Operation of vehicle with removed, defaced, destroyed, obliterated,
or concealed identification number; infractions
Sec. 16. (a) A person who operates a motor vehicle on which the
identification number has been removed, defaced, destroyed,
obliterated, or concealed, when application has not been made to the
bureau for permission to put on a new number, commits a Class C
infraction.
(b) If a person who violates subsection (a) cannot, to the
satisfaction of the court, establish the person's ownership of the
motor vehicle, the motor vehicle shall be confiscated by the court
and sold. The proceeds from the sale shall be used to pay the fine and
costs of prosecution, and the balance, if any, shall be deposited in the
motor vehicle highway account fund.
(c) If the fine and costs are not paid within thirty (30) days after
judgment is rendered under this section, the court shall proceed to
advertise and sell the motor vehicle in the manner provided by law
for the sale of personal property under execution.
(d) If at any time the motor vehicle remains in the custody of the
court or the court's officers under this section the owner appears and
establishes the owner's title to the motor vehicle to the satisfaction of
the court, the motor vehicle shall be returned to the owner. The
owner shall then make application for and may obtain an
identification number and a title as provided in IC 9-17-4. The owner
may then use the motor vehicle upon proper registration.
As added by P.L.2-1991, SEC.6. Amended by P.L.268-2003, SEC.23.
Last modified: May 27, 2006