This section establishes exemptions from the requirements under ORS § 803.025 to obtain title issued by this state. The exemptions are subject to ORS § 803.040. The exemptions are in addition to any exemptions under ORS § 801.026. Vehicles exempted by this section from the requirements to be titled by this state are not prohibited from being titled by this state if titling is permitted under ORS § 803.035. The exemptions are partial or complete as provided in the following:

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(1) Title from this state is not required for a vehicle unless the vehicle is operated on a highway in this state.

(2) Title from this state is not required unless a vehicle is operated under a registration number of this state.

(3) Snowmobiles and Class I, Class III and Class IV all-terrain vehicles are not subject to the requirements under ORS § 803.025. The requirements and procedures for titling snowmobiles are as provided under ORS § 821.060 and 821.070.

(4) Road rollers, farm tractors and traction engines are exempt from the requirements for title.

(5) Trolleys are exempt from the requirements for title.

(6) Bicycles are exempt from the requirements for title.

(7) United States Government owned and operated motor vehicles and trailers are exempt from the requirements for title.

(8) Implements of husbandry, well drilling machinery, emergency fire apparatus providing public fire protection and wheelchairs are exempt from the requirements for title.

(9) Except as provided in subsection (23) of this section, fixed load vehicles are exempt from the requirements for title while operated within the immediate construction project, as described in the governmental agency contract, in the construction or reconstruction of state or county roads, highways or city streets.

(10) Motor vehicles designed to operate at a loaded weight over 8,000 pounds, trailers and equipment are exempt from requirements for title while:

(a) Owned, leased, contracted or requisitioned by the State Forester, State Board of Forestry, their contractors under ORS Chapter 477, or the federal government; and

(b) Being used for the purposes of forest protection and fire suppression under ORS Chapter 477 or a similar federal statute, including movement of the vehicles to and from the work area.

(11) Farm trailers are exempt from requirements for title when the operation or movement of the vehicle upon the highways is incidental to its use in an agricultural operation.

(12) Golf carts operated under an ordinance adopted under ORS § 810.070 are exempt from requirements for title.

(13) Golf carts or similar vehicles are exempt from requirements for title when:

(a) They have not less than three wheels in contact with the ground;

(b) They have an unloaded weight of less than 1,300 pounds;

(c) They are designed to be and are operated at not more than 15 miles per hour; and

(d) They are operated by persons with disabilities.

(14) The nonresident owners of vehicles currently registered and titled in any other country, state or territory may operate such vehicles over the highways of this state without complying with the titling requirements under ORS § 803.025. All of the following apply to this subsection:

(a) This subsection only provides an exemption so long as the owner satisfactorily shows that the owner is not a resident of this state or has been a resident of this state for less than 30 days. For the purpose of this paragraph, a person is a resident of this state if the person meets the residency requirements described in ORS § 803.200.

(b) The exemption under this subsection applies to vehicles granted exemptions under ORS § 802.500, 802.520 or 826.005, unless otherwise provided under paragraph (c) of this subsection.

(c) Except as otherwise provided in this paragraph, a vehicle operated over the highways of this state for compensation or profit must comply with the titling requirements under ORS § 803.025 in the same manner as required of nontitled vehicles. The following vehicles are not subject to this paragraph:

(A) Vehicles operated under reciprocal registration exemptions established under ORS § 802.500 or 826.005.

(B) Vehicles operated under an exemption established under ORS § 802.520.

(C) Vehicles that are proportionally registered under an agreement established under ORS § 826.007, and according to the procedures established under ORS § 826.009 or 826.011.

(D) Any vehicle if duly registered and titled under the laws of the state or country of which the owner is a bona fide resident to the extent that in the foreign country, state, territory or federal district where the owner resides like exemptions and privileges are granted vehicles duly registered and titled under the laws of this state and owned by residents of this state.

(d) If no exemptions from titling requirements are in effect under ORS § 802.500, 802.520, 826.005 or 826.007 with respect to another jurisdiction, any vehicle properly registered and titled in such other jurisdiction and for which evidence of compliance is supplied shall receive, when operated in this state, the same exemptions, benefits and privileges granted by such other jurisdictions to vehicles properly registered and titled in this state. Reciprocity extended under this paragraph shall apply to commercial vehicles only when engaged exclusively in interstate commerce.

(e) Any vehicle operated under dealer registration plates issued by another state, country, province, territory or the District of Columbia is subject to this subsection.

(15) Vehicle dealers issued certificates under ORS § 822.020 may use and operate untitled vehicles as provided under ORS § 822.040.

(16) Towing businesses issued certificates under ORS § 822.205 may tow untitled vehicles as provided under ORS § 822.210.

(17) Vehicle transporters issued certificates under ORS § 822.310 may transport untitled vehicles as provided in ORS § 822.310.

(18) Untitled vehicles may be operated under trip permits described under ORS § 803.600 or under permits described under ORS § 803.610 to 803.625.

(19) Vehicles that are registered by the United States Department of State and that are owned or operated by foreign nationals with diplomatic immunity are exempt from the requirements for title.

(20)(a) Vehicles that are registered under the proportional registration provisions of ORS Chapter 826 and are titled in a jurisdiction other than Oregon are exempt from the requirements for title.

(b) A trailer that is registered under the proportional registration provisions of ORS Chapter 826 and titled in a jurisdiction other than Oregon shall remain exempt from the requirements for title in Oregon if the trailer is registered when the other jurisdiction removes its exception to proportional registration requirements for the trailer.

(21) Converter dollies and tow dollies are exempt from the requirements for title.

(22) Electric personal assistive mobility devices are exempt from the requirements for title.

(23) Road machinery that is operated at the direction of a road authority is exempt from the requirements for title. The exemption under this subsection also applies when the operation of road machinery upon a highway or an alley is incidental to its use in a highway maintenance operation.

(24) Special mobile equipment is exempt from the requirements for title. [1983 c.338 § 177; 1985 c.16 § 60; 1985 c.333 § 5; 1985 c.401 § 1; 1985 c.459 § 3; 1985 c.668 § 6; 1987 c.25 § 1; 1989 c.43 § 17; 1989 c.991 § 24; 1991 c.284 § 13; 1991 c.459 § 438f; 1991 c.477 § 1; 1993 c.233 § 18; 1995 c.774 § 10; 1999 c.361 § 1; 1999 c.977 § 18; 2001 c.827 § 1; 2003 c.341 § 3; 2003 c.655 § 99; 2007 c.70 § 324; 2007 c.845 § 1; 2009 c.91 § 3; 2011 c.360 § 13; 2012 c.12 § 22]