If someone scratches off, hides, changes, or destroys the ID number on a motor vehicle, tire, farm machine, or construction equipment that belongs to someone else, that person has committed a serious crime called a class D felony.
Classifications stated in the statute. Actual outcomes vary.
301.400. Removal or 's numbers — . — Any person who removes, covers, alters or , or causes to be destroyed, , covered, altered or defaced, the manufacturer's number, the motor number or other distinguishing number on any motor vehicle, or number or other distinguishing number on any motor vehicle tire, piece of farm machinery, farm implement, or piece of equipment, the property of another, for any reason, shall be guilty of a .
(RSMo 1939 §§ 8396, 8404, A. 1949 S.B. 1110, A.L. 1982 H.B. 1454, et al., A.L. 2014 S.B. 491)
Prior revisions: 1929 §§ 7781, 7786; 1919 §§ 7608, 7609
Effective 1-01-17
(1967) The number on the transmission is a distinguishing manufacturer's number within the meaning of this section. State v. Friedman (Mo.), 412 S.W.2d 171.
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Related Missouri laws
Military service special license plates for motorcycles, application, fees
RSMo 301.4000
Special mobile equipment and tires, defacing serial number prohibited
RSMo 301.401
Possession and sale of vehicles and equipment with altered identification numbers prohibited, penalties
RSMo 301.390
Special numbers issued, when
RSMo 301.380
Applications
RSMo 301.420
Replacement of motor
RSMo 301.370
Legal information, not legal advice. Always confirm with the official source at revisor.mo.gov.