61-3-301. Registration -- license plate required -- display. (1) Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, a person may not operate a motor vehicle upon the public highways of Montana unless the vehicle is properly registered and has the proper number plates conspicuously displayed, one on the front and one on the rear of the vehicle, each securely fastened to prevent it from swinging and unobstructed from plain view, except that vehicles authorized to display demonstrator plates under 61-4-125 or 61-4-129 may have only one number plate conspicuously displayed on the rear. A person may not display on a vehicle at the same time a number assigned to it under any motor vehicle law except as provided in this chapter. A junk vehicle, as defined in Title 75, chapter 10, part 5, being driven or towed to an auto wrecking graveyard for disposal is exempt from the provisions of this section.
     (2) A person may not purchase or display on a vehicle a license plate bearing the number assigned to any county, as provided in 61-3-332, other than the county of the person's permanent residence at the time of application for registration. However, the owner of a motor vehicle requiring a license plate on a motor vehicle used in the public transportation of persons or property may make application for the license in any county through which the motor vehicle passes in its regularly scheduled route, and the license plate issued bearing the number assigned to that county may be displayed on the motor vehicle in any other county of the state.
     (3) It is unlawful to:
     (a) display license plates issued to one vehicle on any other vehicle, trailer, or semitrailer unless legally transferred as provided by statute;
     (b) repaint old license plates to resemble current license plates; or
     (c) display a prior design of number plates issued under 61-3-332(4)(a) or special license plates issued under 61-3-332(10) or 61-3-421 more than 18 months after a new design of number plates or special license plates has been issued, except as provided in 61-3-332(4)(c) and (4)(d), 61-3-448, or 61-3-468.
     (4) This section does not apply to a vehicle exempt from taxation under 15-6-215 or subject to the registration fee or fee in lieu of tax under 61-3-520.
     (5) A person violating these provisions is guilty of a misdemeanor and is subject to the penalty prescribed in 61-3-601.
     (6) For the purposes of this section, "conspicuously displayed" means that the required license plates are obviously visible and firmly attached to:
     (a) the front and the rear bumper of a motor vehicle equipped with front and rear bumpers; or
     (b) other clearly visible locations on the front and the rear exteriors of a motor vehicle.

     History: En. Subd. 6, Sec. 1, Ch. 158, L. 1933; re-en. Sec. 1759.5, R.C.M. 1935; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 154, L. 1937; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 73, L. 1941; amd. Sec. 10, Ch. 127, L. 1969; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 18, L. 1974; R.C.M. 1947, 53-119; amd. Sec. 31, Ch. 421, L. 1979; amd. Sec. 15, Ch. 516, L. 1985; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 148, L. 1989; amd. Sec. 4, Ch. 525, L. 1989; amd. Sec. 15, Ch. 409, L. 1999; amd. Sec. 23, Ch. 515, L. 1999; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 280, L. 2003.