301.130. License plates, required slogan and information--special plates--plates, how displayed--tabs to be used--rulemaking authority, procedure. - Missouri Statutes

License plates, required slogan and information--specialplates--plates, how displayed--tabs to be used--rulemakingauthority, procedure.

301.130. 1. The director of revenue, upon receipt of a properapplication for registration, required fees and any other information whichmay be required by law, shall issue to the applicant a certificate ofregistration in such manner and form as the director of revenue mayprescribe and a set of license plates, or other evidence of registration,as provided by this section. Each set of license plates shall bear thename or abbreviated name of this state, the words "SHOW-ME STATE", themonth and year in which the registration shall expire, and an arrangementof numbers or letters, or both, as shall be assigned from year to year bythe director of revenue. The plates shall also contain fully reflectivematerial with a common color scheme and design for each type of licenseplate issued pursuant to this chapter. The plates shall be clearly visibleat night, and shall be aesthetically attractive. Special plates forqualified disabled veterans will have the "DISABLED VETERAN" wording on thelicense plates in preference to the words "SHOW-ME STATE" and specialplates for members of the national guard will have the "NATIONAL GUARD"wording in preference to the words "SHOW-ME STATE".

2. The arrangement of letters and numbers of license plates shall beuniform throughout each classification of registration. The director mayprovide for the arrangement of the numbers in groups or otherwise, and forother distinguishing marks on the plates.

3. All property-carrying commercial motor vehicles to be registeredat a gross weight in excess of twelve thousand pounds, allpassenger-carrying commercial motor vehicles, local transit buses, schoolbuses, trailers, semitrailers, motorcycles, motortricycles, motorscootersand driveaway vehicles shall be registered with the director of revenue asprovided for in subsection 3 of section 301.030, or with the state highwaysand transportation commission as otherwise provided in this chapter, butonly one license plate shall be issued for each such vehicle.

4. The plates issued to manufacturers and dealers shall bear theletters and numbers as prescribed by section 301.560, and the director mayplace upon the plates other letters or marks to distinguish commercialmotor vehicles and trailers and other types of motor vehicles.

5. No motor vehicle or trailer shall be operated on any highway ofthis state unless it shall have displayed thereon the license plate or setof license plates issued by the director of revenue or the state highwaysand transportation commission and authorized by section 301.140. Each suchplate shall be securely fastened to the motor vehicle or trailer in amanner so that all parts thereof shall be plainly visible and reasonablyclean so that the reflective qualities thereof are not impaired. Each suchplate may be encased in a transparent cover so long as the plate is plainlyvisible and its reflective qualities are not impaired. License platesshall be fastened to all motor vehicles except trucks, tractors, trucktractors or truck-tractors licensed in excess of twelve thousand pounds onthe front and rear of such vehicles not less than eight nor more thanforty-eight inches above the ground, with the letters and numbers thereonright side up. The license plates on trailers, motorcycles, motortricyclesand motorscooters shall be displayed on the rear of such vehicles, with theletters and numbers thereon right side up. The license plate on buses,other than school buses, and on trucks, tractors, truck tractors ortruck-tractors licensed in excess of twelve thousand pounds shall bedisplayed on the front of such vehicles not less than eight nor more thanforty-eight inches above the ground, with the letters and numbers thereonright side up or if two plates are issued for the vehicle pursuant tosubsection 3 of this section, displayed in the same manner on the front andrear of such vehicles. The license plate or plates authorized by section301.140, when properly attached, shall be prima facie evidence that therequired fees have been paid.

6. (1) The director of revenue shall issue annually or biennially atab or set of tabs as provided by law as evidence of the annual payment ofregistration fees and the current registration of a vehicle in lieu of theset of plates. Beginning January 1, 2010, the director may prescribe anyadditional information recorded on the tab or tabs to ensure that the tabor tabs positively correlate with the license plate or plates issued by thedepartment of revenue for such vehicle. Such tabs shall be produced ineach license bureau office.

(2) The vehicle owner to whom a tab or set of tabs is issued shallaffix and display such tab or tabs in the designated area of the licenseplate, no more than one per plate.

(3) A tab or set of tabs issued by the director of revenue whenattached to a vehicle in the prescribed manner shall be prima facieevidence that the registration fee for such vehicle has been paid.

