(1)    Design. At intervals determined by the department, the department shall establish new designs of registration plates to be issued under ss. 341.14 (1), (1a), (1m), (1q), (2), (2m), (6m), and (6r), 341.25 (1) (a), (c), (h), and (j) and (2) (a), (b), and (c), and 341.26 (2) and (3) (a) 1. and (am). Any design for registration plates issued for automobiles and for vehicles registered on the basis of gross weight shall comply with the applicable design requirements of ss. 341.12 (3), 341.13, and 341.14 (6r) (c). The designs for registration plates specified in this subsection shall be as similar in appearance as practicable during each design interval. Except as provided in ss. 341.13 (2r) and 341.14 (1), each registration plate issued under s. 341.14 (1), (1a), (1m), (1q), (2), (2m), (6m), or (6r), 341.25 (1) (a), (c), (h), or (j) or (2) (a), (b), or (c), or 341.26 (2) or (3) (a) 1. or (am) during each design interval shall be of the design established under this subsection. The department may not redesign registration plates for the special groups under s. 341.14 (6r) (f) 53., 54., or 55. until July 1, 2010.

   (2)   Issuance.

      (a)    Notwithstanding s. 341.13 (3) and subject to par. (b), beginning with registrations initially effective July 1, 2022, upon receipt of a completed application to renew the registration of a vehicle under s. 341.25 (1) (a) or (c) or (2) (a), (b), or (c) for which a registration plate has not been issued during the previous 10 years, the department shall issue and deliver prepaid to the applicant 2 new registration plates of the design established under sub. (1).

      (b)    The department may issue new registration plates under par. (a) in a time frame determined by the department, but the department shall complete the issuance of new registration plates under par. (a) no later than July 1, 2032.

   (3)   Applicability. This section does not apply to special group plates under s. 341.14 (6r) (f) 19m., 33m., or 48m.