(a) Every owner or registrant of a motor vehicle required to be registered and licensed in this state shall maintain security as hereinafter provided in effect continuously throughout the registration or licensing period except in case of a periodic use or seasonal vehicle, in which case the owner or registrant is required to maintain security upon the vehicle only for the portion of the year the vehicle is in actual use. As used in this section, a periodic use or seasonal vehicle means a recreational vehicle, antique motor vehicle, motorcycle or other motor vehicle which is stored part of the year and used seasonally.

(b) The owner or registrant shall immediately surrender the registration plate to the Division of Motor Vehicles when he or she drops the required security during the registration period. An owner of a periodic use or seasonal vehicle may retain a registration plate subject to legislative rules promulgated by the commissioner.

(c) Every nonresident owner or registrant of a motor vehicle, which is operated upon any road or highway of this state and which has been physically present within this state for more than thirty days during the preceding three hundred sixty-five days shall thereafter maintain security as hereinafter provided in effect continuously throughout the period the motor vehicle remains within this state.

(d) No person may knowingly drive or operate upon any road or highway any motor vehicle upon which security is required by the provisions of this article unless the required security is in effect.

(e) The security shall be provided by one of the following methods:

(1) By an insurance policy delivered or issued for the delivery in this state by an insurance company authorized to issue vehicle liability and property insurance policies in this state within limits which may not be less than the requirements of section two, article four of this chapter; or

(2) By qualification as a self-insurer under the provisions of section two, article six of this chapter.

(f) This article does not apply to any motor vehicle owned by the state or by a political subdivision of this state, nor to any motor vehicle owned by the federal government.