Sections
Subchapter 1 General Provisions 601 – 603
Subchapter 2 Certificate of Title and Certificate of Salvage 651 – 670
Subchapter 3 Security Interest 701 – 708
Subchapter 4 Antitheft Provisions and Penalties 751 – 756

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Terms Used In Maine Revised Statutes > Title 29-A > Chapter 7 - Title to Vehicles

  • 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.
  • Annuity: A periodic (usually annual) payment of a fixed sum of money for either the life of the recipient or for a fixed number of years. A series of payments under a contract from an insurance company, a trust company, or an individual. Annuity payments are made at regular intervals over a period of more than one full year.
  • Antique auto: means an automobile or truck manufactured in or after model year 1916 that is:
A. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 101
  • Antique motorcycle: means a motorcycle or a motor-driven cycle that is:
  • A. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 101
  • Arrest: Taking physical custody of a person by lawful authority.
  • Assets: (1) The property comprising the estate of a deceased person, or (2) the property in a trust account.
  • Attachment: A procedure by which a person's property is seized to pay judgments levied by the court.
  • Authority: means the Maine State Housing Authority established pursuant to section 4722. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 30-A Sec. 4961
  • Bonds: means any bonds, notes, interim certificates, debentures or other obligations issued by an authority under this chapter. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 30-A Sec. 4702
  • Bureau: means the Bureau of Motor Vehicles. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 101
  • Certificate of origin: means the original written instrument or document required to be executed and delivered by the manufacturer or an importer to the manufacturer's or importer's agent or dealer or a person purchasing directly from the manufacturer or importer certifying the origin of the vehicle. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 602
  • Classic vehicle: means a motor vehicle that is at least 16 years old but less than 26 years old that the Secretary of State determines is of significance to vehicle collectors because of its make, model and condition and is valued at more than $5,000. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 101
  • Commission: means the Public Utilities Commission established pursuant to Title 35?A, section 103. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 30-A Sec. 4961
  • Common law: The legal system that originated in England and is now in use in the United States. It is based on judicial decisions rather than legislative action.
  • Component part: means one of the following parts of a vehicle:
  • A. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 602
  • Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
  • Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
  • Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
  • Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
  • Dealer: means a person engaged in the business of buying, selling, exchanging or offering to negotiate, negotiating or advertising the sale of, a vehicle and who has:
  • A. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 602
  • Deed: The legal instrument used to transfer title in real property from one person to another.
  • Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
  • Dismantled vehicle: means a vehicle with a component part removed. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 602
  • Elderly: means a person or family as defined in the United States Housing Act of 1937, Public Law 75-412, 50 Stat. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 30-A Sec. 4702
  • Electric assistance: means assistance as established by the commission pursuant to Title 35?A, section 3214 and rules adopted pursuant to that section, based on an eligible household's income level and electricity usage and paid to an electric utility on behalf of an eligible household. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 30-A Sec. 4961
  • Electric utility: means a transmission and distribution utility as defined in Title 35?A, section 102, subsection 20?B. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 30-A Sec. 4961
  • Electronic lien titling program: means a program that permits the creation and exchange of an electronic record for maintaining lien information. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 602
  • Eligible household: means a household that is eligible to receive fuel assistance through the Maine State Housing Authority pursuant to section 4722, subsection 1, paragraph W; section 4741, subsection 15; and subchapter XIII and rules adopted pursuant to these laws. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 30-A Sec. 4961
  • 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.
