40-4-1.
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As used in this article, the term:
(1) 'Component' means a passenger car engine or a passenger car
transmission.
(2) 'New passenger car' means any passenger car which has never been
the subject of a sale at retail to the general public.
(3) 'Passenger car' means every motor vehicle designed for carrying
ten passengers or less except trackless trolleys or vehicles used
exclusively upon streetcar rails or tracks or overhead trolley
wires.
(4) 'Used passenger car' means any passenger car which has been the
subject of a sale at retail to the general public.
40-4-2.
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(a) The provisions of this article requiring vehicle identification
numbers on passenger cars and truck chassis with features designed
for specialized requirements of a wrecker shall apply only to such
items manufactured after January 1, 1967, and designated by the
manufacturer as a 1968 or subsequent model.
(b) This article shall not apply to motorcycles, motor driven
cycles, school buses, farm tractors, buses, truck tractors, road
tractors, trucks, trailers, semitrailers, pole trailers, streetcars,
or go-carts or to any vehicle whether self-propelled or not which is
not required to be issued a license plate under the laws of this
state.
(c) This article shall not apply to the following special purpose
vehicles:
Type 1. Truck chassis with body (other than station wagon or bus
body) designed primarily for the transportation of persons;
Type 2. Truck chassis with other features designed for a specialized
requirement other than a wrecker, including but not limited to fire
fighting or snowplow features;
Type 3. Truck chassis with station wagon body;
Type 4. Passenger car chassis with body designed for the commercial
transportation of persons;
Type 5. Bus chassis with other features designed for a specialized
requirement, including but not limited to mobile laboratory, office,
post office, classroom, studio, rescue unit, or library features;
Type 6. Utility vehicle, being a motor vehicle with a removable top,
designed for carrying passengers or cargo and with particular
features for operation both on highway and cross-country.
(d) This article shall not apply to the components of any vehicle
excluded by subsection (b) or (c) of this Code section.
40-4-3.
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(a) New passenger cars and components manufactured within state.
After January 1, 1997, new passenger cars, truck chassis with
features designed for specialized requirements of wreckers,
passenger car engines, and transmissions, as specified in this
article, manufactured within this state and intended for sale to the
general public within this state, shall be required to have placed
upon them vehicle identification numbers and component
identification numbers. The vehicle identification number shall not
be the same as the vehicle identification number of any other
passenger car or truck chassis manufactured by the same
manufacturer. The component identification number shall not be the
same as the component identification number for any other like
component manufactured by the same manufacturer but may be the same
as the vehicle identification number if the component is installed
as original equipment in the passenger car or truck chassis.
(b) New passenger cars sold within state. After January 1, 1997, no
new passenger car or truck chassis with features designed for
specialized requirements of a wrecker shall be sold to the general
public in this state unless such passenger car shall bear a vehicle
identification number, which shall not be the same as the vehicle
identification number of any other passenger car made by the same
manufacturer.
(c) New components sold within state. After January 1, 1967, no new
passenger car engine or passenger car transmission shall be sold to
the general public in this state unless it shall bear an
identification number. The component identification number shall not
be the same as the identification number for any other like
passenger car component made by the same manufacturer but may be the
same as the vehicle identification number if the particular
component has been installed as original equipment in the passenger
car prior to its sale to the general public.
40-4-4.
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(a) The identification numbers required by Code Section 40-4-3 shall
be placed upon the passenger car, truck chassis, and component parts
by the manufacturer thereof.
(b) The identification numbers shall be placed upon the passenger
car, truck chassis, and components in such a manner that any attempt
to remove, alter, deface, obliterate, or destroy them will be
ascertainable. The numbers may be affixed by any suitable
manufacturing process that will result in the numbers becoming a
permanent part of the passenger car or component.
(c) The identification numbers shall be of a height and width easily
readable by the naked eye. They may consist of letters, digits, or
any combination of them.
(d) The identification numbers may be in accordance with recommended
practices approved by the Society of Automotive Engineers as to
material, lettering, manufacturing, and installation.
(e) Vehicle identification numbers shall be easily accessible for
inspection.
40-4-5.
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Truck chassis with features designed for specialized requirements of
a wrecker manufactured after January 1, 1967, but before January 1,
1997, shall, at the time the vehicle is first registered on or after
January 1, 1997, pursuant to Code Section 40-2-21, be issued by the
Department of Motor Vehicle Safety a unique vehicle identification
number which shall be affixed to and maintained upon the chassis by
the owner in a manner consistent with the requirements of
subsections (b) and (e) of Code Section 40-4-4.
40-4-6.
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Any person who purchases or sells or offers for sale any used
passenger car, truck chassis, engine, or transmission required to be
numbered by this article shall keep a permanent record of such
transactions. Such record shall include: the item and its
identification number or numbers; the name and address of the person
from whom the item was purchased; and the name and address of the
person to whom the item was sold. Such record shall be kept for
three years from the date of the transaction and shall be available
to all law enforcement officers for inspection at any reasonable
time during business hours without prior notice or the necessity of
obtaining a search warrant.
