When someone sells or gives away a car, they take the license plates off and keep them. Those plates can be put on the next car the person registers. If the person does not register a new car within one year, the old plates become void (no good). It is against the law to put void plates on any car.
301.150. Sale of vehicle, procedure to follow — use of , for. — 1. plates issued to owners of motor vehicles the monthly series system of as provided in section 301.030 shall be on the sale or of such vehicles. The plates, if current, may thereafter be retained and preserved by the person to whom issued, to be fastened to such other motor vehicles as such person shall thereafter in the person's name.
2. If for registration of another motor vehicle is not made to the within one year following the sale or transfer of ownership of a motor vehicle, the license plates held by the person who sold or red ownership of such motor vehicle shall be declared , and new license plates bearing the same numbers may be issued to another .
3. It shall be to fasten voided plates to any motor vehicle. Violation of this section shall be punishable under section 301.440.
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Source & history notes
(L. 1947 V. I p. 380 § 8369e, A.L. 1969 S.B. 242, A.L. 1977 H.B. 367, et al., A.L. 1996 H.B. 1047, A.L. 2009 H.B. 683)
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Legal information, not legal advice. Always confirm with the official source at revisor.mo.gov.