  • Financial institution: means any bank or trust company, savings bank, savings and loan association, industrial bank, national banking association, federal savings and loan association, mortgage banker, credit union or other such institution authorized to do business in the State, or a government agency which customarily provides service or otherwise aids in the financing of mortgage loans. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 30-A Sec. 4702
  • Foreclosure: A legal process in which property that is collateral or security for a loan may be sold to help repay the loan when the loan is in default. Source: OCC
  • Forgery: The fraudulent signing or alteration of another's name to an instrument such as a deed, mortgage, or check. The intent of the forgery is to deceive or defraud. Source: OCC
  • Fund: means the Electric Assistance Program Fund established in section 4962. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 30-A Sec. 4961
  • Garnishment: Generally, garnishment is a court proceeding in which a creditor asks a court to order a third party who owes money to the debtor or otherwise holds assets belonging to the debtor to turn over to the creditor any of the debtor
  • highway: means a public way. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 101
  • Horseless carriage: means an automobile manufactured before model year 1916 that is:
  • A. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 101
  • housing authority: means any of the public corporations created or authorized to be created by this chapter. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 30-A Sec. 4702
  • Identification number: means the vehicle identification number and any other identifying numbers or letters on a vehicle designated by a manufacturer, the Secretary of State or equivalent authority in another state. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 602
  • in writing: include printing and other modes of making legible words. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 1 Sec. 72
  • Inhabitant: means a person having an established residence in a place. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 1 Sec. 72
  • Insurance salvage pool: means a person engaged in the business of storing salvage vehicles on behalf of an insurer and disposing of the salvage vehicles through a system of bidding or sales, regardless of whether the insurer or the insurance salvage pool is considered the seller. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 602
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • Law enforcement officer: means a person who by virtue of public employment is vested by law with a duty to maintain public order or to make arrests for crimes, whether that duty extends to all crimes or is limited to specific crimes. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 101
  • Lease: A contract transferring the use of property or occupancy of land, space, structures, or equipment in consideration of a payment (e.g., rent). Source: OCC
  • License: includes , but is not limited to, a nonresident operating privilege and the privilege of a person to apply for or obtain a license or permit to operate a motor vehicle. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 101
  • Lien: A claim against real or personal property in satisfaction of a debt.
  • Lienholder: means a person holding a security interest in a vehicle. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 602
  • Low-speed vehicle: means a 4-wheeled motor vehicle that is able to attain a speed of at least 20 miles per hour but not more than 25 miles per hour and is less than 3,000 pounds in unloaded weight. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 101
  • Majority: when used in reference to age shall mean the age of 18 and over. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 1 Sec. 72
  • Minority: when used in reference to age shall mean under the age of 18. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 1 Sec. 72
  • Moped: means a motorized device designed to travel with only 2 or 3 10-inch or larger diameter wheels in contact with the ground and that:
  • A. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 30-A Sec. 4702
  • Mortgage: The written agreement pledging property to a creditor as collateral for a loan.
  • Motor home: means a motor vehicle that:
  • A. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 101
  • Motor vehicle: means a self-propelled vehicle not operated exclusively on railroad tracks, but does not include:
  • A. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 101
  • Motorcycle: means a motor vehicle that has a seat or a saddle for the use of the rider and is designed to travel with only 2 or 3 10-inch or larger diameter wheels in ground contact and has a motor with a cylinder capacity of more than 50 cubic centimeters or an electric motor with a capacity of not less than 1,500 watts. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 101
  • Municipality: means a city or town, except as provided in chapter 225. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 30-A Sec. 2001
  • Municipality: includes cities, towns and plantations, except that "municipality" does not include plantations in Title 10, chapter 110, subchapter IV; or Title 30?A, Part 2. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 1 Sec. 72
  • Nonresident: means a person whose legal residence is not in the State. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 101
  • Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.
  • Off-road vehicle: means a motor vehicle that, because of the vehicle's design, configuration, original manufacture or original intended use, does not meet the inspection standards of chapter 15, the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, the United States Environmental Protection Agency's pollutant requirements or the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration's crash testing standards and that is not a moped or motorcycle. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 101
  • Owner: includes , but is not limited to, a person entitled to use and possess a vehicle subject to a security interest in another person, but excludes a lessee under a lease not intended as security. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 602
  • Perfected security interest: means security interest that is valid against 3rd parties generally, subject only to specific statutory exceptions. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 602
  • Permanently affixed: means , with respect to manufactured housing, placed on a foundation or slab or other form of permanent attachment to the site and connected to conventional and necessary utility systems. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 602
  • Person: means an individual, corporation, firm, partnership, joint venture, association, fiduciary, trust, estate or any other legal or commercial entity. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 101
  • Program: means the electric assistance program established by the commission pursuant to Title 35?A, section 3214. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 30-A Sec. 4961
  • Public law: A public bill or joint resolution that has passed both chambers and been enacted into law. Public laws have general applicability nationwide.
