Is it OK to drive in Missouri with expired car tags? Here’s what the law says
Like most states, Missouri drivers must regularly renew their vehicle registration.
But if you’re a little late and miss the deadline, are you allowed to drive for a while with expired tags?
At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Missouri State Highway Patrol offered a 60-day grace period for license plates and temporary tags that expired in March and April. That grace period no longer exists.
But four years after that window closed, many cars are still traveling without an up-to-date registration, and Kansas City and Missouri police have started to crack down on drivers with expired temporary tags and license plates.
Here’s what the law says about driving with expired tags and what you need to do to renew.
What happens if I don’t renew my vehicle tags?
If a driver is pulled over for an expired tag, they could be cited for a registration violation, which carries a fine of $50.50 in Missouri. This is a nonmoving violation, which means it doesn’t count against your driving record for insurance or any potential license suspension, according to a blog post by the St. Louis Defense law firm. It’s also a primary violation, which means law enforcement drivers can be pulled over solely for that violation.
Temporary tags for new cars are valid for only 30 days. Cpl. Justin Ewing, a spokesman for the highway patrol, said law enforcement typically seizes tags and plates that have been expired for a long time or that have been changed to appear to be valid.
A $5 renewal penalty will be charged if you renew your plates after the expiration date, according to the Missouri Department of Revenue.
You can get the fee waived if you’re a military member and you submit official orders from your military authority as evidence of your service. The orders must include the date of your discharge, and the renewal must be processed within 60 days of your discharge.
How to register or renew your vehicle
In Missouri, you can renew your registration either every year or every two years. If you choose the second option, you would renew your even-year model vehicle in an even year, and your odd-year model vehicle in an odd year, according to Missouri’s Department of Motor Vehicles.
Driving a new car, or just moved to Kansas City? In Missouri, you have 30 days since buying a vehicle or moving to the state to get your car registered. Here are the state’s titling and registration requirements.
If your plates expired, you can renew them online, over the phone by calling 573-751-1957, by mail or in person.
You can renew your license plates up to six months before the expiration, and the tags must be renewed by the last day of the expiration month.
Do you have more questions about transportation in Kansas City? Ask the Service Journalism team at kcq@kcstar.com.
