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One month later, and so far, there’s been few problems for farmers in Buckingham, Cumberland and Prince Edward in adapting to the new law. Back on July 1, the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles put a new rule in effect, requiring unregistered pickup trucks, panel trucks and sport utility vehicles used for farm work to display a placard tag.

To date across the Commonwealth, nearly four thousand farmers are using the farm use placards. And here in Lunenburg, DMV Public Relations and Media Liaison Jillian Cowherd said everything has been running smoothly since the agency began offering these plates.

“We have issued 3,904 placards as of July 1,” Cowherd said. “We did see a drastic jump in the number of applications for farm placards in the past month or so. As an example, in May, we sold 394 pairs of farm placards but in June, that number jumped to 1,941.”

This demand outpaced our anticipated supply, she said, resulting in minor delays in providing plates to applicants. Virginia Correctional Enterprises, which manufactures the state’s license plates, just completed producing a new batch and DMV is distributing those to customers who applied for individual plates as well as restocking DMV customer service centers and other service outlets.

“We are moving plates from localities that don’t have as high a demand to those selling more of the farm placards,” Cowherd explained. “VCE is also in the process of another production run, and once those are available, we expect no further issues.”

Other than this situation that resulted from greatly increased demand, she said the program has run smoothly.

‘Too early to tell’

Katelyn Rose Jordan, a local and state advocacy specialist-governmental relations with the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation, said that since the regulatory change has been in effect for a little more than 30 days that it’s too early to tell how farmers are taking to the new requirement. For more than 50 years, an unofficial farm use tag was all that was required for these vehicles to travel on public highways.

“Virginia farmers were well equipped for the change to occur,” Jordan said. “Virginia Farm Bureau has been informing our members about the changes that went into effect in July of this year for well over a year now, so people felt prepared and were ahead of the curve when the new laws went into effect.”

With some exceptions, she said VAFB members so far seem to be having a good experience with the roll out.

“One of the most common praises I hear about the process is that many members are able to complete the purchase of their placard quickly at their DMV,” Jordan said.

As with any new regulatory change, she noted, it takes time for the impacted agencies and their personnel to get up to speed.

“The Virginia Farm Bureau has an excellent relationship with the DMV, and many of the concerns that have been raised by members I have escalated and been able to resolve,” Jordan said.

Farmers with pickup and panel truck and SUVs used on their farming operations should take a look at the new regulations and see how their vehicles are affected by the changes, she said.

“If a DMV-issued placard is needed, I encourage them to make an appointment at their local DMV/DMV Select and purchase their needed placards,” Jordan said. “If you have questions, check out the resources available on the Virginia Farm Bureau website.”

How farmers can submit requests

Cowherd said they encourage anyone who needs a permanent DMV-issued farm use placard to put through their application as soon as possible.

“Should you come in to apply and there are not enough plates, please hold onto your transaction receipt until your plate arrives in the mail,” Cowherd said.

Under the new state law enacted by the 2023 General Assembly, the new permanent placards can be purchased at DMV offices for $15, allowing farmers to claim the unlicensed farm use exemption on pickup trucks, panel trucks and SUVs with a gross vehicle weight rating of 7,500 pounds or lower.

Vehicles with a GVWR greater than 7,500 pounds, along with trailers and semi-trailers, continue to qualify for the exemption but will only need to display the traditional red and white “farm use” tag available for purchase at a local farm store.

When applying for one of the new farm use placards, farmers will need to provide DMV the following information:

• Name of the owner or lessee of the vehicle.
• Farm location and acreage where the vehicle is used.
• Type of agricultural commodities produced on the farm.
• Statement signed by the owner or lessee that the vehicle will only be used for purposes allowed under the farm use exemption.
• Statement signed by the owner or lessee that the vehicle is an insured motor vehicle.
• Title.
• Year, make, model and VIN of vehicle.

The placard stays in place

The placard issued for a vehicle stays with it for as long as it is in use and does not have to be renewed. However, they are not transferable and a new placard has to be purchased for any vehicles added to the business.

“I want to thank Virginia farmers for how diligent they have been with ensuring their compliance early on these new regulations,” Jordan said. “Virginia Farm Bureau is happy to assist if they have any questions or concerns and is proud to be the voice for Virginia’s farmers.”

VAFB also has prepared a two-page document that provides farmers with the complete details on the required placards for non-registered farm vehicles. It is available online at bit.ly/4c03ATB.

Applications for the placards are available online at the DMV website, dmv.virginia.gov.