to the condition that such vehicle at all times when operated in this state is duly registered in and displays upon it a valid registration card and registration plate or plates issued for such vehicle in the place of residence of such owner and that such vehicle is not operated for commercial purposes.

(b) Every nonresident, including any foreign corporation, carrying on business within this state and owning and regularly operating in such business any motor vehicle, trailer or semitrailer or mobile equipment as defined in section one, article one, chapter seventeen-a of this code, within this state, shall be required to register each such vehicle and pay the same fee therefor as is required with reference to like vehicles owned by residents of this state, except as otherwise provided by reciprocal agreements with other states accomplished pursuant to sections ten and ten-a, article two of this chapter.

(c) Any nonresident who accepts or engages in temporary and recurrent or seasonal employment, business, profession or occupation in this state and maintains temporary and recurrent or seasonal residence in this state in connection with such employment, business, profession or occupation, and any nonresident, including any corporation carrying on business of a temporary and recurrent or seasonal nature in this state and owning and temporarily and recurrently or seasonally operating in such business any motor vehicle, trailer or semitrailer or mobile equipment as defined in section one, article one, chapter seventeen-a of this code, within this state, may operate or permit the operation of such vehicle within this state without causing said vehicle to be registered as otherwise required by article three of this chapter: Provided, That such nonresident, in lieu of registration of such vehicle, shall make application to the division and receive a special permit for such vehicle which shall be evidenced by a metal identification plate and certificate in writing, which special permit plate and certificate shall together identify the vehicle for which such special permit and plate shall issue and such certificate shall bear the name and address of the owner of such vehicle. Such special permit shall be issued without previous certification of title to such vehicle as otherwise required by article three of this chapter or the provisions of subsection (b) of this section:

(1) Every owner of a vehicle for which such special permit is desired shall make a verified application to the division for such special permit upon the appropriate form or forms furnished by the division and shall bear the signature of the owner written with pen and ink and shall contain the character of information called for by section three, article three of this chapter, a description of the employment, residence, business and location of such business set forth in such manner as to show the temporary and recurrent or seasonal nature of such residence, employment, business, profession or occupation, and that such vehicle is duly registered in the state of residence of such owner. There shall be an application for each vehicle for which a special permit is desired.