Part II Owning and Maintaining A Motor Vehicle_________________________________ Just like having a driver's license, owning a motor vehicle carries many responsibilities. Motor vehicles operated on Maine's public roadways must be registered, insured and well maintained. Titling Your Motor Vehicle______________________________________ A motor vehicle must have a title before it can be registered in Maine. 1. What is a title? A title is a legal document which identifies ownership of a motor vehicle. 2. Why do I need a title? To prove ownership and to show any liens (debts) on your vehicle. 3. How do I apply for a title? If the vehicle is purchased from a Maine auto dealer, the dealer will furnish you with the blue copy of the title application which must be presented at the time of your first registration. If the vehicle was not purchased from a Maine auto dealer, a title application must be completed by you and submitted with the prior certificate of title or manufacturer's certificate of origin, properly transferred to you. 4. Who is the title given to? If you are the owner and have no lien holder you will receive the title. If you have borrowed money to pay for the car, the bank or credit union that lent you the money will get the title. 5. Where do I keep the certificate of title? In a safe place; never in the vehicle 6. What vehicles do not need a title under the title law? Automobiles with a model year prior to 1995, motorcycles with an engine size less than 300 cc and trailers with an unladen weight of 3,000 pounds or less. 7. What should I do if my title is stolen, lost, destroyed or mutilated? You should make application at once for a duplicate title. Send in your mutilated or illegible Certificate of Title with the application and proper fee. Note: If you have any questions regarding title information, please call 207-624-9000 Registering Your Vehicle________________________________________ If you own any motor vehicle, mobile home, trailer or semi-trailer driven on the roadway, you must register it. 1. How do I register a vehicle in Maine? Payment of the excise tax to a municipal tax collector is the first step in registering your motor vehicle. An excise tax must be paid on all types of vehicle except semi- trailers. The amount of excise tax due depends upon the age and factory list price of the vehicle being registered. The excise tax receipt, in turn, serves as your registration application. The back of the white copy of the registration must be completed and signed before a registration can be issued. If you are under 18 years of age, your parent or guardian must also sign the application. 2. Where are motor vehicle registrations issued? After payment of the excise tax, your registration and plates may be obtained by visiting any of the Motor Vehicle Branch Offices listed on the inside cover of this manual or by mailing your application and the correct fee to the Bureau of Motor Vehicles, 29 State House Station, Augusta, Maine 04333. Most Maine municipalities issue registrations and plates as well. Check with your municipality to see if they are a participant in the state's municipal agent program. 3. How much does a motor vehicle registration cost? The registration fee for a passenger vehicle is $35.00. A registration remains valid for one year from the month it is issued. The fee for pick up trucks with a gross vehicle weight of 6,000 pounds is also $35.00. The registration fee for larger trucks increases with the registered gross weight. 4. Do I need to apply for a Maine title in order to register? At the time of first registration, an application for title must be submitted for a vehicle that is model year 1995 or newer. 5. Is payment of sales tax required? When registering any vehicle for the first time in Maine your registration application must be accompanied by a ?Use Tax Certificate?. This form is used to determine if any Maine sales tax is due. Any sales tax due must be paid at the time of first registration. These forms may be obtained from any Bureau of Motor Vehicles Office or from a municipal tax collector. If the vehicle to be registered was purchased from a Maine auto dealer, the dealer will furnish you with the sales tax form, which must be presented at the time of first registration. If you have any questions concerning sales or use tax, you should contact the Sales Tax Division of Maine Revenue Service at 207-287-2336. 6. How soon after moving to Maine must I register my vehicle? Maine law requires that a Maine motor vehicle registration must be applied for within 30 days if residence in the state of Maine is declared or established. Insuring Your Motor Vehicle____________________________________ Maine law requires every owner and operator of a motor vehicle to maintain motor vehicle liability insurance and to present evidence upon request of a law enforcement officer. Any vehicle you are operating must be insured even though you are not the owner. Therefore, you should verify and carry evidence of insurance in the vehicle. Maine law also requires Maine motorists to show evidence of insurance when you register a motor vehicle. Acceptable forms of evidence of insurance include: a motor vehicle insurance card, a letter from an insurance company, or agent that the vehicle is covered by a liability insurance policy, an insurance binder or an insurance policy that has a summary document that describes the vehicle insured, the name of the insured, the amount of insurance (must meet Maine's minimum liability requirements), the type of insurance coverage and the period the vehicle is covered (effective and expiration dates) to either the municipal agent or the Bureau of Motor Vehicles. Failure to produce evidence of insurance when required can result in a charge of uninsured operation and suspension of license and registration privileges. If you are adjudicated of failure to produce evidence of insurance, you will be required to file proof of financial responsibility through an SR-22 insurance certificate or face suspension of your license and registration privileges. It is a crime to display evidence of insurance that is fictitious or altered. If an uninsured motorist causes an injury or property damage of $1000 or more, they may not operate a vehicle until proof of financial responsibility or proper insurance have been shown. In addition, if a court judgment is obtained, driving and registration privileges are suspended until such judgment is satisfied. Uninsured Motorist Coverage: By law, all automobile liability policies written in Maine include ?uninsured motorist? coverage. This protects the insured for bodily injury damages up to the limits of the Maine Financial Responsibility Law with higher limits