(1)(a) Upon application and payment of the fees required pursuant to this section and section 60-3,198, the Division of Motor Carrier Services of the department shall issue to the owner of any fleet of apportionable commercial vehicles with a base registration in Nebraska a permanent license plate for each truck, truck-tractor, and trailer in the fleet. The application shall be accompanied by a fee of three dollars for each truck or truck-tractor and six dollars per trailer. The application shall be on a form developed by the division.

(b) The department may deliver the plates and registration certificate to the applicant by United States mail. The department may charge a postage and handling fee in an amount not more than necessary to recover the cost of postage and handling for the specific items mailed to the registrant.

(c) The department shall remit fees collected pursuant to this subsection to the State Treasurer for credit to the Motor Carrier Division Cash Fund.

(2) Fleets of apportionable vehicles license plates shall display a distinctive license plate provided by the department pursuant to this section.

(3) Any license plate issued pursuant to this section shall remain affixed to the front of the truck or truck-tractor or to the rear of the trailer or semitrailer as long as the apportionable vehicle is registered pursuant to section 60-3,198 by the owner making the original application pursuant to subsection (1) of this section. Upon transfer of ownership of the truck, truck-tractor, or trailer or transfer of ownership of the fleet or at any time the truck, truck-tractor, or trailer is no longer registered pursuant to section 60-3,198, the license plate shall cease to be active and shall be processed according to the rules and regulations of the department.

(4) The renewal fee for each permanent plate shall be two dollars and shall be assessed and collected in each license period after the period in which the permanent license plates are initially issued at the time all other renewal fees are collected pursuant to section 60-3,198 unless a truck, truck-tractor, or trailer has been deleted from the fleet registration.

(5)(a) If a permanent license plate is lost or destroyed, the owner shall submit an affidavit to that effect to the division prior to any deletion of the truck, truck-tractor, or trailer from the fleet registration. If the truck, truck-tractor, or trailer is not deleted from the fleet registration, a replacement permanent license plate may be issued upon payment of a fee of three dollars for each truck or truck-tractor and six dollars per trailer.

(b) If the registration certificate for any fleet vehicle is lost or stolen, the division shall collect a fee of one dollar for replacement of such certificate.

(6) If a truck, truck-tractor, or trailer for which a permanent license plate has been issued pursuant to this section is deleted from the fleet registration due to loss of possession by the registrant, the plate shall be returned to the division.

(7) The registrant shall be liable for the full amount of the registration fee due for any truck, truck-tractor, or trailer not deleted from the fleet registration renewal.

(8) All fees collected pursuant to this section other than those collected pursuant to subdivisions (1)(b) and (c) of this section shall be remitted to the State Treasurer for credit to the Highway Cash Fund.