Missouri Revised Statutes
Chapter 303 - Motor Vehicle Financial Responsibility Law
Section 303.020 - Definitions.

Effective - 28 Aug 2021, 4 histories
303.020. Definitions. — As used in this chapter the following words and phrases shall mean:
(1) "Chauffeur", a person who is employed for the principal purpose of operating a motor vehicle or any person who drives a motor vehicle while in use as a public or common carrier of persons or property for hire;
(2) "Director", director of revenue of the state of Missouri, acting directly or through his authorized officers and agents;
(3) "Judgment", a final judgment by a court of competent jurisdiction of any state or of the United States, upon a claim for relief for damages, including damages for care and loss of services, because of bodily injury to or death of any person, or for damages because of injury to or destruction of property, including the loss of use thereof, or upon a claim for relief on any agreement or settlement for such damages arising out of the ownership, maintenance or use of any motor vehicle;
(4) "License", an operator's or driver's license, temporary instruction permit, chauffeur's or registered operator's license issued under the laws of this state;
(5) "Motor vehicle", a self-propelled vehicle which is designed for use upon a highway, except trailers designed for use with such vehicles, traction engines, road rollers, farm tractors, tractor cranes, power shovels, well drillers, motorized bicycles as defined in section 307.180, electric bicycles as defined in section 301.010, and every vehicle which is propelled by electric power obtained from overhead wires but not operated upon rails;
(6) "Nonresident", a person not a resident of the state of Missouri;
(7) "Nonresident's operating privilege", the privilege conferred upon a nonresident by the laws of this state pertaining to the operation by him of a motor vehicle, or the use of a motor vehicle owned by him in this state;
(8) "Operator", a person who is in actual physical control of a motor vehicle;
(9) "Owner", a person who holds the legal title to a motor vehicle; or in the event a motor 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 motor vehicle is entitled to possession thereof, then such conditional vendee or lessee or mortgagor;
(10) "Proof of financial responsibility", proof of ability to respond in damages for liability, on account of accidents occurring subsequent to the effective date of said proof, arising out of the ownership, maintenance or use of a motor vehicle, in the amount of twenty-five thousand dollars because of bodily injury to or death of one person in any one accident, and, subject to said limit for one person, in the amount of fifty thousand dollars because of bodily injury to or death of two or more persons in any one accident, and in the amount of twenty-five thousand dollars because of injury to or destruction of property of others in any one accident;
(11) "Registration", registration certificate or certificates and registration plates issued under the laws of this state pertaining to the registration of motor vehicles;
(12) "State", any state, territory or possession of the United States, the District of Columbia, or any province of the Dominion of Canada;
(13) "Street" or "highway", the entire width between property lines of every way or place of whatever nature when any part thereof is open to the use of the public, as a matter of right, for purposes of vehicular traffic.
­­--------
(L. 1953 p. 569 § 303.010, A.L. 1965 p. 481, A.L. 1980 H.B. 995 & 1051, A.L. 1981 S.B. 201, A.L. 1986 S.B. 424, A.L. 1987 S.B. 114, A.L. 2018 S.B. 708, A.L. 2021 S.B. 176)
(2004) Horse-drawn buggy is not a "motor vehicle" as defined in section and thus is not an uninsured motor vehicle within provision of automobile insurance policy. Ferguson v. Gateway Insurance Co., 151 S.W.3d 911 (Mo.App.W.D.).

Structure Missouri Revised Statutes

Missouri Revised Statutes

Title XIX - Motor Vehicles, Watercraft and Aviation

Chapter 303 - Motor Vehicle Financial Responsibility Law

Section 303.010 - Title of law.

Section 303.020 - Definitions.

Section 303.022 - Applicability of certain state statutes to motor vehicle liability policies, when.

Section 303.024 - Insurance identification cards issued by insurer, contents — identification cards for self-insured issued by director, contents — exhibition of card to peace officers or commercial vehicle enforcement officers — failure to exhibit,...

Section 303.025 - Duty to maintain financial responsibility, residents and nonresidents — inoperable or stored vehicles, voluntary suspension of registration — misdemeanor penalty for violations — exception, methods — court to notify department of re...

Section 303.025 - Duty to maintain financial responsibility, residents and nonresidents, misdemeanor penalty for failure to maintain — exception, methods — court to notify department of revenue, additional punishment, right of appeal.

