The following words and phrases when used in this chapter shall, for the purpose of this chapter, have the meanings respectively ascribed to them in this section:

lawyer at desk

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

Terms Used In West Virginia Code 17D-1-1

  • 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.
  • 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
  • Mortgagor: The person who pledges property to a creditor as collateral for a loan and who receives the money.
  • state: shall mean : Any state, territory, or possession of the United States, the District of Columbia, or any province of the Dominion of Canada. See West Virginia Code 17D-4-3

(a) Commissioner. — The Commissioner of Motor Vehicles of this state;

(b) Person. — Every natural person, firm, copartnership, association or corporation;

(c) Driver. — Every person who drives or is in actual physical control of a vehicle;

(d) Operator. — Every person, other than a chauffeur, who drives or is in actual physical control of a motor vehicle upon a highway or who is exercising control over or steering a vehicle being towed by a motor vehicle;

(e) Chauffeur. — Every person who is employed by another for the principal purpose of driving a motor vehicle and every person who drives a school bus transporting school children or any other motor vehicle when in use for the transportation of persons or property for compensation;

(f) Owner. — A person who holds the legal title of a vehicle, or in the event a vehicle is the subject of an agreement for the conditional sale or lease thereof with the right of purchase upon performance of the conditions stated in the agreement and with an immediate right of possession vested in the conditional vendee or lessee, or in the event a mortgagor of a vehicle is entitled to possession, then such conditional vendee or lessee or mortgagor shall be deemed the owner for the purposes of this chapter;

(g) Nonresident. — Every person who is not a resident of this state;

(h) Vehicle. — Every device in, upon, or by which any person or property is or may be transported or drawn upon a highway, except devices moved by human power or used exclusively upon stationary rails or tracks;

(i) Motor vehicle. — Every vehicle which is self-propelled and every vehicle which is propelled by electric power obtained from overhead trolley wires, but not operated upon rails;

(j) Trailer. — Every vehicle with or without motive power designed for carrying persons or property and for being drawn by a motor vehicle and so constructed that no part of its weight rests upon the towing vehicle;

(k) Semitrailer. — Every vehicle with or without motive power designed for carrying persons or property and for being drawn by a motor vehicle and so constructed that some part of its weight and that of its load rests upon or is carried by another vehicle.