Minnesota Session Laws - 2000, Regular Session

                            CHAPTER 280-H.F.No. 2824 
                  An act relating to motor vehicles; providing for one 
                  or two license plates on collector and similar 
                  vehicles at the owner's discretion; amending Minnesota 
                  Statutes 1998, section 169.79. 
        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
           Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 169.79, is 
        amended to read: 
           169.79 [VEHICLE REGISTRATION.] 
           (a) No person shall operate, drive or park a motor vehicle 
        on any highway unless the vehicle is registered in accordance 
        with the laws of this state and has the number plates for the 
        current year only, except as provided in sections 168.10 and 
        168.12, subdivision 2f, as assigned to it by the commissioner of 
        public safety, conspicuously displayed thereon in a manner that 
        the view of any plate is not obstructed.  
           (b) If the vehicle is a semitrailer, the number plate 
        displayed must be assigned to the registered owner and correlate 
        to the certificate of title documentation on file with the 
        department and shall not display a year indicator.  
           (c) If the vehicle is a motorcycle;, motor scooter;, 
        motorized bicycle;, motorcycle sidecar;, trailer;, 
        semitrailer; collector's vehicle with a pioneer, classic car, 
        collector, or street rod license; vehicle that meets the 
        requirements of a pioneer, classic, or street rod vehicle except 
        that the vehicle is used for general transportation purposes; 
        vehicle that is of model year 1968 or earlier, is not registered 
        under section 168.10, subdivision 1c, and is used for general 
        transportation purposes;, or vehicle displaying a dealer plate, 
        one plate shall be displayed on the rear thereof;.  
           (d) If the vehicle is (1) a collector's vehicle with a 
        pioneer, classic car, collector, or street rod license; (2) a 
        vehicle that meets the requirements of a pioneer, classic, or 
        street rod vehicle except that the vehicle is used for general 
        transportation purposes; or (3) a vehicle that is of model year 
        1972 or earlier, not registered under section 168.10, 
        subdivision 1c, and is used for general transportation purposes, 
        one plate shall be displayed on the rear of the vehicle, or one 
        plate on the front and one on the rear, at the discretion of the 
        owner. 
           (e) If the vehicle is a truck-tractor, road-tractor or farm 
        truck, as defined in section 168.011, subdivision 17, but 
        excluding from that definition semitrailers and trailers, one 
        plate shall be displayed on the front thereof;. 
           (f) If it the motor vehicle is any other kind of motor 
        vehicle other than those provided for in paragraphs (b) to (d), 
        one plate shall be displayed on the front and one on the rear 
        thereof.  
           (g) All plates shall be securely fastened so as to prevent 
        them from swinging.  The person driving the motor vehicle shall 
        keep the plate legible and unobstructed and free from grease, 
        dust, or other blurring material so that the lettering shall be 
        plainly visible at all times.  It is unlawful to cover any 
        assigned letters and numbers or the name of the state of origin 
        of a license plate with any material whatever, including any 
        clear or colorless material that affects the plate's visibility 
        or reflectivity.  
           (h) License plates issued to vehicles registered under 
        section 168.017 must display the month of expiration in the 
        lower left corner as viewed facing the plate and the year of 
        expiration in the lower right corner as viewed facing the plate. 
        License plates issued to vehicles registered under section 
        168.127 must display either fleet registration validation 
        stickers in the lower right corner as viewed facing the plates 
        or distinctive license plates, issued by the registrar, with 
        "FLEET REG" embossed on the bottom center portion of the plate. 
           Presented to the governor March 21, 2000 
           Signed by the governor March 24, 2000, 10:45 a.m.