An Act To Amend the Motor Vehicle Laws
Maine Legislature, Session 122, LD 1341
Committee: Transportation
Sponsors: DAMON, MARLEY, JACKSON, MAZUREK, TARDY
Amends: 29-A MRSA §1251, 29-A MRSA §1752, 29-A MRSA §1753, 29-A MRSA §1905, 29-A MRSA §2358, 29-A MRSA §2381

Legislative Document 
No. 1341 
S.P.468 
In Senate, March 17,2005 
An Act To Amend the Motor Vehicle Laws 
Submitted by the Department of Public Safety pursuant to Joint Rule 204. 
Reference to the Committee on Transportation suggested and ordered printed. 
Presented by Senator DAMON of Hancock. 
Cosponsored by Representative MARLEY of Portland and 
JOY J. O'BRIEN 
Secretary of the Senate 
Representatives: JACKSON of Fort Kent, MAZUREK of Rockland, McKENNEY of 
Cumberland, TARDY of Newport. 
Printed on recycled paper 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. 29·A MRSA §101, sub.§2, as enacted by PL 1993, c. 683, 
Pt. A, §2 and affected by Pt. B, §5, is amended to read: 
2. 
Altered vehicle. 
"Altered 
vehicle" 
means 
a 
motor 
vehicle wi~h-~~~9&&-¥~~~~-W&~a~-£a~J£~-~~-lG7GGG-~-et 
~ess that is modified so that the distance from the ground to the 
lowermost point on any part of the frame or body is different 
from the manufacturer's specifications, unless that difference is 
caused by: 
A. 
The use of tires that are no more than 2 sizes larger 
than the manufacturer's recommended size; 
B. 
The installation of a heavy duty suspension, including 
shock absorbers and overload springs; or 
C. 
Normal 
wear of the suspension system that does 
not 
affect control of the vehicle. 
Sec. 2. 29·A MRSA §101, sub·§3, 1rD, as amended by PL 1997, c. 
653, §2, is further amended to read: 
D. 
Not used as its owner's primary mode of transportation 
of passengers or goods; aae 
Sec. 3. 29·A MRSA §101, sub·§3, 1[E, as enacted by PL 1997, c. 
653, §3, is amended to read: 
E. 
Not a reconstructed vehicleT~ 
Sec.4. 29·A MRSA §101, sub-§3, 1fF is enacted to read: 
F. 
Not an altered vehicle. 
Sec. 5. 29·A MRSA §458·A, as enacted by PL 2001, c. 225, §2, 
is repealed. 
Sec. 6. 29·A MRSA §1251, sub·§I, 1r1rC and D, as enacted by PL 
2003, c. 452, Pt. Q, §17 and affected by Pt. X, §2, are amended 
to read: 
C. 
Without a license issued by this State if a resident of 
this State for more than 30 days but fewer than 90 days. 
Violation of this paragraph is a traffic infraction; at 
D. 
Without a license issued by this State if a resident of 
this State 
for 
more 
than 
days. 
Violation of this 
paragraph is a 
Cla~ E crime, which is a strict liability 
Page l-LR0410(1) 
crime as defined in Title 17-A, section 34, subsection 4-ATL 
QJ;: 
Sec. 7. 29-A MRSA §1251, sub-§I, ~ is enacted to read: 
E. 
With a license issued by this State that expired within 
the previous 90 days. 
Violation of this paragraph is a 
traffic infraction. 
Sec. 8. 29-A MRSA §1752, sub-§4, 1rB, as enacted by PL 1993, c. 
683, Pt. A, §2 and affected by Pt. B, §5, is amended to read: 
B. 
Has 
a partial annual inspection of the running gear, 
steering 
mechanism, 
brakes, 
exhaust 
system 
and 
lights; 
safety glass under section 1915; 
and tires under section 
1917T-s~9se9~ieB-6; and 
Sec. 9. 29-A MRSA §1752, sub-§7, 1rB, as enacted by PL 1993, c. 
683, Pt. A, §2 and affected by Pt. B, §5, is amended to read: 
B. 
Has 
a 
partial 
annual 
inspection consisting of 
the 
running gear, steering mechanism, brakes, exhaust system and 
lights; safety glass under section 1915; 
and tires under 
section 1917; and 
Sec. 10. 29-A MRSA §1752, sub-§9, as repealed and replaced by 
PL 2003, c. 688, Pt. A, §34, is amended to read: 
9. 
Registered in this State. 
A motor vehicle registered in 
this State displaying a valid certificate of inspection from 
another 
state 
or 
a 
federally 
approved 
commercial 
vehicle 
inspection program ~B~i~-i~s-Be£ma~-eHpi£a~ieB for one year after 
the date of inspection; 
Sec. 11. 29-A MRSA §1753, sub-§I, as enacted by PL 1993, c. 
683, Pt. A, §2 and affected by Pt. B, §5, is repealed. 
Sec. 12. 29-A MRSA §1753, sub-§I-A is enacted to read: 
l-A~us.~tiQ» regyir~d. 
Except as provided in SUbsection 
4, the following vehicles reguired to be registered in this State 
must be inspect.ed annually and meet the reguirements of this 
section: 
A. 
A motor vehicle that is used in interstate commerce and 
that has 
a gross vehicle weight or gross vehicle weight 
rating greater 
than 
10,000 
pounds, 
including 
the 
gross 
vehicle weight rating or gross weight of any trailer or 
semitrailer; 
B. 
A motor vehicle that has a gross vehicle weight rating 
greater than 10,000 pounds: and 
C. 
