Race Day Live Jefferson City, Missouri – Missouri lawmakers are pushing for stricter penalties on drivers who misuse temporary vehicle tags.
A new bill, HB 378, aims to crack down on people who continue driving with expired temporary tags instead of registering their vehicles properly.
Representative Brad Pollitt (R-District 52) is leading this effort, focusing on drivers who avoid paying registration fees and taxes by keeping temporary plates longer than allowed.
Currently, Missouri law allows car buyers to use temporary tags for up to 30 days. Within this time, they must register their vehicle with the Department of Revenue and pay sales tax.
For example, a car costing $10,000 can have a sales tax of around $1,000. Some drivers delay registration due to the high costs, choosing to risk fines instead.
To prevent this, HB 378 would allow police officers to stop vehicles specifically to check temporary tags. If an officer finds a tag that has been expired for 60 days or more, the driver would receive a $250 fine.
The bill also states that if a driver registers their vehicle within 30 days of getting a ticket, the fine and court fees will be canceled, and the violation won’t appear on their record.
However, if the driver still fails to register the car, the state can suspend their driving privileges until they comply.
For repeat offenders, the penalties will be even tougher. If a driver keeps getting tickets for the same issue, authorities may impound the vehicle until it is properly registered.
This measure is designed to ensure that all drivers follow registration laws and prevent people from avoiding their legal responsibilities.
Missouri officials believe this law is necessary to address the increasing number of unregistered vehicles on the road.
By enforcing stricter rules, the state hopes to improve public safety, support law enforcement efforts, and increase compliance with vehicle registration laws.
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The full text of HB 378 states:
“A person may be stopped, inspected, or detained by law enforcement, based on reasonable suspicion that a temporary permit violation has occurred.
If a temporary permit has expired by at least sixty days or has been altered, the person shall be fined $250.
If the person properly registers the vehicle within thirty days of receiving a citation, the prosecutor shall dismiss the citation, court costs shall be waived, and the offense shall not be registered on the person’s driving record.
If the person fails to register the vehicle within thirty days, the director of revenue may suspend the person’s driving privileges.
Once the vehicle is properly registered, driving privileges shall be restored. If a driver receives multiple citations for the same vehicle, the vehicle shall be impounded until proper registration is completed.”
This legislation is expected to have a major impact on vehicle registration compliance in Missouri. If passed, it will help reduce the number of drivers using expired temporary tags and ensure that all vehicles on the road are legally registered.
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