PURPOSE: This rule establishes safeguards to prevent unauthorized use of dealer plates. (1) Whenever a dealer is no longer entitled to registration pursuant to section 301.560, RSMo (Cum. Supp. 1990) through voluntary cessation of business, abandonment of a bona fide established place of business, failure to make six (6) sales per year, suspension or revocation of its registration, sale of the business or for any other reason, the dealer license plates issued to that dealer immediately shall be surrendered to the director regardless of the unexpired time remaining in the registration period applicable to that license plate.

1. (2) Dealer license plates are issued primarily for the purpose of allowing a potential buyer to test drive a motor vehicle owned and held for resale by a dealer. A secondary purpose is to allow the transportation of vehicles owned by a dealer or manufacturer and held for the purpose of resale and in lieu of registering each vehicle individually. Therefore, dealer plates may only be displayed on a motor vehicle or trailer that is—

   1. (A) Owned by the manufacturer/dealer; and
   2. (B) Held for resale.

2. (3) Vehicles on which the plates are displayed may then be operated by—

   1. (A) A customer who is test driving the motor vehicle;
   2. (B) An owner, officer or employee of the manufacturer/dealership;
   3. (C) A buyer as provided in section 301.140.3, RSMo; or

   4. (D) A customer who is test driving a tractor, truck or a trailer under loaded conditions provided a written demonstration agreement is present in the vehicle and signed by the prospective customer and the dealer. The tractor, truck or trailer may be test driven not more than one hundred (100) miles from the dealer’s registered place of business. The written demonstration agreement must be on the dealership’s stationery and include the following items:

      1. 1. A statement that the vehicle is being

used for demonstration purposes only;

1. 2. A description of the vehicle; that is,

year, make and vehicle identification number;

1. 3. The name of the person or company

demonstrating the vehicle;

1. 4. The dealer number and the address of

the dealer’s registered place of business;

1. 5. A statement of the type of property

being transported; and

1. 6. The mileage on the odometer of the

vehicle, if applicable, at the time the demonstration began. (4) Section 301.560, RSMo provides that dealer plates may be displayed on any motor vehicle owned and held for resale by the motor vehicle dealer or manufacturer, and used by a customer who is test driving the motor vehicle, or is used by an employee or officer, but shall not be displayed on any motor vehicle or trailer hired or loaned to others or upon any regularly used service or wrecker vehicle. Therefore, dealer license plates may not be displayed on the following:

1. (A) Motor vehicles or trailers that are rented or leased;
2. (B) Motor vehicles or trailers that are loaned to someone other than an owner, officer or employee of the dealership (for example, a dealer may not loan a motor vehicle displaying a dealer license plate to his/her customer while the customer’s vehicle is being serviced or repaired);
3. (C) Motor vehicles or trailers that are used for hauling or towing;
4. (D) Motor vehicles or trailers used by anyone who is not an officer or employee of the manufacturer/dealer, this includes relatives of employees and officers;
5. (E) Motor vehicles or trailers that are not for resale; and
6. (F) Any boat or vessel.

1. (5) Dealer plates displayed on all motor vehicles, other than motorcycles and motortricycles, must be twelve inches by six inches (12" × 6") in size.

AUTHORITY: section 301.575, RSMo (Cum. Supp. 1990). Original rule filed Feb. 14, 1991, effective July 8, 1991.