Missouri Laws 301.192 – Bonded vehicles, certificate of ownership may be issued, requirements — ..
1. In addition to any other requirements of section 301.190, when application is made for a certificate of ownership for a motor vehicle or trailer seven years old or older and the value of vehicle does not exceed three thousand dollars, for which no record of any prior application for a certificate of ownership exists in the records of the director of revenue or for which the records of the director of revenue reflect incomplete or conflicting documentation of ownership, the director of revenue may issue a certificate of ownership, not less than thirty days after receiving the completed application, provided it is accompanied by:
(1) An affidavit explaining how the motor vehicle or trailer was acquired and the reasons a valid certificate of ownership cannot be furnished;
Terms Used In Missouri Laws 301.192
- Affidavit: A written statement of facts confirmed by the oath of the party making it, before a notary or officer having authority to administer oaths.
- Dealer: any person, firm, corporation, association, agent or subagent engaged in the sale or exchange of new, used or reconstructed motor vehicles or trailers. See Missouri Laws 301.010
- director of revenue: the director of the department of revenue. See Missouri Laws 301.010
- Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
- Highway: any public thoroughfare for vehicles, including state roads, county roads and public streets, avenues, boulevards, parkways or alleys in any municipality. See Missouri Laws 301.010
- Lien: A claim against real or personal property in satisfaction of a debt.
- Motor vehicle: any self-propelled vehicle not operated exclusively upon tracks, except farm tractors and electric bicycles. See Missouri Laws 301.010
- Owner: any person, firm, corporation or association, who holds the legal title to a vehicle or who has executed a buyer's order or retail installment sales contract with a motor vehicle dealer licensed under sections 301. See Missouri Laws 301.010
- person: may extend and be applied to bodies politic and corporate, and to partnerships and other unincorporated associations. See Missouri Laws 1.020
- State: when applied to any of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the territories, and the words "United States" includes such district and territories. See Missouri Laws 1.020
- Trailer: any vehicle without motive power designed for carrying property or passengers on its own structure and for being drawn by a self-propelled vehicle, except those running exclusively on tracks, including a semitrailer or vehicle of the trailer type so designed and used in conjunction with a self-propelled vehicle that a considerable part of its own weight rests upon and is carried by the towing vehicle. See Missouri Laws 301.010
- Vehicle: any mechanical device on wheels, designed primarily for use, or used, on highways, except motorized bicycles, electric bicycles, vehicles propelled or drawn by horses or human power, or vehicles used exclusively on fixed rails or tracks, or cotton trailers or motorized wheelchairs operated by handicapped persons. See Missouri Laws 301.010
(2) Presentation of all evidence of ownership in the applicant’s possession;
(3) Title verification from a state in which the vehicle was previously titled or registered if known, provided the vehicle was so previously titled or registered;
(4) A notarized lien release from any lienholder of record;
(5) A vehicle examination certificate issued by the Missouri state highway patrol, or other law enforcement agency as authorized by the director of revenue. The vehicle examination shall include a verification of the vehicle’s identification number and a determination that the vehicle has not been reported stolen in Missouri or any other state. The fee for the vehicle examination certificate shall be twenty-five dollars and shall be collected by the director of revenue at the time of the request for the application;
(6) A statement certifying the odometer reading of the motor vehicle if less than twenty years of age; and
(7) A surety bond or a suitable financial security instrument in a form prescribed by the director of revenue and executed by the applicant and a person authorized to conduct surety business in this state. The bond shall be an amount equal to two times the value of the vehicle as determined by the Kelly Blue Book, NADA Used Car Guide or two appraisals from a licensed motor vehicle dealer. The bond shall be for a minimum of one hundred dollars and conditioned to indemnify any prior owner or lienholder and any subsequent purchaser of the vehicle or person acquiring any security interest in it, and their respective successors in interest, against any expense, loss or damage including reasonable attorneys fees, by reason of the issuance of the certificate of ownership of the vehicle or on account of any defect in or undisclosed security interest upon the right, title and interest of the applicant in and to the vehicle. Any such interested person has a right of action to recover on the bond for any breach of its conditions, but the aggregate liability of the surety to all persons shall not exceed the amount of the bond. The bond shall be returned at the end of three years, unless the department has been notified of the pendency of an action to recover on the bond.
2. Upon satisfaction with the genuineness of the application and supporting documents, the director of revenue shall issue a new certificate of ownership. The certificate of ownership shall appropriately be designated with the words “BONDED VEHICLE”.