Special mobile equipment and tires, defacing serial number prohibited
It is a crime to scratch off, hide, or change the serial number on special mobile equipment (like big construction machines) or their tires. It is also a crime to buy, sell, or hold onto that equipment if someone knows the serial number has been messed with. Police can take the equipment right away if they have good reason to think the number was tampered with. If the real owner shows up and proves ownership, they get it back. If no owner shows up within 12 months, the court can sell the equipment and use the money to cover costs, fines, and then give what is left to the county.
Classifications stated in the statute. Actual outcomes vary.
301.401. and tires, serial number prohibited — . — 1. Any person who removes, covers, alters, or , or causes to be destroyed, , covered, altered, or defaced, the 's serial number, the motor number or other distinguishing number on special mobile equipment or special mobile equipment tires, the property of another, for any reason, shall be guilty of a . Further, any person who buys, sells, receives, disposes of, conceals or has in his special mobile equipment or special mobile equipment tires from which the manufacturer's serial number, motor number or other distinguishing number has been removed, covered, altered, defaced or destroyed shall be deemed guilty of a class E felony.
2. Every who has to believe that and has knowledge of an item of special mobile equipment on which the original manufacturer's distinguishing number has been removed, covered, altered, or defaced shall be to immediately and to take possession of said item of special mobile equipment.
3. If at any time while such special mobile equipment remains in the of the having it, the true owner thereof shall appear and prove to the of such law enforcement authority his ownership of and to said item of special mobile equipment, it shall be returned to said owner subject to its being made available for use in any under this section.
4. If, after twelve months, no person has appeared and proved he is the true owner of an item of special mobile equipment seized under this section, the court in which such was begun may advertise and sell said item of special mobile equipment under such terms as are reasonable. The of such sale shall be applied, first, to the payment of any expenses incurred in with such sale; second, to the payment of the and ; and the balance, if any, shall be paid over to the of the county in which the prosecution was begun for its to that county's .
Tap any gold-underlined word to see what it means.
Source & history notes
(L. 1980 H.B. 995 & 1051, A.L. 2014 S.B. 491) Effective 1-01-17
Related Missouri laws
Removal or defacing manufacturer's numbers
RSMo 301.400
Military service special license plates for motorcycles, application, fees
RSMo 301.4000
Possession and sale of vehicles and equipment with altered identification numbers prohibited, penalties
RSMo 301.390
Applications
RSMo 301.420
Special numbers issued, when
RSMo 301.380
Replacement of motor
RSMo 301.370
Legal information, not legal advice. Always confirm with the official source at revisor.mo.gov.