Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A. Motor Vehicles § 463. Disposition of registration plates

1. Property of State. Registration plates issued by the Secretary of State continue to be the property of the State.

1-A. Discontinued registration plates. Notwithstanding subsection 1, a general issue registration plate that is of a design no longer issued by the Secretary of State is the property of the person to whom the plate was issued.

2. Expiration upon transfer or assignment. When the owner of a vehicle transfers or assigns title or interest in a vehicle the registration expires.

3. Return of registration plate and registration certificate. When a registration certificate is suspended, revoked, canceled or has expired and the owner has no intention to renew or transfer within 6 months, the owner shall remove the registration plates and forward them, along with the registration certificate, to the Secretary of State.

4. Reassignment of registration number. The registrant may request that plates and the registration number be assigned in the registrant's name to another vehicle.

5. Unauthorized taking of registration plate. A person commits a Class E crime if that person steals, takes or carries away, without permission or authority, a registration plate from another person entitled to possession of that plate.