Section 303.026 - Director to notify owners who register vehicles, contents — affidavit certifying financial responsibility required for registration — director may use sampling techniques to verify — insurers required to submit policy information to...

Section 303.030 - Operator's license suspended on failure to give security for payment of damages after accident, burden of proof for challenging determination — exceptions — insurance accepted.

Section 303.039 - Effective date for sections 303.025 and 303.041.

Section 303.040 - All motor vehicle accidents to be reported — director to notify all other parties, contents — parties to furnish information — nonresident requirements.

Section 303.041 - Failure to maintain financial responsibility — notice, procedure, contents — suspension of license and registration — request for hearing, right, effect — subsequent acquisition of financial responsibility, effect — duration of susp...

Section 303.041 - Failure to maintain financial responsibility — notice, procedure, contents — suspension of license and registration — request for hearing, right, effect — subsequent acquisition of financial responsibility, effect — duration of susp...

Section 303.042 - Suspension, effective when — length of suspension, factors considered — false submission of proof of insurance, suspension, duration, fee.

Section 303.044 - Proof of financial responsibility required for reregistration.

Section 303.045 - Records, where kept — destroyed, when.

Section 303.050 - Security, form and amount — reduced, when.

Section 303.051 - Judgment-creditor entitled to notice of security held.

Section 303.060 - Security deposited with director of revenue — used to pay judgment — return.

Section 303.070 - Operator not subject to security and suspension provisions, when.

Section 303.080 - Where operator has no license or is nonresident, procedure.

Section 303.090 - Report of failure to satisfy judgment — procedure as to nonresident.

Section 303.100 - License suspended on receipt of judgment — creditor may consent to allowance of license.

Section 303.110 - Suspension not lifted or license renewed, when — effect of bankruptcy.

Section 303.120 - Judgments deemed satisfied, when.

Section 303.130 - License continued on order allowing installment payment of judgment, when.

Section 303.140 - License suspension lifted, when.

Section 303.150 - Vehicle registration suspended on suspension of license for conviction or bail forfeiture — proof required for reregistration.

Section 303.160 - Proof of financial responsibility, how given.

Section 303.170 - Proof of responsibility by insurance certificate.

Section 303.175 - Motor vehicle liability policy, minimum term, exceptions.

Section 303.178 - Display of false evidence of insurance, penalty, confiscation of false evidence, misdemeanor.

Section 303.179 - Alteration, production or sale of invalid insurance card, misdemeanor.

Section 303.180 - Proof of responsibility by nonresident by insurance certificate, accepted when.

Section 303.190 - Motor vehicle liability policy, contents.

Section 303.200 - Missouri automobile insurance plan for persons unable to procure insurance by ordinary means — approval, participation by companies — function — plan of operation — liability limitations.

Section 303.210 - Notice of cancellation of insurance to be given director.

Section 303.220 - Certificate of self-insurance — cancelled, when.

Section 303.230 - Surety bond as proof of responsibility.

Section 303.240 - Cash deposit as proof of responsibility.

Section 303.250 - Owner may give proof for employees or family members.

Section 303.260 - Substitution of one proof of responsibility for another.

Section 303.270 - Director may require different proof, when.

Section 303.280 - Release of proof and waiver of proof, when.

Section 303.290 - Director's duties — regulations — judicial review.

Section 303.300 - Driver's records available upon request.

Section 303.310 - Report and decision to be no evidence of negligence — may be evidence, when.

Section 303.315 - Copies of suspension orders, constitute evidence.

Section 303.320 - Vehicle not registered until bona fide transfer.

Section 303.330 - License and registration returned to director, when.

Section 303.340 - Law not to apply to certain automobile insurance policies.

Section 303.350 - Chapter not applicable to government or common carriers.

Section 303.360 - Not to operate retrospectively.

Section 303.370 - Offenses, penalties.

Section 303.390 - Uninsured motorist, waiver of ability to collect noneconomic damages, when — inapplicability, when.

Section 303.400 - Title.

Section 303.403 - Definitions.

Section 303.406 - Database and fund created, purpose, administration — disclosure, when, violations, penalties — review and report to general assembly.

Section 303.409 - Failure to maintain financial responsibility, notice, right to hearing — suspension, duration, factors, extension for failure to file proof of insurance, maintenance of proof — exception for inoperable or stored motor vehicles.

Section 303.412 - Reporting by insurance companies, frequency, required information — revenue to notify department of violation, penalty, exceptions.

Section 303.415 - Effective and expiration dates.