A trailer or semitrailer that has a gross vehicle weight 
rating greater than 6,000 pounds or has more than one axle. 
Sec. 13. 29-A MRSA §1753, sub-§2, as enacted by PL 1993, c. 
683, Pt. A, §2 and affected by Pt. B, §5, is amended to read: 
2. 
Scope of inspection. 
The Chief of the State Police 
shall adopt rules for the inspection required by subsection ~ I-A 
that meet the requirements of 49 Code of Federal Regulations, 
Section 396.17. 
Sec. 14. 29-A MRSA §1753, sub-§4, as enacted by PL 1993, c. 
683, Pt. A, §2 and affected by Pt. B, §5, is amended to read: 
4. 
Vehicles exempt from annual inspection. 
The following 
vehicles are exempt from the requirements of this section: 
AT--Wh~£-~~~~~&~¥&~y-iR-J£~~~~~~~~-~~--a-~Fai*eF 
9F-~it~~~~--wi~R-~-~F9ss-~~~-wei~R~T--~1~~-aRY 
*9aeT-~Rat-e99s-R9t-9Heeee-aTQQQ-p9~ResT 
B. 
WReR--~see--9He;~sive;y--iR--iRtFas~ate--eeffiffieFeeT--a A 
semitrailer designed and used exclusively for dispensing 
cable 
from 
reels 
attached 
to 
the 
semitrailer, 
commonly 
called a reel trailer, and any semitrailer designed and used 
exclusively to support the ends of poles being transported, 
commonly called a pole dolly, when the gross weight of the 
semitrailer and load does not exceed 12,000 pounds; 
C. 
Any mobile home, empty storage trailer or empty storage 
semitrailer displaying a trailer transit plate in accordance 
with section 954, subsections 4 and 5; 
D. 
A farm truck or a fish truck exempted under section 
1752; aRe 
E. 
A trailer or semitrailer displaying a valid certificate 
of inspection from another state or a federally approved 
commercial 
vehicle 
inspection 
program 
until 
the 
normal 
expiration of its certificate of inspectionT~ 
F. 
A trailer or semitrailer that is a camP trailer. 
Sec. 15. 29-A MRSA §1905, sub-§I, as enacted by PL 1993, c. 
683, Pt. A, §2 and affected by Pt. B, §5, is amended to read: 
1. 
Requirement. 
Except as provided in subsection 3, 
a 
motor vehicle with 3 or more wheels or a trailer or semitrailer 
must have on the rear 2 lights, one on each side of the axis, 
each capable of displaying a red light visible for a distance of 
at least 100 feet behind the vehicle. 
Sec. 16. 29-A MRS A §1917, sub-§2, as amended by PL 2003, c. 
146, §1, is further amended to read: 
2. 
Safe tires 
required. 
A 
motor 
vehicle 
may 
not 
be 
operated on a public way unless it is equipped with tires in safe 
operating condition. 
A tire mounted on a motor vehicle is not 
considered to be in safe operating condition unless it meets the 
visual and tread depth requirements set forth in subsections 3 
and 4 and the wheel size requirements in subsection 6. 
A-vehiele 
maY-Be-~~~~~it~-~i~es-~ha~-ffiee~-~-~-~-~a4-aRa 
speea-~a~iR~-e~-~he-e~i~iRal-e~~ipmeR~-~i~esT 
Sec. 17. 29-A MRSA §2358, sub-§10, as enacted by PL 1993, c. 
683, Pt. A, §2 and affected by Pt. B, §5, is repealed. 
Sec. 18. 29-A MRSA §2381, sub-§2, ,B, as enacted by PL 1993, 
c. 683, Pt. A, §2 and affected by Pt. B, §5, is amended to read: 
B. 
Overwidth mowing machines, light farm tractors or other 
lightweight farming vehicles and equipment not customarily 
operated over public ways, if equipped with lights pursuant 
to section 1906, subsection L 
or reflectors at least 12 
inches 
by 
inches, 
to 
the front 
and 
rear adequately 
warning, 
during 
nighttime, 
other 
highway 
users 
of 
the 
extreme width; or 
SUMMARY 
This bill amends the motor vehicle law as follows. 
1. 
It amends the definition of altered vehicle by deleting 
the language limiting altered vehicles to those motor vehicles 
with a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,000 pounds or less. 
2. 
It amends the definition of an antique vehicle so that 
an antique vehicle cannot be an altered vehicle. 
3. 
It expands the partial inspection requirements for 
a 
farm truck to include safety glass. 
4. 
It expands the partial inspection requirements for 
a 
fish truck to include safety glass and tires. 
5. 
It repeals language regarding modified show vehicles. 
6. 
It inserts language that was 
inadvertently repealed 
during the First Regular Session of the 121st Legislature making 
it a traffic infraction to operate a motor vehicle for the first 
days with an expired Maine license. 
7. 
It requires that vehicles registered in this 
State 
displaying a valid certificate of inspection from another state 
be inspected one year after the date of that inspection rather 
than by the certificate's inspection date. 
8. 
It 
amends 
the 
commercial 
motor 
vehicle 
inspection 
requirements. 
9. 
It requires trailers and semitrailers to be equipped 
with 2 rear lights. 
10. 
It 
allows 
for 
an 
exception 
to 
the 
speed 
rating 
requirements for tires. 
11. 
It 
repeals 
antiquated 
language 
regarding 
a 
record-keeping requirement. 
12. 
It requires lights and reflectors on overwidth 
and 
farm equipment being moved on 
a 
highway at night 
located 
in 
specific 
places 
and 
to 
be 
of 
a 
certain 
respectively. 
mowers 
to be 
size,