  • Public way: means a way, owned and maintained by the State, a county or a municipality, over which the general public has a right to pass. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 101
  • Real property: Land, and all immovable fixtures erected on, growing on, or affixed to the land.
  • Rebuild: means to replace one or more of the following component parts of a vehicle:
  • A. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 602
  • Recycler: means a person engaged in the business of purchasing or acquiring in any manner vehicles or vehicle parts for the purpose of:
  • A. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 602
  • Registration: means the registration certificate, plates and renewal devices pertaining to the registration of a vehicle, including temporary registered gross weight increases. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 101
  • Repair: means to remedy structural or other damage without replacing component parts of a vehicle. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 602
  • residence: refer to an individual's place of domicile. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 30-A Sec. 2001
  • Resident: means a person who has declared or established residency in this State or has been domiciled in this State for a period of at least 30 days, except for persons in compliance with section 109, subsection 1. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 101
  • Salvage vehicle: means a vehicle that, by reason of its condition or circumstance, is declared a total loss by an insurer or owner or is transferred to a recycler or salvage dealer, or a vehicle for which a certificate of salvage has been issued. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 602
  • Scrap processor: means a person that is engaged in the business of scrapping salvage vehicles for the basic material in them but that is not engaged in the business of selling parts or rebuilding or repairing salvage vehicles. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 602
  • Security agreement: means a written agreement that reserves or creates a security interest. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 602
  • Security interest: means an interest in a vehicle reserved or created by agreement and that secures payment or performance of an obligation, including, but not limited to, the interest of a lessor under a lease intended as security. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 602
  • Sell: means to sell, offer, negotiate or advertise to sell, display for sale, exchange or otherwise transfer for value. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 101
  • Semitrailer: includes , but is not limited to, so-called pole dollies and pole dickeys and wheels commonly used as a support for the ends of logs or other long articles. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 101
  • Settlement: Parties to a lawsuit resolve their difference without having a trial. Settlements often involve the payment of compensation by one party in satisfaction of the other party's claims.
  • Special equipment: means equipment that is drawn by a motor vehicle and that is not designed or used to convey property other than hand tools or parts used in connection with the operation of that equipment, including, but not limited to, air compressors, conveyors, cement mixers, wood splitting or sawing machines, sprayers, compactors, pumps, drills and brush chippers. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 101
  • Special mobile equipment: includes , but is not limited to, road construction or maintenance machinery, ditch-digging apparatus, stone crushers, air compressors, power shovels, cranes, graders, rollers, trucks used only to plow snow and for other duties pertaining to winter maintenance, including sanding and salting, well drillers and wood-sawing equipment or similar types of equipment. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 101
  • State: means a state, territory or possession of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico or a province of the Dominion of Canada. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 602
  • State paper: means the newspaper designated by the Legislature, in which advertisements and notices are required to be published. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 1 Sec. 72
  • Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
  • Tiny home: means a living space permanently constructed on a frame or chassis and designed for use as permanent living quarters that:
  • A. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 101
  • Total loss: means a vehicle that is transferred to an insurer due to damage, destruction or theft, or a vehicle determined by an owner to have no marketable value other than the value of the basic material and parts used in the construction of the vehicle. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 602
  • Town: includes cities and plantations, unless otherwise expressed or implied. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 1 Sec. 72
  • Traffic: means pedestrians, ridden or herded animals, vehicles, bicycles and other conveyances either singly or together using public way for travel. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 101
  • Trailer: means a vehicle without motive power, designed to carry persons or property and to be drawn by a motor vehicle, not operated on railroad tracks, and so constructed that no part of its weight rests upon the towing vehicle. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 101
  • Truck: means a motor vehicle designed and used primarily to carry property. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 101
  • United States: includes territories and the District of Columbia. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 1 Sec. 72
  • Vehicle: means a vehicle, as defined in section 101, or the body or chassis of any vehicle that is to be dismantled, scrapped or rebuilt. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 602
  • Year: means a calendar year, unless otherwise expressed. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 1 Sec. 72