SF 3987
Introduction - 94th Legislature (2025 - 2026)
Posted on 04/08/2026 09:27 a.m.
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A bill for an act
relating to motor vehicles; increasing deadline to file vehicle title transfers to 20
days; modifying eligibility requirements for rental motor vehicle license plates;
making technical corrections; amending Minnesota Statutes 2024, sections 168.101,
subdivision 2a; 168.15, subdivision 1; 168.27, subdivision 9; 168.301, subdivision
2; 168A.04, subdivision 2; 168A.151, subdivision 1; 168A.154; Minnesota Statutes
2025 Supplement, section 168.1289, subdivision 1; repealing Minnesota Rules,
part 7400.5200, subpart 4.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
Section 1.
Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 168.101, subdivision 2a, is amended to read:
Subd. 2a.
Failure to send to registrar deleted text begin within ten daysdeleted text end .
Any person who fails to mail
in the application for registration or transfer with appropriate taxes and fees to the registrar
of motor vehicles or otherwise fails to submit deleted text begin saiddeleted text end new text begin thenew text end forms and remittance to the registrar
within deleted text begin tendeleted text end new text begin 20 calendarnew text end days followingnew text begin thenew text end date of sale deleted text begin shall bedeleted text end new text begin isnew text end guilty of a misdemeanor.
Sec. 2.
Minnesota Statutes 2025 Supplement, section 168.1289, subdivision 1, is amended
to read:
Subdivision 1.
Definitions.
(a) For purposes of this section, the following terms have
the meanings given.
(b) "Auto rental company" means a corporation, partnership, individual, or other person
that is engaged primarily in the renting of at least 50 rental motor vehicles at per diem rates.
(c) "Rental motor vehicle" means a passenger automobile, deleted text begin noncommercialdeleted text end one-ton pickup
truck, motorcycle, motorized bicycle, or recreational vehicle made available for rental by
an auto rental company.
Sec. 3.
Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 168.15, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
Subdivision 1.
Transfer of ownership.
(a) Upon the transfer of ownership, destruction,
theft, dismantling, or permanent removal by the owner from this state of any vehicle
registered in accordance with this chapter, the right of the owner of the vehicle to use the
registration certificate and plates assigned to the vehicle expires.
(b) When the ownership of a vehicle is transferred to another person required to register
the vehicle in this state, the transferor deleted text begin shalldeleted text end new text begin mustnew text end assign the registration tax paid to the credit
of the transferee unless the registration stickers are surrendered to the commissioner before
the first day of the new registration period.
(c) When seeking to become the owner by gift, trade, or purchase of any vehicle for
which a registration certificate has been issued under this chapter, a person deleted text begin shalldeleted text end new text begin mustnew text end join
with the registered owner in transmitting with the application for transfer of ownership, the
registration certificate, with the assignment and notice of sale duly executed.
(d) In case of loss of the title or certificate of registration of a vehicle not subject to
section 325E.15, the person deleted text begin shall makedeleted text end new text begin must submit annew text end application to the commissioner
with proof of loss of the title as specified in section 168A.09 and assign a notice of sale of
the vehicle on the application for title as specified in section 168A.04.
(e) Upon the transfer of any vehicle by a manufacturer or dealer, for use within the state,
whether by sale, lease, or otherwise, the transferor deleted text begin shalldeleted text end new text begin mustnew text end , within deleted text begin tendeleted text end new text begin 20 calendarnew text end days
after the transfer, file with the commissionernew text begin :new text end (1) a notice containing the date of transfer, a
description of the vehicle, and the transferee's name and residence address in the state or if
not a natural person then the transferee's business and mailing addressdeleted text begin ,deleted text end new text begin ;new text end and (2) the
transferee's application for registration.
Sec. 4.
Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 168.27, subdivision 9, is amended to read:
Subd. 9.
Application.
new text begin (a) new text end All license applications under this section and all license
renewals must be made to the deleted text begin registrar of motor vehiclesdeleted text end new text begin commissionernew text end and duly verified
by oath. The applicant deleted text begin shalldeleted text end new text begin mustnew text end submit deleted text begin suchdeleted text end new text begin thenew text end information deleted text begin asdeleted text end new text begin required bynew text end the deleted text begin registrar
may requiredeleted text end new text begin commissionernew text end to administer this section in a manner and format prescribed by
the deleted text begin registrardeleted text end new text begin commissionernew text end .
new text begin
(b) Except as provided in paragraphs (c) to (f), a motor vehicle dealer must complete a
title and registration application and must submit the application along with the excise and
registration taxes and all applicable fees to the commissioner within 20 calendar days of
the sale of a vehicle. The dealer must have on file an itemized receipt issued by the
department showing a breakdown of the taxes and fees paid. The receipt must be maintained
and made available for the commissioner's inspection for three years after the sale of the
vehicle.
new text end
new text begin
(c) If the purchaser is not a Minnesota customer, the dealer is not required to complete
an application or submit the application, taxes, and fees.
new text end
new text begin
(d) If the purchaser is eligible to pay a prorated tax and provides a prorate account number
to the dealer, the dealer must complete and file a title application, but the dealer is not
required to collect and submit either the excise tax or registration tax.
new text end
new text begin
(e) If the vehicle is currently registered in Minnesota, the dealer is not required to collect
and submit the registration tax.
new text end
new text begin
(f) If the vehicle must have an emissions inspection before registration, the dealer is not
required to collect and submit the registration tax.
new text end
Sec. 5.
Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 168.301, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
Subd. 2.
deleted text begin Ten days to filedeleted text end new text begin Filing periodnew text end .
The transferee's rights to the transferred vehicle's
registration plates and credit for taxes paid on the vehicle expire deleted text begin after ten days have elapsed
from the date of transferdeleted text end unless: (1) the transfer has been filed as provided under section
168A.10; or (2) the transferee is a dealer licensed under section 168.27, and is complying
with section 168A.11.
Sec. 6.
Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 168A.04, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
Subd. 2.
Secured party.
If the application refers to a vehicle purchased from a dealer
deleted text begin it shalldeleted text end new text begin , the application mustnew text end contain the name and address of any secured party holding a
security interest created or reserved at the time of the sale and the date of the security
agreement and be signed by the dealer deleted text begin as well asdeleted text end new text begin andnew text end the ownerdeleted text begin , anddeleted text end new text begin .new text end The dealer deleted text begin shall within
ten daysdeleted text end new text begin mustnew text end mail or deliver the application and appropriate taxes to the departmentnew text begin within
20 calendar daysnew text end .
Sec. 7.
Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 168A.151, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
Subdivision 1.
Salvage and prior salvage brands.
(a) When an insurer, licensed to
conduct business in Minnesota, acquires ownership of a vehicle, excluding a recovered
intact vehicle, through payment of damages, the insurer must:
(1) for a late-model or high-value vehicle, immediately apply for a certificate of title
that bears a "salvage" brand or stamp the existing certificate of title with "salvage" in a
manner prescribed by the department; or
(2) for a vehicle that is not subject to clause (1), immediately apply for a certificate of
title that bears a "prior salvage" brand or stamp the existing certificate of title with "prior
salvage" in a manner prescribed by the department.
(b) Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, supporting documents used to transfer
ownership of a vehicle to an insurer after payment of damages do not require a notarized
signature and may be signed electronically. For purposes of this paragraph, supporting
documents include but are not limited to power of attorney forms. The insurer shall indemnify
and hold harmless the department for any claims resulting from issuing a certificate of title,
salvage title, or junking certificate pursuant to this section.
(c) Within deleted text begin tendeleted text end new text begin 20 calendarnew text end days of obtaining the title of a vehicle through payment of
damages, an insurer must notify the department in a manner prescribed by the department.
(d) Except as provided in section 168A.11, subdivision 1, a person must immediately
apply for a certificate of title that bears a "salvage" brand if the person acquires a damaged
late-model or high-value vehicle that:
(1) was acquired by an insurer through payment of damages;
(2) will incur a cost of repairs that exceeds the value of the damaged vehicle;
(3) has an out-of-state salvage certificate of title as proof of ownership; or
(4) bears the brand "damaged," "repairable," "salvage," or any similar term on the
certificate of title.
(e) Except as provided in section 168A.11, subdivision 1, a person must immediately
apply for a certificate of title that bears a "prior salvage" brand if the person acquires a
damaged vehicle and:
(1) a "salvage" brand is not required under paragraph (d); and
(2) the vehicle:
(i) bears the brand "damaged," "repairable," "salvage," "rebuilt," "reconditioned," or
any similar term on the certificate of title; or
(ii) had a salvage certificate of title or brand issued at any time in the vehicle's history
by any other jurisdiction.
(f) A self-insured owner of a vehicle that sustains damage by collision or other occurrence
which exceeds 80 percent of its actual cash value must:
(1) for a late-model or high-value vehicle, immediately apply for a certificate of title
that bears a "salvage" brand; or
(2) for a vehicle that is not subject to clause (1), immediately apply for a certificate of
title that bears a "prior salvage" brand.
Sec. 8.
Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 168A.154, is amended to read:
168A.154 SALVAGE VEHICLE TAKEN OUT OF STATE.
A dealer who sells a salvage vehicle to a buyer who intends to remove the vehicle from
the state deleted text begin shalldeleted text end new text begin mustnew text end report the sale within deleted text begin tendeleted text end new text begin 20 calendarnew text end days to the department in a format
prescribed by the department.
Sec. 9. new text begin REPEALER.
new text end
new text begin
Minnesota Rules, part 7400.5200, subpart 4,
new text end
new text begin
is repealed.
new text end
APPENDIX
Repealed Minnesota Rule: 26-06101
7400.5200 SELLING NEW OR USED MOTOR VEHICLE.
Subp. 4.
Taxes, fees, and title application.
Except as provided in items A to D, the dealer shall complete a title and registration application and shall submit the application along with the excise and registration taxes and all applicable fees to the registrar within ten days of the sale of the vehicle. The dealer must have on file an itemized receipt showing a breakdown of the taxes and fees paid. The receipt must be stamped as paid by a deputy registrar. The receipt must be maintained and made available for the registrar's inspection for three years after the sale of the vehicle.
A.
If the purchaser is not a Minnesota customer, the dealer is not required to complete an application or submit the application, taxes, and fees.
B.
If the purchaser is eligible to pay a prorated tax and provides a prorate account number to the dealer, the dealer shall complete and file a title application, but the dealer is not required to collect and submit either the excise or registration tax.
C.
If the vehicle is currently registered in Minnesota, the dealer is not required to collect and submit the registration tax.
D.
If the vehicle must have an emissions inspection before registration, the dealer is not required to collect and submit the registration tax.