Registration of vehicle of nonresident owner; use of license plates of nonresident manufacturer, distributor or dealer; registration of vehicle by person upon becoming resident of this State.
1. Except as otherwise provided in subsection 4 and NRS 482.390, a nonresident owner of a vehicle of a type subject to registration pursuant to the provisions of this chapter, owning any vehicle which has been registered for the current year in the state, country or other place of which the owner is a resident and which at all times when operated in this State has displayed upon it the registration license plate issued for the vehicle in the place of residence of the owner, may operate or permit the operation of the vehicle within this State without its registration in this State pursuant to the provisions of this chapter and without the payment of any registration fees to this State.
2. This section does not:
(a) Prohibit the use of manufacturers’, distributors’ or dealers’ license plates issued by any state or country by any nonresident in the operation of any vehicle on the public highways of this State.
(b) Require registration of vehicles of a type subject to registration pursuant to the provisions of this chapter operated by nonresident common motor carriers of persons or property, contract motor carriers of persons or property, or private motor carriers of property as stated in NRS 482.390.
(c) Require registration of a vehicle operated by a border state employee.
3. When a person, formerly a nonresident, becomes a resident of this State, he shall:
(a) Within 30 days after becoming a resident; or
(b) At the time he obtains his driver’s license,
Ê whichever occurs earlier, apply for the registration of each vehicle he owns which is operated in this State. When a person, formerly a nonresident, applies for a driver’s license in this State, the Department shall inform the person of the requirements imposed by this subsection and of the penalties that may be imposed for failure to comply with the provisions of this subsection. In addition, the Department shall maintain or cause to be maintained a list or other record of persons who fail to comply with the provisions of this subsection and shall, at least once each month, provide a copy of that list or record to the Department of Public Safety.
4. Any resident operating upon a highway of this State a motor vehicle which is owned by a nonresident and which is furnished to the resident operator for his continuous use within this State, shall cause that vehicle to be registered within 30 days after beginning its operation within this State.
5. A person registering a vehicle pursuant to the provisions of subsection 3, 4 or 6 or pursuant to NRS 482.390:
(a) Must be assessed the registration fees and governmental services tax, as required by the provisions of this chapter and chapter 371 of NRS; and
(b) Must not be allowed credit on those taxes and fees for the unused months of his previous registration.
6. If a vehicle is used in this State for a gainful purpose, the owner shall immediately apply to the Department for registration, except as otherwise provided in NRS 482.390, 482.395 and 706.801 to 706.861, inclusive.
7. An owner registering a vehicle pursuant to the provisions of this section shall surrender the existing nonresident license plates and registration certificates to the Department for cancellation.
8. A vehicle may be cited for a violation of this section regardless of whether it is in operation or is parked on a highway, in a public parking lot or on private property which is open to the public if, after communicating with the owner or operator of the vehicle, the peace officer issuing the citation determines that:
(a) The owner of the vehicle is a resident of this State; or
(b) The vehicle is used in this State for a gainful purpose.
Last modified: February 25, 2006