Driver Guide

93
Equipment Needed
BRAKES — Brakes must be in good working order.
HEADLIGHTS — Your vehicle must have at least two white headlights.
TAILLIGHTS — Your vehicle must have at least two red taillights and 
reflectors that other drivers can see from 500 feet.
SIGNALING DEVICES — Your vehicle must have turn signals and brake 
lights as originally installed by the manufacturer.
STEERING MECHANISM — Your vehicle’s steering mechanism must not 
have too much play or binding.
TIRES AND WHEELS — You must not have bald or mismatched tires on 
your vehicle.
SAFETY GLASS — If your vehicle was made after January 1, 1936, it 
must have safety glass in all windows.
WINDSHIELD — The viewing area of your windshield may not be badly 
broken.
VISION REDUCING MATERIAL — Your vehicle must not have anything 
on the windshield that will reduce your visibility, except labels and stickers 
required by law or ordinance, and informational signs on the upper portion 
of the windshield normally tinted by manufacturers.
WINDSHIELD WIPERS — Your vehicle’s windshield wipers must work. 
SEAT BELTS — If your passenger car was made after June 30, 1964, it 
must have two sets of seat belts in the front seat.
HORN — Your vehicle must have a horn that other drivers and pedestrians 
can hear. 
EXHAUST SYSTEM — Your vehicle must have an attached exhaust pipe, 
muffler, and tailpipe.
MIRRORS — If your vehicle was made after 1967, it must have an inside 
and an outside rearview mirror.
AIR POLLUTION CONTROL DEVICES — If your vehicle was made after 
1967 and does not have a diesel motor, it must have air pollution control 
devices.  These pollution control devices must be as originally installed by 
the manufacturer.
FUEL SYSTEM — The fuel system, including all lines, hoses, connections, 
and tank(s), must be firmly attached and must not leak.
MUD FLAPS — Trucks without rear fenders, registered for over 24,000 
pounds, must have mud flaps.
BUMPERS — Bumpers on passenger vehicles may not exceed 22 inches 
above the ground when measured at the highest point.  Commercial vehicle 
bumper heights are determined by gross vehicle weight rating.

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94
Other Equipment Required by Law
In addition to the equipment needed to pass the safety inspection, Missouri 
law requires the following equipment:
LICENSE (REGISTRATION) PLATES — Missouri law requires that license 
plates be securely fastened to a vehicle, and that all parts of the plates are 
visible and clean for view or inspection by any law enforcement entity.  If 
you have frames around your license plates, the Missouri State Highway 
Patrol reminds you that the frames must not cover any part of the plates. 
If you receive two plates, you must place one on the front and one on the 
back of your vehicle.
If you have a trailer or a motorcycle, you will only receive one plate, which 
must be on the back of your vehicle.
If you have a truck licensed in excess of 12,000 pounds, you will only 
receive one plate, which must be placed on the front of the truck.  If you 
want a second plate, it must be specifically requested.  You must place the 
original plate on the front of your truck and if a second plate is issued, it 
must be placed on the rear of the truck.
LICENSE PLATE LIGHT — Your vehicle must have a white light shining 
on the rear license plate so the plate can be seen from 50 feet.
PROJECTIONS — You need special equipment if something in your 
vehicle overhangs the rear by more than 5 feet.  During the day, the end of 
the projection must have a red flag or cloth that is at least 16” square.  The 
end of the projection must have a red light from ½ hour after sunset until ½ 
hour before sunrise.
TOWLINES — When you are towing another vehicle, your towline must 
keep the vehicles within 15 feet of each other.  From ½ hour after sunset 
until ½ hour before sunrise, both vehicles must have lights on.
SLOW MOVING VEHICLE SIGN — From sunset to ½ hour before sunrise, 
any vehicle moving 25 mph or slower must have a “slow moving vehicle” 
sign (refer to Chapter 3).  The sign must be on the rear of the vehicle, near 
the middle, and 4 feet or more above the road.  The sign must be clean 
and reflective.
STUDDED SNOW TIRES — Your vehicle may have studded snow tires 
only from November 1 to April 1.
WINDOW TINTING — Tinting or sun-screening material is permitted on 
the side and rear windows (front door windows at no more than 65% light 
blockage).

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95
EMISSIONS INSPECTIONS
Motorists residing in St. Louis City and the counties of St. Louis, St. 
Charles, Franklin, and Jefferson are also required to have emissions 
inspections, if applicable.  There are some exceptions, which are listed 
below.
For information on emissions inspections not covered in this Guide, please 
call 1-866-623-8378, or visit the Department of Natural Resources web site 
at http://dnr.mo.gov/ and look for the Gateway Vehicle Inspection Program 
(GVIP).
The emissions inspection is a two-year inspection. Just like the safety 
inspection, “even” model year vehicles with registrations expiring in “even” 
years must be inspected during “even” calendar years.  “Odd” model year 
vehicles with registrations expiring in “odd” years must be inspected during 
“odd” calendar years.
All vehicles must be emissions inspected at the time of sale regardless of 
the model year (refer to the list of exceptions below).  New motor vehicles 
and the first retail sale of titled motor vehicles during the model year of the 
vehicle and the following year, are exempt from the inspection requirement 
provided the odometer reading is less than 6,000 miles at the time of sale.
Exceptions to the Requirement
The following motor vehicles are exempt from the emissions inspection 
requirement:
•   New motor vehicles, not previously titled, during the model year of the 
vehicle and the following year, provided there is no change in ownership.
•   1995 and older gasoline-powered vehicles
•   1996 and older diesel-powered vehicles
•   Motor vehicles with a manufacturer’s gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) 
over 8,500 pounds
•   New motor vehicles not previously titled and registered for the four-year 
period following their model year of manufacture, with fewer than 40,000 
miles at the first required biennial inspection
•   Motor vehicles that are driven fewer than 12,000 miles between biennial 
safety inspections
•   Vehicles powered by fuels other than gasoline, ethanol or diesel
•   Motor vehicles that display “historic plates,” school bus, shuttle bus, 
motorcycle, motortricycle, or street rod plates
•   Gasoline-powered low speed vehicles in Franklin County only
•   Motor vehicles registered in one of the affected areas (St. Louis City and 
the counties of St. Louis, St. Charles, Franklin, and Jefferson) but based 
and operated outside the area for 24 consecutive months.

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