61-4-129. Assignment of demonstrator plates. (1) (a) A dealer or wholesaler may purchase demonstrator plates at a fee of $5 a plate.

Ask a legal question, get an answer ASAP!
Click here to chat with a lawyer about your rights.

Terms Used In Montana Code 61-4-129

  • Dealer: means a person that, for commission or profit, engages in whole or in part in the business of buying, selling, exchanging, or accepting on consignment new or used motor vehicles, trailers, semitrailers, pole trailers, travel trailers, motorboats, sailboats, snowmobiles, off-highway vehicles, or special mobile equipment that is not registered in the name of the person. See Montana Code 61-1-101
  • Manufacturer: includes any person engaged in the manufacture of motor vehicles, trailers, semitrailers, pole trailers, travel trailers, motorboats, sailboats, snowmobiles, or off-highway vehicles as a regular business. See Montana Code 61-1-101
  • Motor vehicle: means :

    (i)a vehicle propelled by its own power and designed or used to transport persons or property on the highways of the state;

    (ii)a quadricycle if it is equipped for use on the highways as prescribed in chapter 9; or

    (iii)a golf cart only if it is equipped for use on the highways as prescribed in chapter 9 and is operated pursuant to 61-8-391 or by a person with a low-speed restricted driver's license. See Montana Code 61-1-101

  • Operator: means a person who is in actual physical control of a motor vehicle. See Montana Code 61-1-101
  • Semitrailer: means a vehicle, with or without motive power, other than a pole trailer, designed for carrying property and for being drawn by a motor vehicle and constructed so that some part of its weight and that of its load rests on or is carried by another vehicle. See Montana Code 61-1-101
  • State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the territories. See Montana Code 1-1-201
  • Trailer: has the meaning provided in 61-1-101 but does not include a trailer that has an unloaded weight of less than 500 pounds. See Montana Code 61-4-131
  • Travel trailer: means a vehicle:

    (a)that is 46 feet or less in length;

    (b)that is of a size or weight that does not require special permits when towed by a motor vehicle; and

    (c)that is designed to provide temporary facilities for recreational, travel, or camping use and not used as a principal residence. See Montana Code 61-1-101

  • Truck tractor: means a motor vehicle designed and used primarily for drawing other vehicles and not constructed to carry a load other than a part of the weight of the vehicle and load drawn. See Montana Code 61-1-101
  • Vehicle: means a device in, on, or by which any person or property may be transported or drawn on a public highway, except devices moved by animal power or used exclusively on stationary rails or tracks. See Montana Code 61-1-101
  • Wholesaler: means a person that for a commission or with intent to make a profit or gain of money or other thing of value sells, exchanges, or attempts to negotiate a sale or exchange of an interest in a used motor vehicle, trailer, semitrailer, pole trailer, travel trailer, motorboat, snowmobile, off-highway vehicle, or special mobile equipment only to dealers and auto auctions licensed under chapter 4, part 1. See Montana Code 61-1-101

(b)Demonstrator plates may not be issued to a new or used dealer whose business is restricted to the sale of power sports vehicles.

(2)(a) Except as provided in subsection (2)(c), demonstrator plates may be used on a motor vehicle displaying a Monroney label or a buyer’s guide label, as required by 61-4-123(2), or on a truck, truck tractor, truck tractor pulling a laden or unladen semitrailer, or travel trailer that is:

(i)being demonstrated and offered for sale to a dealership customer for not more than 72 hours when operated by an individual holding a valid operator‘s license;

(ii)owned by the dealership when operated by an officer or bona fide full-time employee of the dealer or wholesaler and used to transport the dealer’s or wholesaler’s own tools, parts, and equipment;

(iii)being tested for repair;

(iv)being moved to or from a dealer’s place of business for sale;

(v)being moved to or from service and repair facilities before sale; and

(vi)being moved to or from exhibitions within the state, provided the exhibition does not exceed a period of 20 days.

(b)Demonstrator plates may be used:

(i)on trailers being hauled to or from the place of business of the manufacturer and the place of business of the dealer or to and from places of business of the dealer;

(ii)on travel trailers held for sale to demonstrate the towing capability of the motor vehicle, for not more than 72 hours;

(iii)on any motor vehicle owned by the dealer that is used only to move a travel trailer that is in the dealer’s inventory; and

(iv)on trailers being moved to or from exhibitions within the state if the exhibition does not exceed a period of 20 days.

(c)Extra demonstrator plates may be made available to dealers eligible for demonstrator plates under subsection (2)(a) to provide to one or more service repair facilities to be used when moving a motor vehicle in the dealer’s inventory to and from the dealer’s place of business and the service and repair facility prior to sale. A motor vehicle displaying demonstrator plates under this subsection is not required to have a Monroney label or a buyer’s guide label as required by 61-4-123(2).

(d)A motor vehicle being operated in accordance with this subsection (2) need only display one demonstrator plate conspicuously on the rear of the motor vehicle.