Title 49, TransportationRelease 119-110

§31504 Identification of Motor Vehicles

Title 49 › SUBTITLE VI — MOTOR VEHICLE AND DRIVER PROGRAMS › PART B — COMMERCIAL › CHAPTER 315 — MOTOR CARRIER SAFETY › § 31504

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary of Transportation can require motor private carriers and motor carriers of migrant workers (not motor contract carriers, and only those covered by related rules) to put an official ID plate on vehicles used for their transportation and to pay the reasonable cost for the plate. Those carriers may use the plate only in the way the Secretary allows.

Full Legal Text

Title 49, §31504

Transportation, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)General Authority.—
The Secretary of Transportation may—
(1)issue and require the display of an identification plate on a motor vehicle used in transportation provided by a motor private carrier and a motor carrier of migrant workers subject to section 31502(c) of this title, except a motor contract carrier; and
(2)require each of those motor private carriers and motor carriers of migrant workers to pay the reasonable cost of the plate.
(b)Limitation.—
A motor private carrier or a motor carrier of migrant workers may use an identification plate only as authorized by the Secretary.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Revised SectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 3104(a)49:304(a)(3) (last sentence) (related to “Sec. 324”).Feb. 4, 1887, ch. 104, 24 Stat. 379, § 204(a)(3) (last sentence) (related to “Sec. 224”); added Aug. 9, 1935, ch. 498, 49 Stat. 546. 49:304(a)(3a) (last sentence) (related to “Sec. 324”).Feb. 4, 1887, ch. 104, 24 Stat. 379, § 204(a)(3a) (last sentence) (related to “Sec. 224”); added Aug. 3, 1956, ch. 905, § 2, 70 Stat. 958. 49:1655(e)(6)(D) (related to “Sec. 324”).Oct. 15, 1966, Pub. L. 89–670, § 6(e)(6)(D) (related to “Sec. 224”), 80 Stat. 940. 3104(b)49:304(a)(3) (last sentence) (related to “Sec. 324”). 49:304(a)(3a) (last sentence) (related to “Sec. 324”). 49:l655(e)(6)(D) (related to “Sec. 324”). The section is included to reflect the text of former 49:324 (related to motor private carriers and motor carriers of migrant workers) which is incorporated in the revised title by cross-reference.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1994—Pub. L. 103–272 renumbered section 3104 of this title as this section and amended it generally, restating it without substantive change.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

49 U.S.C. § 31504

Title 49, Transportation

Last Updated

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110