(1) Vehicles registered under ORS § 826.031 may be registered under staggered registration.

(2) For purposes of this section, staggered registration starts on the first day of any calendar quarter and runs through the last day of the last calendar quarter in the registration period. The number of calendar quarters in a registration period is elected by the vehicle owner at the time of registration except that a person may not establish a staggered registration period of more than four quarters.

(3) The Department of Transportation may allow a carrier registered under ORS § 826.031 to operate on expired registration plates and registration for up to one extra quarter if the renewal application has been submitted and the required fees for registration have been paid on or before the last day of the registration period for the vehicles. The extension of time allowed by this subsection shall be granted only if the department determines that the extension is necessary for the administrative convenience of the department.

(4) Nothing in this section requires the department to issue registration plates that are valid for less than a one-year period. An election by a carrier to operate in nonconsecutive quarters of a four-quarter period does not by itself require the carrier to renew registration plates. [Formerly 768.035]