60-373.

Operation of vehicle without registration; dealer; employee or agent; licensed manufacturer; conditions.

(1) Each licensed motor vehicle dealer or trailer dealer as defined in sections 60-1401.26 and 60-1401.37, respectively, doing business in this state, in lieu of registering each motor vehicle or trailer which such dealer owns of a type otherwise required to be registered, or any full-time or part-time employee or agent of such dealer may, if the motor vehicle or trailer displays dealer number plates:

(a) Operate or tow the motor vehicle or trailer upon the highways of this state solely for purposes of transporting, testing, demonstrating, or use in the ordinary course and conduct of business as a motor vehicle or trailer dealer. Such use may include personal or private use by the dealer and personal or private use by any bona fide employee, if the employee can be verified by payroll records maintained at the dealership as ordinarily working more than thirty hours per week or fifteen hundred hours per year at the dealership;

(b) Operate or tow the motor vehicle or trailer upon the highways of this state for transporting industrial equipment held by the licensee for purposes of demonstration, sale, rental, or delivery; or

(c) Sell the motor vehicle or trailer.

(2) Each licensed manufacturer as defined in section 60-1401.24 which actually manufactures or assembles motor vehicles or trailers within this state, in lieu of registering each motor vehicle or trailer which such manufacturer owns of a type otherwise required to be registered, or any employee of such manufacturer may operate or tow the motor vehicle or trailer upon the highways of this state solely for purposes of transporting, testing, demonstrating to prospective customers, or use in the ordinary course and conduct of business as a motor vehicle or trailer manufacturer, upon the condition that any such motor vehicle or trailer display thereon, in the manner prescribed in section 60-3,100, dealer number plates as provided for in section 60-3,114.

(3) In no event shall such plates be used on motor vehicles or trailers hauling other than automotive or trailer equipment, complete motor vehicles, or trailers which are inventory of such licensed dealer or manufacturer unless there is issued by the department a special permit specifying the hauling of other products. This section shall not be construed to allow a dealer to operate a motor vehicle or trailer with dealer number plates for the delivery of parts inventory. A dealer may use such motor vehicle or trailer to pick up parts to be used for the motor vehicle or trailer inventory of the dealer.