Road Safety Act 1986

The person who owns registration number rights in respect of a particular registration number has—

the right to have that registration number assigned to a vehicle registered by the Secretary of which that person is the registered operator; and

the right to be issued with 2 number plates (of a type that, in the opinion of the Secretary, is appropriate to that registration number) bearing that registration number; and

the right to display number plates bearing that registration number on the vehicle to which that number is assigned by the Secretary.

The rights referred to in subsection (1)—

are exclusive to the owner of those rights; and

may be exercised at any time, whether at the time of purchase of the registration number rights or at any later time; and

may only be exercised subject to, and in accordance with, this Act and the regulations; and

may be transferred to any other person who has attained the prescribed age, or otherwise dealt with, by the owner of those rights; and

cease if they are cancelled under the regulations; and

form part of the property of the estate of the owner on his or her death; and

cannot be issued, sold, transferred or bequeathed to, or inherited by, a person who is under the prescribed age.

The regulations may provide that a fee is payable for the transfer of registration number rights.

If a periodical charge payable in respect of registration number rights is not paid, the registration number rights under subsection (1)(a) and (b), and the right to transfer a right under subsection (2)(d), may be suspended or cancelled under the regulations.

Subject to this Act and the regulations, the Secretary must take all necessary steps to give effect to the exercise of any right referred to in subsection (1).

If—

a vehicle is sold (whether before, on or after the commencement of Division 1 of Part 6 of the Transport Legislation (Miscellaneous Amendments) Act 2004) together with a number plate issued by the Secretary displayed on it; and

that number plate bears the registration number assigned to the vehicle at the time of the sale; and

that registration number is at the time of the sale the subject of registration number rights—

The Secretary must not assign to a vehicle, or issue a number plate bearing, a registration number that is the subject of registration number rights except on an application made by, or with the consent of, the owner of those rights.

A number plate issued by the Secretary bearing a registration number that is the subject of registration number rights owned by a person remains the property of the State despite the separate ownership of the registration number rights.