2000 Minnesota Statutes

     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, 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 the motor vehicle is any 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. 

    HIST: (2720-268) 1937 c 464 s 118; 1961 c 622 s 1; 1967 c 464 
 s 2; 1977 c 248 s 4; 1981 c 357 s 62; 1981 c 363 s 27; 1985 c 
 291 s 18; 1995 c 120 s 4; 1995 c 145 s 2; 1997 c 240 s 5; 1997 c 
 250 s 6; 2000 c 280 s 1