§ 31-3-20 - Operation with manufacturer's or dealer's plates.
SECTION 31-3-20
§ 31-3-20 Operation with manufacturer's ordealer's plates. – (a) A manufacturer or dealer owning any vehicle of a type otherwise required tobe registered under this chapter, or any bona fide employee of a manufactureror dealer, or any other appropriate persons as defined by this chapter, or byregulations issued pursuant to this chapter, may operate or move the vehicleupon the highways for any purpose without registering the vehicle uponcondition that the vehicle has displayed on it, in the manner prescribed in§ 31-3-18, a special plate issued to the owner as provided in §§31-3-23 – 31-3-25.
(b) Any manufacturer or dealer may loan a motor vehicle, thespecial plates, or both to any person for the purpose of demonstration of amotor vehicle, when a motor vehicle owned by the person is undergoing repairs,or when the person has purchased a motor vehicle the registration of which byhim or her is pending, and in any case for not more than twenty (20) days inany year, provided the person operating the loaned motor vehicle or a motorvehicle bearing such loaned number plate shall furnish proof to the dealer ormanufacturer that he or she has liability and property damage insurance whichwill cover any damage to any person or property caused by the operation of theloaned vehicle for which the operator would have been liable if he or she hadalso been the owner. This proof of insurance shall be set forth on a form to beobtained from the division of motor vehicles and the form shall be subject toany conditions that the division of motor vehicles may impose; provided that,in the event the person loaned the vehicle does not have an insurance policy ineffect, then any liability or property damage shall be covered by the dealer'sinsurance policy.
(c) Any manufacturer or dealer may also loan a motor vehicle,under the circumstances outlined in this section, and the vehicle may beaffixed plates belonging to the person operating the loaned motor vehicle whenthe number plates would be of the same classification. The dealer may issue atemporary certificate of registration of the vehicle and the vehicle may beoperated upon the public highways under this certificate for a period of twenty(20) days from the date of issuance. The certificate shall be issued on a formobtained from the division of motor vehicles and shall be issued under anyconditions that the division of motor vehicles may impose. The certificateshall be carried in the vehicle for which it is issued and the operator orperson in control of the vehicle shall display the certificate for examinationupon demand of any proper officer. Any damage to any person or property causedby the operation of the loaned vehicle shall be the responsibility of theoperator or person in control of the vehicle and the dealer or manufacturershall be in no way liable for it.
(d) Every manufacturer or dealer shall keep a record of eachloaned vehicle or number plate showing the date loaned, date returned, and thename and operator's license number of the person operating any loaned vehicleor vehicle with the loaned number plates. This record shall be available duringbusiness hours for examination by any police officer or inspector designated bythe administrator of the division of motor vehicles. Any licensed dealer ormanufacturer may operate or cause to be operated by a bona fide employee amotor vehicle for his or her personal use and for use in connection with his orher business as a dealer or repairer for any length of time, provided that thedealer's insurance policy shall at all times cover the motor vehicle while inuse by the employee.