NRS482.385. Registration of vehicle of nonresident owner not required; exceptions; registration of vehicle by person upon becoming resident of this State or accepting gainful employment or enrolling child in public school in this State; penalty; taxes and fees; surrender of nonresident license plates and registration certificate; citation for violation. [Effective January 1, 2014.]

      1.  Except as otherwise provided in subsections 5 and 7 and NRS 482.390 and 482.3961, 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:

      (a) For a period of not more than 30 days in the aggregate in any 1 calendar year; and

      (b) Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (a), during any period in which the owner is:

             (1) On active duty in the military service of the United States;

             (2) An out-of-state student;

             (3) Registered as a student at a college or university located outside this State and who is in the State for a period of not more than 6 months to participate in a work-study program for which the student earns academic credits from the college or university; or

             (4) A migrant or seasonal farm worker.

      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.  Except as otherwise provided in subsection 5, when a person, formerly a nonresident, becomes a resident of this State, the person shall:

      (a) Within 30 days after becoming a resident; or

      (b) At the time he or she obtains a driver’s license,

Ê whichever occurs earlier, apply for the registration of each vehicle the person 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.

      4.  A citation may be issued pursuant to subsection 1, 3 or 5 only if the violation is discovered when the vehicle is halted or its driver arrested for another alleged violation or offense. The Department shall maintain or cause to be maintained a list or other record of persons who fail to comply with the provisions of subsection 3 and shall, at least once each month, provide a copy of that list or record to the Department of Public Safety.

      5.  Except as otherwise provided in this subsection and NRS 482.3961, a resident or nonresident owner of a vehicle of a type subject to registration pursuant to the provisions of this chapter who engages in a trade, profession or occupation or accepts gainful employment in this State or who enrolls his or her children in a public school in this State shall, within 30 days after the commencement of such employment or enrollment, apply for the registration of each vehicle the person owns which is operated in this State. The provisions of this subsection do not apply to a nonresident who is:

      (a) On active duty in the military service of the United States;

      (b) An out-of-state student;

      (c) Registered as a student at a college or university located outside this State and who is in the State for a period of not more than 6 months to participate in a work-study program for which the student earns academic credits from the college or university; or

      (d) A migrant or seasonal farm worker.

      6.  A person who violates the provisions of subsection 1, 3 or 5 is guilty of a misdemeanor and, except as otherwise provided in this subsection, shall be punished by a fine of $1,000. The fine imposed pursuant to this subsection is in addition to any fine or penalty imposed for the other alleged violation or offense for which the vehicle was halted or its driver arrested pursuant to subsection 4. The fine imposed pursuant to this subsection may be reduced to not less than $200 if the person presents evidence at the time of the hearing that the person has registered the vehicle pursuant to this chapter.

      7.  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 or her continuous use within this State, shall cause that vehicle to be registered within 30 days after beginning its operation within this State.

      8.  A person registering a vehicle pursuant to the provisions of subsection 1, 3, 5, 7 or 9 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 the previous registration.

      9.  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, 482.3961 and 706.801 to 706.861, inclusive.

      10.  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.

      11.  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;

      (b) The vehicle is used in this State for a gainful purpose;

      (c) Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (b) of subsection 1, the owner of the vehicle is a nonresident and has operated the vehicle in this State for more than 30 days in the aggregate in any 1 calendar year; or

      (d) The owner of the vehicle is a nonresident required to register the vehicle pursuant to subsection 5.

      12.  A constable may issue a citation for a violation of this section only if the vehicle is located in his or her township at the time the citation is issued.

      13.  As used in this section, “peace officer” includes a constable.

      [Part 17:202:1931; A 1933, 249; 1937, 330; 1941, 279; 1943, 266; 1951, 156; 1955, 350]—(NRS A 1960, 130; 1961, 131, 350; 1963, 215; 1973, 1568; 1975, 334; 1981, 474; 1983, 1005; 1985, 1836; 1989, 705, 1169, 1422; 1991, 1990; 1995, 2727; 2001, 332; 2003, 3378; 2005, 2062; 2009, 3015; 2011, 1588; 2013, 2950, 3193, effective January 1, 2014)