Effective 01 Jul 2019, see footnote

303.020. Definitions. — As used in this chapter the following words and phrases shall mean:

(1) "Chauffeur", a person who is employed for the principal purpose of operating a motor vehicle or any person who drives a motor vehicle while in use as a public or common carrier of persons or property for hire;

(2) "Director", director of revenue of the state of Missouri, acting directly or through his authorized officers and agents;

(3) "Judgment", a final judgment by a court of competent jurisdiction of any state or of the United States, upon a claim for relief for damages, including damages for care and loss of services, because of bodily injury to or death of any person, or for damages because of injury to or destruction of property, including the loss of use thereof, or upon a claim for relief on any agreement or settlement for such damages arising out of the ownership, maintenance or use of any motor vehicle;

(4) "License", an operator's or driver's license, temporary instruction permit, chauffeur's or registered operator's license issued under the laws of this state;

(5) "Motor vehicle", a self-propelled vehicle which is designed for use upon a highway, except trailers designed for use with such vehicles, traction engines, road rollers, farm tractors, tractor cranes, power shovels, well drillers and motorized bicycles, as defined in section 307.180, and every vehicle which is propelled by electric power obtained from overhead wires but not operated upon rails;

(6) "Nonresident", a person not a resident of the state of Missouri;

(7) "Nonresident's operating privilege", the privilege conferred upon a nonresident by the laws of this state pertaining to the operation by him of a motor vehicle, or the use of a motor vehicle owned by him in this state;

(8) "Operator", a person who is in actual physical control of a motor vehicle;

(9) "Owner", a person who holds the legal title to a motor vehicle; or in the event a motor vehicle is the subject of an agreement for the conditional sale or lease thereof with the right of purchase upon performance of the conditions stated in the agreement and with an immediate right of possession vested in the conditional vendee or lessee, or in the event a mortgagor of a motor vehicle is entitled to possession thereof, then such conditional vendee or lessee or mortgagor;

(10) "Proof of financial responsibility", proof of ability to respond in damages for liability, on account of accidents occurring subsequent to the effective date of said proof, arising out of the ownership, maintenance or use of a motor vehicle, in the amount of twenty-five thousand dollars because of bodily injury to or death of one person in any one accident, and, subject to said limit for one person, in the amount of fifty thousand dollars because of bodily injury to or death of two or more persons in any one accident, and in the amount of twenty-five thousand dollars because of injury to or destruction of property of others in any one accident;

(11) "Registration", registration certificate or certificates and registration plates issued under the laws of this state pertaining to the registration of motor vehicles;

(12) "State", any state, territory or possession of the United States, the District of Columbia, or any province of the Dominion of Canada;

(13) "Street" or "highway", the entire width between property lines of every way or place of whatever nature when any part thereof is open to the use of the public, as a matter of right, for purposes of vehicular traffic.

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(L. 1953 p. 569 § 303.010, A.L. 1965 p. 481, A.L. 1980 H.B. 995 & 1051, A.L. 1981 S.B. 201, A.L. 1986 S.B. 424, A.L. 1987 S.B. 114, A.L. 2018 S.B. 708)

Effective 7-01-19

(2004) Horse-drawn buggy is not a "motor vehicle" as defined in section and thus is not an uninsured motor vehicle within provision of automobile insurance policy. Ferguson v. Gateway Insurance Co., 151 S.W.3d 911 (Mo.App.W.D.).