Skip to main content Skip to office menu Skip to footer
Capital IconMinnesota Legislature

Office of the Revisor of Statutes

168.09 REGISTRATION; REREGISTRATION.
    Subdivision 1. Registration required. No trailer or motor vehicle, except as is exempted by
section 168.012, may be used or operated upon the public streets or highways of the state in any
calendar year until it is registered as provided in this section, the motor vehicle tax and fees as
provided in this chapter are paid, and the number plates issued for the trailer or motor vehicle are
displayed on it. No trailer or motor vehicle, except as provided by section 168.012, which for
any reason is not subject to taxation as provided in this chapter, may be used or operated upon
the public streets or highways of this state until it is registered as provided in this section and
displays number plates as required by this chapter, except that the purchaser of a new trailer
or motor vehicle may operate it without plates if the permit authorized by section 168.091 or
168.092 is displayed.
    Subd. 2. Reregistration. When a motor vehicle registered in Minnesota, has during the
calendar year for which it is so registered, been reregistered for the following year, the display
on such motor vehicle of the plates issued for such motor vehicle on its reregistration for the
following year shall on and after November 15 of the calendar year in which it was so reregistered
constitute compliance with subdivision 1 requiring display of plates except as provided in
subdivisions 3 and 4.
    Subd. 3. Proratable vehicles; other vehicles. (a) Plates or other insignia issued for a motor
vehicle registered under section 168.187 for a calendar year shall be displayed on the motor
vehicle not later than 12:01 a.m. on March 2 of the year unless extended by the registrar for the
period of time required for the issuance of the new plates or insignia. The commissioner of public
safety shall register all motor vehicles registered under section 168.187 for a period of 14 months
for the registration year 1994 to implement this subdivision. The registration year for vehicles
registered under section 168.187, as provided in this section, is from March 1 to the last day
of February for 1995 and succeeding years.
(b) Except for a motor vehicle registered under section 168.017 or 168.187, plates or
other insignia issued for a self-propelled motor vehicle registered for over 27,000 pounds shall
be displayed on the vehicle not later than 12:01 a.m. on March 2 of the year, and, except for
recreational equipment, not earlier than 12:01 a.m. on February 15 of the year, unless otherwise
extended by the registrar for the period of time required for issuing the new plates or insignia.
(c) Except for a motor vehicle registered under section 168.017 or 168.187, plates or other
insignia issued for a self-propelled vehicle registered for 27,000 pounds or less and all other
motor vehicles shall be displayed not later than 12:01 a.m. on March 2 of the year, and, except for
recreational equipment, not earlier than January 1 of the year unless otherwise extended by the
registrar for the period of time required for issuing the new plates or insignia. The registration
year for all vehicles as provided in this paragraph and paragraph (b) is from March 1 to the last
day of February for 1979 and succeeding years.
    Subd. 4. Display. A vehicle registered under the monthly series system of registration
shall display the plates and insignia issued within ten days of the first day of the month which
commences the registration period.
    Subd. 5. Defenses to failure to renew. No person may be charged with violating this section
by reason of failure to renew the registration of a previously registered motor vehicle, except
those vehicles registered under section 168.187, if:
(1) the person produces a statement from the registrar to the effect that the person was
not notified by the registrar of the annual renewal for the registration of the vehicle to which
a citation was issued; and
(2) the person renews the registration and pays the motor vehicle tax and fees due within ten
days of being cited for the violation.
    Subd. 6. Semitrailer. For a semitrailer, as defined in section 168.011, subdivision 14, a
number plate must be assigned to the registered owner as identification for the vehicle. This
number plate must not display a year designator. The registration card must indicate the number
plate for the number plate to be valid.
    Subd. 7. Display of temporary permit; special plates. (a) A vehicle that displays a special
plate issued under section 168.021; 168.12, subdivision 2, 2a, 2b, 2c, or 2d; 168.123; 168.124;
168.125; 168.126; 168.128; or 168.129, may display a temporary permit in conjunction with
expired registration if:
(1) the current registration tax and all other fees have been paid in full; and
(2) the plate requires replacement under section 168.12, subdivision 1, paragraph (d),
clause (3).
(b) A vehicle that is registered under section 168.10 may display a temporary permit in
conjunction with expired registration, with or without a registration plate, if:
(1) the plates have been applied for and the registration tax has been paid in full, as provided
for in section 168.10; and
(2) the vehicle is used solely as a collector vehicle while displaying the temporary permit and
not used for general transportation purposes.
(c) The permit is valid for a period of 60 days. The permit must be in a format prescribed
by the commissioner and whenever practicable must be posted upon the driver's side of the rear
window on the inside of the vehicle. The permit is valid only for the vehicle for which it was issued
to allow a reasonable time for the new plates to be manufactured and delivered to the applicant.
History: (2675) 1921 c 461 s 4; 1923 c 418 s 4; 1927 c 88; 1945 c 14 s 1; 1949 c 130;
1957 c 714 s 1; 1969 c 75 s 1; 1971 c 1 s 1; 1974 c 121 s 6; 1976 c 39 s 5; 1978 c 613 s 1,2;
1981 c 167 s 2,3; 1984 c 549 s 8,9; 1985 c 64 s 1; 1985 c 291 s 13; 1986 c 444; 1990 c 446 s
1; 1993 c 281 s 1,2; 1994 c 536 s 7; 2000 c 426 s 3; 1Sp2001 c 8 art 2 s 31; 2002 c 371 art 1 s
5,6; 1Sp2005 c 6 art 2 s 3

Official Publication of the State of Minnesota
Revisor of Statutes