40-4-7.
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(a) Sale, shipment, or manufacture of unnumbered passenger car or
component. Any person who sells or offers for sale in this state,
ships or causes to be shipped into this state, or manufactures with
the intention that it shall be sold at retail in this state a
passenger car, truck chassis, passenger car engine, or passenger car
transmission that does not bear an identification number or numbers
as required by this article shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.
(b) Failure to keep records. Any person who purchases, sells, or
offers for sale any passenger car, truck chassis, passenger car
engine, or passenger car transmission that is required by this
article to bear an identification number when intended to be sold at
wholesale or retail within this state and who willfully fails to
keep the records required by Code Section 40-4-6 shall be guilty of
a misdemeanor for each such failure.
40-4-20.
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As used in this article, the term:
(1) 'Falsify' includes alter or forge.
(2) 'Identification number' means an identifying number, serial
number, engine number, or other distinguishing number or mark placed
on a vehicle or engine by its manufacturer or by authority of the
commissioner or in accordance with the laws of another state or
country.
(3) 'Remove' includes deface or destroy.
40-4-21.
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(a) A person who willfully removes, except in conformance with Code
Section 40-3-35, or falsifies an identification number of a vehicle
or an engine for a vehicle is guilty of a misdemeanor.
(b) A person who, willfully and with intent to misrepresent the
identity of a vehicle or engine, removes or falsifies an
identification number of the vehicle or engine with intent to
convert or defraud is guilty of a felony. A person convicted of a
felony under this subsection shall be punished by a fine of not less
than $500.00 nor more than $5,000.00, or by imprisonment for not
less than one year nor more than five years, or by both such fine
and imprisonment.
40-4-22.
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(a) It shall be unlawful to buy, sell, receive, dispose of, conceal,
use, or possess any motor vehicle, or any part thereof, from which
the manufacturer´s serial numbers or other distinguishing numbers or
identifying marks have been removed, defaced, covered, altered, or
destroyed for the purpose of concealing or misrepresenting the
identity of such motor vehicle.
(b) Any person who knowingly violates any provisions of subsection
(a) of this Code section is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction,
shall be punished by confinement in the penitentiary for not less
than one nor more than five years.
40-4-23.
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An identification number may be placed on a vehicle or engine by its
manufacturer in the regular course of business or placed or restored
on a vehicle or engine by authority of the commissioner without
violating this article. An identification number so placed or
restored is not falsified.
40-4-40.
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Any person who purchases a used motor vehicle or any used part
comprising a component part of any motor vehicle for resale shall
keep an accurate record of the date of purchase, the price paid, and
the name and address of the person from whom the vehicle or part is
purchased. Such information shall be maintained in permanent records
for a period of not less than one year and shall be open to
inspection by appropriate law enforcement officers.
40-4-41.
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Any person who purchases for resale a motor vehicle or used part
from which the identification markings or plates have been removed,
altered, mutilated, or destroyed shall immediately report such
purchase to the sheriff of the county in which such person conducts
his business.
40-4-42.
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The possession of the motor vehicles and parts covered by Code
Sections 40-4-40, 40-4-41, this Code section, 40-4-43, and 40-4-44
shall be prima-facie evidence that they were purchased for the
purpose of resale.
40-4-43.
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Any person who fails to comply with any provision of Code Section
40-4-40 or 40-4-41 shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.
40-4-44.
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Code Sections 40-4-40 through 40-4-43 shall not apply to the
purchase of any motor vehicle part which may be removed from a motor
vehicle by an individual possessing the ordinary skill and dexterity
of an ordinary motor vehicle owner.
40-4-45.
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(a) As used in this Code section, the term:
(1) 'Certificate of origin' means the evidence of origin of title of
a farm tractor from the manufacturer. It shall show the following
information:
(A) The name and the address of the manufacturer;
(B) The serial number of the farm tractor; and
(C) The year, make, and model of the farm tractor.
(2) 'Dealer' means a person engaged in buying, selling, trading, or
exchanging farm tractors who has an established place of business in
this state.
(3) 'Farm tractor' means any self-propelled vehicle having more than
15 horsepower designed and used primarily as a farm implement for
drawing plows, mowing machines, and other implements of husbandry.
(4) 'Person' means a natural person, firm, partnership, association,
or corporation.
(5) 'Serial number' means the number or letters, or both, placed on
a farm tractor by stamping thereon or by affixing a plate thereto by
the manufacturer for the purpose of identifying the tractor.
(b) It shall be unlawful for any dealer to sell, trade, or exchange
any farm tractor in this state which was manufactured after July 1,
1970, unless:
(1) The original serial number is stamped upon or affixed to the
farm tractor; and
(2) The certificate of origin is presented to the purchaser, or to
the person who otherwise receives the farm tractor through an
exchange or trade with the dealer, at the time the sale, trade, or
exchange is completed.
(c) Any person violating any provision of this Code section shall be
guilty of a misdemeanor.