(4) Except as otherwise provided in this section, the director ofrevenue shall issue plates for a period of at least six years.

(5) For those commercial motor vehicles and trailers registeredpursuant to section 301.041, the plate issued by the highways andtransportation commission shall be a permanent nonexpiring license platefor which no tabs shall be issued. Nothing in this section shall relievethe owner of any vehicle permanently registered pursuant to this sectionfrom the obligation to pay the annual registration fee due for the vehicle.The permanent nonexpiring license plate shall be returned to the highwaysand transportation commission upon the sale or disposal of the vehicle bythe owner to whom the permanent nonexpiring license plate is issued, or theplate may be transferred to a replacement commercial motor vehicle when theowner files a supplemental application with the Missouri highways andtransportation commission for the registration of such replacementcommercial motor vehicle. Upon payment of the annual registration fee, thehighways and transportation commission shall issue a certificate ofregistration or other suitable evidence of payment of the annual fee, andsuch evidence of payment shall be carried at all times in the vehicle forwhich it is issued.

(6) Upon the sale or disposal of any vehicle permanently registeredunder this section, or upon the termination of a lease of any such vehicle,the permanent nonexpiring plate issued for such vehicle shall be returnedto the highways and transportation commission and shall not be valid foroperation of such vehicle, or the plate may be transferred to a replacementvehicle when the owner files a supplemental application with the Missourihighways and transportation commission for the registration of suchreplacement vehicle. If a vehicle which is permanently registered underthis section is sold, wrecked or otherwise disposed of, or the leaseterminated, the registrant shall be given credit for any unused portion ofthe annual registration fee when the vehicle is replaced by the purchase orlease of another vehicle during the registration year.

7. The director of revenue and the highways and transportationcommission may prescribe rules and regulations for the effectiveadministration of this section. No rule or portion of a rule promulgatedunder the authority of this section shall become effective unless it hasbeen promulgated pursuant to the provisions of section 536.024, RSMo.

8. Notwithstanding the provisions of any other law to the contrary,owners of motor vehicles other than apportioned motor vehicles orcommercial motor vehicles licensed in excess of eighteen thousand poundsgross weight may apply for special personalized license plates. Vehicleslicensed for eighteen thousand pounds that display special personalizedlicense plates shall be subject to the provisions of subsections 1 and 2 ofsection 301.030.

9. No later than January 1, 2009, the director of revenue shallcommence the reissuance of new license plates of such design as directed bythe director consistent with the terms, conditions, and provisions of thissection and this chapter. Except as otherwise provided in this section, inaddition to all other fees required by law, applicants for registration ofvehicles with license plates that expire during the period of reissuance,applicants for registration of trailers or semitrailers with license platesthat expire during the period of reissuance and applicants for registrationof vehicles that are to be issued new license plates during the period ofreissuance shall pay the cost of the plates required by this subsection.The additional cost prescribed in this subsection shall not be charged topersons receiving special license plates issued under section 301.073 or301.443. Historic motor vehicle license plates registered pursuant tosection 301.131 and specialized license plates are exempt from theprovisions of this subsection. Except for new, replacement, and transferapplications, permanent nonexpiring license plates issued to commercialmotor vehicles and trailers registered under section 301.041 are exemptfrom the provisions of this subsection.

(RSMo 1939 § 8377, A.L. 1947 V. I p. 380, A. 1949 S.B. 1110, A.L. 1951 p. 695, A.L. 1969 S.B. 242, A.L. 1977 H.B. 367, et al., A.L. 1981 S.B. 200 merged with H.B. 511, A.L. 1983 H.B. 149, et al., A.L. 1986 H.B. 1067 & 1299, A.L. 1987 H.B. 605, A.L. 1993 S.B. 105, A.L. 1995 S.B. 3 merged with S.B. 156, S.B. 70, A.L. 2001 S.B. 520, A.L. 2003 H.B. 491, A.L. 2004 S.B. 1233, et al., A.L. 2005 H.B. 487, A.L. 2007 S.B. 82 merged with S.B. 384, A.L. 2008 S.B. 930 & 947)

Prior revisions: 1929 § 7770; 1919 §§ 7564, 7565; 1909 § 8505

CROSS REFERENCES:

Consular identification plates, RSMo 26.140

Farm tractors exempted from provisions requiring display of number plates, RSMo 304.260.