optional. Assigned Risk: Any individual unable to procure insurance coverage through regular channels for whatever reasons, can obtain coverage through the Maine Automobile Insurance Plan. All insurance companies selling automobile insurance in Maine are required by law, to participate in this shared market. Inspecting Your Motor Vehicle___________________________________ All motor vehicles bearing a Maine registration must have a current Maine inspection before being operated on any public way. These inspections must be done at an official inspection station once a year. Check with any of these stations for details. Failure to have a current inspection sticker could mean a fine and loss of points on your driver's license. Motorcycles must have a valid inspection sticker. A police officer may conduct a vehicle safety inspection at any time. In fact, Maine occasionally uses legal road blocks for just that purpose. Note: A motor vehicle safety check is also part of the driver examination. Examinations will not be given if vehicles do not pass the regular examination criteria, or if any doors are inoperative, seats are not securely fastened to the floor of the vehicle, or if the glove compartment door is not securely fastened in a closed position. These are the major items that are subject to examination which must meet State inspection standards before your vehicle can pass inspection: * Vehicle Identification Number - (VIN) Must not be changed, removed or hidden from view. * Rear View Mirror - Must not be cracked, broken, clouded or have sharp edges. * Horn - Must be loud enough to hear from 200 feet away. * Windshield Wipers - Wipers and blades must be in good working condition * Defroster - Fan must work and defroster must blow heated air on the windshield. * Turn signals, headlights, rear lights, stop lights, and plate light - All lights must work properly and all lenses must be of the proper color and type. * Brakes - Your vehicle must have a foot brake and a parking brake. The foot brake must be able to stop the vehicle within 30 feet when the vehicle is going 20 miles per hour. The parking brake must be able to hold the vehicle on a hill. * Windshield and Windows - Must not be cracked, broken, clouded, or blocked. * Steering and Front End - Parts must be in good working condition and not worn. * Exhaust System - All parts must be free of holes and leaks, and must not make excessive noise. * Fuel System - All parts must be free of holes and leaks. * Tires - Must have 2/32 of an inch tread and be free of cuts, tears or other dangerous conditions. For commercial vehicles of 10,000 pounds G.V.W., 4/32 of an inch tread is required. * Registration Plates - All issued plates must be attached to the vehicle and easy to read. * Body or Chassis - All parts must be present and free of rust, sharp edges, or other defects. * Speedometer-Odometer - Must work properly and not be tampered with or changed. * Fuel Inlet - Must not be changed in any way. * Catalytic Converter - Must be properly installed and not changed in any way. Maintaining Your Motor Vehicle_________________________________ Ensuring that your car is in proper working order may help you to avoid an accident or breakdown. A car in good shape can give you an extra safety margin when you need it. While you may need a mechanic to correct the problem, you can perform the safety check yourself. Vehicle Maintenance Make note of the condition of the following items whenever you drive: * Headlights - Replace burned out bulbs and clean dirty lenses, which can cut your night vision by more than half. * Signal and Brake Lights - Replace bulbs or fuses when necessary. If these lights don't work properly, you won't be able to communicate with other drivers. * Windows and Windshields - Keep the glass clear, inside and out, to reduce glare and ensure good visibility. * Tires - Look for signs of worn treads and check air pressure when tires are ?cold?, before you've driven very far. If your tires aren't in good shape, you'll have less control, use more gas and risk a blow-out. * Brakes - Check to see that the pedal stays well above the floor when you step on it. Listen for scraping and squealing and be aware if your vehicle is pulling to one side. * Steering - If your steering wheel turns two inches or more without moving the vehicle, it has too much play - you may not be able to turn fast enough to avoid a collision. * Windshield Wipers - Check the wiper blades for wear and for tension on the windshield. Keep the windshield fluid bottle full, use a fluid with antifreeze in the winter. If these items are not functioning properly, your visibility will be severely limited. * Exhaust System - If you hear loud noises or rattles or notice rust on the muffler or tailpipe, you should have the exhaust system checked by a mechanic. A leaky muffler improperly discharges poisonous fumes. Carbon monoxide is a deadly, odorless gas found in the exhaust of all engines which causes weariness, headaches, dizziness, nausea and ringing in the ears. Prolonged inhalation of carbon monoxide is fatal. * Vehicle Emissions - A person may not operate a gasoline-powered motor vehicle on a public way if the motor vehicle emits visible smoke, other than water vapor, in the exhaust emission for a period in excess of 5 consecutive seconds. * Gauges - Make sure that all your gauges are in working order. These can serve to notify you of potentially serious problems with your vehicle, such as overheating or loss of oil pressure. * Suspension - Push down on the front and rear of your vehicle. If it bounces more than twice, you may need new shocks. When shocks are worn, you may have difficulty staying in your lane on curves. On a regular basis, you should also check or have checked: * Oil level; * Engine coolant; * Transmission fluid * Brake fluid level; and * Fan belt tightness and wear. Maintaining your vehicle with frequent oil changes (every 3,000 - 5,000 miles) and engine tune-ups (10,000 - 15,000 miles) will serve as prevention against many common motor vehicle problems as well as maximize your car's performance. Tools and Supplies: It is advisable to equip your car with the following items in the event of a breakdown or emergency. * Owner's manual * Spare tire * Tire jack * Lug wrench * First aid kit * Blanket * Flashlight * Road maps Part II - Practice Questions: 1. What is a title and how do you apply for one? 2. How often should I have my vehicle inspected? 3. What tax must be paid prior to registering a motor vehicle? 4. Will I need liability insurance when I register my motor vehicle? 5. Where and how do I register my motor vehicle? 6. What are some of the emergency supplies I should have in my vehicle at all times?