Replacement of lost, stolen or damaged certificates, plates, or tabs, procedure to obtain replacement or duplicates, fee

301.300. Replacement of lost, stolen or damaged certificates, plates, or tabs, procedure to obtain replacement or duplicates, fee — multiyear plates fee. — 1. In event of the loss, theft, mutilation or destruction of any certificate of ownership, number plate, tab or set of tabs issued by the director of revenue, the lawful holder thereof shall, within five days, file with the director of revenue, an affidavit showing such fact, and shall, on the payment of a fee of eight dollars and fifty cents, obtain a duplicate or replacement of such plate, certificate, tab or set of tabs. Any duplicate certificate issued for any "motor vehicle primarily for business use", as defined in section 301.010, shall be issued only to the owner of record.

2. Upon filing affidavit of lost, stolen, mutilated or destroyed certificate of registration, the director of revenue shall issue to the lawful owner a duplicate or replacement thereof upon payment of a fee of eight dollars and fifty cents.

3. Vehicle owners who elect not to transfer or renew multiyear plates shall be charged a fee equal to that charged for a lost plate in addition to the registration fee prescribed by law at the time the new plate or plates are issued.

4. Notwithstanding subsection 1 of this section, a new or used motor vehicle dealer may obtain a duplicate or replacement title in the owner's name if the owner's title has been lost, stolen, mutilated, or destroyed and is not available for assignment. In order to obtain the duplicate or replacement title from the department of revenue, the licensed dealer shall procure a power of attorney from the owner authorizing the dealer to obtain a duplicate or replacement title in the owner's name and sign any title assignments on the owner's behalf. The application to the department of revenue for the duplicate or replacement title shall be accompanied by the executed power of attorney, or a copy thereof, and the application shall contain the appropriate mailing address of the dealer. The director of the department of revenue is authorized to make all necessary rules and regulations for the administration of this subsection, and shall design all necessary forms required by this subsection. No rule or portion of a rule promulgated pursuant to the authority of this section shall become effective unless it has been promulgated pursuant to the provisions of chapter 536. Any rule or portion of a rule, as that term is defined in section 536.010, that is created under the authority delegated in this section shall become effective only if it complies with and is subject to all of the provisions of chapter 536 and, if applicable, section 536.028. This section and chapter 536 are nonseverable and if any of the powers vested with the general assembly pursuant to chapter 536 to review, to delay the effective date, or to disapprove and annul a rule are subsequently held unconstitutional, then the grant of rulemaking authority and any rule proposed or adopted after August 28, 2005, shall be invalid and void.

(RSMo 1939 § 8379, A.L. 1941 p. 445, A.L. 1947 V. I p. 380, A.L. 1981 H.B. 511, A.L. 1984 H.B. 1045, A.L. 1988 H.B. 1581, A.L. 1990 H.B. 1279 merged with H.B. 1450, A.L. 2005 H.B. 487)

Prior revision: 1929 § 7771