Current through Register Vol. 49, No. 18, September 16, 2024
PURPOSE: The amendment removes the telephone
requirements for maintaining a bona fide established place of
business.
(1) In order to
constitute a bona fide established place of business, hereinafter referred to
as a "business location," for boat dealers, boat manufacturers, motor vehicle
dealers other than dealers who sell only emergency vehicles, motor vehicle
manufacturers, wholesale motor vehicle dealers, public motor vehicle auctions,
trailer dealers, trailer manufacturers, powersport dealers, and wholesale motor
vehicle auctions-
(A) The business location
must be actually occupied and primarily used in whole, or in clearly designated
and segregated part, as a place of business by the licensee for the
manufacturing, selling, auctioning, bartering, trading, servicing, or
exchanging of motor vehicles, trailers, boats, or powersports.
1. Example: An applicant for a motor vehicle
dealer license maintains a building or structure primarily used in the
operation of a business other than the sale or exchange of motor vehicles. As a
sideline, the applicant desires to engage in the business of selling motor
vehicles. The building or structure used primarily for some other business,
other than the selling or exchanging of motor vehicles, does not qualify as a
bona fide established place of business for the selling of motor vehicles
unless an area is clearly designated and segregated and records are separately
maintained for the purpose of selling, bartering, trading, servicing, or
exchanging of motor vehicles or trailers;
(B) The business location must be open
regular business hours during which the public and the department are able to
contact the licensee. Regular business hours for purposes of this rule shall be
a minimum of twenty (20) hours per week, at least four (4) of the six (6) days
of Monday through Saturday each week. Only hours falling between 6 a.m. and 10
p.m. will be considered by the department in the twenty (20) hour minimum. The
business hours shall be posted at the business location;
(C) If a licensee is also licensed as an
auction, the auction records must be kept separately from the dealer
records;
(D) The business location
of licensees must also contain an area or lot which shall not be a public
street upon which multiple vehicles may be displayed.
1. The display area or lot must be of
sufficient size to physically accommodate vehicles of the type which the
licensee is licensed to sell.
2.
The display area or lot must be used exclusively for display by the licensee
and must be situated to prevent confusion or uncertainty concerning its
relationship to the licensee.
3.
The display area or lot must provide unencumbered visibility from the nearest
public street of the vehicles being sold by the licensee.
4. Auctions that are also licensed as dealers
must maintain a display area or lot separate from the dealership lot for
auction vehicles.
5. A licensee in
more than one (1) class of business may use the same building and display area
for all classes so long as each use is separately and clearly marked. Records
must be maintained separately and separate signs, as specified in subsection
(1)(E), must be displayed;
(E) Licensees must display an exterior sign
that shall be of a permanent nature, erected on the exterior of the structure
or on the display area, constructed or painted and maintained to withstand
reasonable weather conditions and the sign must be readable.
1. A temporary sign may suffice during the
period of time required to obtain a permanent sign provided the order for
construction, purchase, or painting has in fact been placed. A copy of the sign
order must be submitted with the application along with a picture of the
temporary sign.
(2) The bona fide established place of
business of a licensee must be maintained for the entire licensure period. If
the bona fide established place of business is not maintained, the licensee
must notify the department within ten (10) days and surrender at that time the
licensee's temporary permits, license, and license plates/certificates of
number.
(A) If the licensee intends to
relocate prior to the expiration of the license, the department must be
informed of such intent at the time the license is surrendered. If the business
is then certified at a new location within the same licensure year, the
department will return the temporary permits, license plates/certificates of
number and issue a new license reflecting the new location for no additional
fee. The department or its representative reserves the right to determine the
existence of a bona fide established place of business at any time.
(3) A licensee who changes its
business location during the licensure year must notify the department of that
change prior to operating at the new site. The following must be submitted to
the department:
(A) A new application
certified by authorized law enforcement. "Change of Address" must be indicated
at the top of the application.
1. If the
business changes locations ninety (90) days or less before the expiration of
the current license, a renewal application reflecting the new address should be
filed instead of a change of address.
2. If the location change is not effective
immediately upon filing the renewal application, a letter indicating the
effective date of the address change must accompany the renewal application;
and
(B) A photograph of
the business location that meets the specifications required of new
applicants.
(4) If a
licensee changes the business name during the licensure year, the licensee must
notify the department of the name change prior to operating under the new name.
The following must be submitted to the department:
(A) A new application properly completed that
indicates "Name Change Only" at the top of the application. The application is
not required to be certified by authorized law enforcement;
(B) A photograph of the business location
that meets the specifications required of new applicants and that clearly shows
the business sign displaying the new business name; and
(C) A corporate surety bond, bond rider, or
revision to the irrevocable letter of credit that reflects the licensee's new
business name, if applicable.
(5) Each business location where a licensee
auctions, manufactures, sells, or displays motor vehicles, trailers, boats, or
power-sports must be licensed separately with the department and pay a separate
licensure fee.
(6) A licensee may
store cars at a storage lot location other than at the licensed business
location, provided the department is notified of the storage location and no
sales activity occurs on the storage lot.
*Original authority: 301.553, RSMo 1988, amended 1989,
1993, 1995, 1997; and 301.560, RSMo 1988, amended 1989, 1993, 1995, 1997, 2002,
2006, 2007.
