(2)(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this subsection (2), the
transferee, before operating or permitting the operation of a motor vehicle upon a
highway, shall register the vehicle.
(b)A transferee may operate a motor vehicle on the highway before
registering it if:
(I)The vehicle is exempt from registration pursuant to section 42-3-103 or
42-3-104; or
(II)The vehicle has been temporarily registered pursuant to section 42-3-203 (3); or
(III)(A) The transferee has purchased the motor vehicle within the last thirty-six hours from a person who is not a motor vehicle dealer under part 1 of article 20
of title 44;
(B)The vehicle was purchased either on a Saturday, on a Sunday, on a legal
holiday, or between 5 p.m. and 8 a.m.;
(C)The vehicle is being dr
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(1) Repealed.
(2) (a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this subsection (2), the
transferee, before operating or permitting the operation of a motor vehicle upon a
highway, shall register the vehicle.
(b) A transferee may operate a motor vehicle on the highway before
registering it if:
(I) The vehicle is exempt from registration pursuant to section 42-3-103 or
42-3-104; or
(II) The vehicle has been temporarily registered pursuant to section 42-3-203 (3); or
(III) (A) The transferee has purchased the motor vehicle within the last thirty-six hours from a person who is not a motor vehicle dealer under part 1 of article 20
of title 44;
(B) The vehicle was purchased either on a Saturday, on a Sunday, on a legal
holiday, or between 5 p.m. and 8 a.m.;
(C) The vehicle is being driven from the place where the transferor stored the
vehicle to the place where the transferee intends to store the vehicle;
(D) The owner possesses, in the vehicle, a bill of sale that shows the time and
date of sale and that is signed by both the buyer and seller; and
(E) The owner possesses, in the vehicle, proof of insurance as required by
section 42-4-1409.
(3) If a title to or interest in a motor vehicle is transferred by operation of
law, as upon inheritance, devise, or bequest, order in bankruptcy of insolvency,
execution, sale, repossession upon default in performing the terms of a lease or
executory sales contract, chattel mortgage, secured transaction, or otherwise, the
registration thereof shall expire, and the vehicle shall not be operated upon the
highways unless the vehicle is registered; except that a person repossessing the
vehicle pursuant to rights granted by a mortgage or applicable law may operate the
vehicle upon the highways from the place of repossession to the vehicle's new
place of storage, either upon displaying upon such vehicle the number plates issued
to the former owner or without displaying number plates but under a written permit
obtained from the department or the police authorities with jurisdiction over such
highways and upon displaying upon such vehicle a placard bearing the name and
address of the person authorizing and directing such movement, plainly readable
from a distance of one hundred feet during daylight.
(4) The owner of a motor vehicle who has made a bona fide sale or transfer
of such owner's title or interest and who has delivered possession of such vehicle
and the certificate of title, properly endorsed, to the purchaser or transferee shall
not be liable for any damages thereafter resulting from negligent operation of such
vehicle by another.
(5) (a) Except as otherwise provided in subsections (5)(b), (5)(c), and (5)(d) of
this section, on and after January 1, 2022, whenever the owner of a motor vehicle
that is Class C personal property, as described in section 42-3-106 (2)(c), transfers
or assigns the owner's title or interest, the number plates issued to the owner for
the vehicle expire and shall not be transferred by the department to any other
motor vehicle. Except as otherwise provided in subsection (5)(d) of this section,
whenever the owner of a motor vehicle that is Class B personal property, as
described in section 42-3-106 (2)(b); Class D personal property, as described in
section 42-3-106 (2)(d); or Class F personal property, as described in section 42-3-106 (2)(e), transfers or assigns the owner's title or interest, the number plates
issued to the owner for the vehicle expire and shall not be transferred by the
department to any other motor vehicle. An owner of a motor vehicle whose number
plates expire due to the operation of this subsection (5)(a) who wishes to retain the
same combination of letters or numbers displayed on the expired license plates
retains the priority right to use the combination and may, after surrendering the
expired plates to the department, apply for personalized license plates with the
combination in the manner specified in section 42-3-211 when registering another
motor vehicle.
(b) Subsection (5)(a) of this section does not apply to the transfer or
assignment of an owner's title or interest in Class B, Class C, and Class D personal
property that has number plates:
(I) That are personalized license plates issued in accordance with section 42-3-211, distinctive special license plates, group special license plates, or special
alumni license plates issued in accordance with section 42-3-214; or
(II) That have a valuable registration number that has been reserved for use
under the Laura Hershey Disability Support Act, part 2 of article 88 of title 8.
(c) In accordance with section 42-12-301 (6), subsection (5)(a) of this section
does not apply to the transfer or assignment of an owner's title or interest in Class
C personal property that is a horseless carriage.
(d) Subsection (5)(a) of this section does not apply to number plates issued
to a fleet operator that are easily legible and in good condition, and a fleet operator
may transfer such number plates from one fleet vehicle to another when the fleet
operator transfers or assigns the owner's title or interest in the fleet vehicle from
which the number plates are being transferred.