302.173. Driver's examination required, when--exceptions--procedure.
Driver's examination required, when--exceptions--procedure.
302.173. 1. Any applicant for a license, who does not possess avalid license issued pursuant to the laws of this state, another state, ora country which has a reciprocal agreement with the state of Missouriregarding the exchange of licenses pursuant to section 302.172 shall beexamined as herein provided. Any person who has failed to renew suchperson's license on or before the date of its expiration or within sixmonths thereafter must take the complete examination. Any active member ofthe armed forces, their adult dependents or any active member of the peacecorps may apply for a renewal license without examination of any kind,unless otherwise required by sections 302.700 to 302.780, provided therenewal application shows that the previous license had not been suspendedor revoked. Any person honorably discharged from the armed forces of theUnited States who held a valid license prior to being inducted may applyfor a renewal license within sixty days after such person's honorabledischarge without submitting to any examination of such person's ability tosafely operate a motor vehicle over the highways of this state unlessotherwise required by sections 302.700 to 302.780, other than the visiontest provided in section 302.175, unless the facts set out in the renewalapplication or record of convictions on the expiring license, or therecords of the director show that there is good cause to authorize thedirector to require the applicant to submit to the complete examination.No applicant for a renewal license shall be required to submit to anyexamination of his or her ability to safely operate a motor vehicle overthe highways of this state unless otherwise required by sections 302.700 to302.780 or regulations promulgated thereunder, other than a test of theapplicant's ability to understand highway signs regulating, warning ordirecting traffic and the vision test provided in section 302.175, unlessthe facts set out in the renewal application or record of convictions onthe expiring license, or the records of the director show that there isgood cause to authorize the director to require the applicant to submit tothe complete examination. The examination shall be made available in eachcounty. Reasonable notice of the time and place of the examination shallbe given the applicant by the person or officer designated to conduct it.The complete examination shall include a test of the applicant's natural orcorrected vision as prescribed in section 302.175, the applicant's abilityto understand highway signs regulating, warning or directing traffic, theapplicant's practical knowledge of the traffic laws of this state, and anactual demonstration of ability to exercise due care in the operation of amotor vehicle of the classification for which the license is sought. Whenan applicant for a license has a license from a state which hasrequirements for issuance of a license comparable to the Missourirequirements or a license from a country which has a reciprocal agreementwith the state of Missouri regarding the exchange of licenses pursuant tosection 302.172 and such license has not expired more than six months priorto the date of application for the Missouri license, the director may waivethe test of the applicant's practical knowledge of the traffic laws of thisstate, and the requirement of actual demonstration of ability to exercisedue care in the operation of a motor vehicle. If the director hasreasonable grounds to believe that an applicant is suffering from someknown physical or mental ailment which ordinarily would interfere with theapplicant's fitness to operate a motor vehicle safely upon the highways,the director may require that the examination include a physical or mentalexamination by a licensed physician of the applicant's choice, at theapplicant's expense, to determine the fact. The director shall prescriberegulations to ensure uniformity in the examinations and in the gradingthereof and shall prescribe and furnish all forms to the members of thehighway patrol and to other persons authorized to conduct examinations asmay be necessary to enable the officer or person to properly conduct theexamination. The records of the examination shall be forwarded to thedirector who shall not issue any license hereunder if in the director'sopinion the applicant is not qualified to operate a motor vehicle safelyupon the highways of this state.
2. Beginning July 1, 2005, when the examiner has reasonable groundsto believe that an individual has committed fraud or deception during theexamination process, the license examiner shall immediately forward to thedirector all information relevant to any fraud or deception, including, butnot limited to, a statement of the examiner's grounds for belief that theperson committed or attempted to commit fraud or deception in the written,skills, or vision examination.
3. The director of revenue shall delegate the power to conduct theexaminations required for a license or permit to any member of the highwaypatrol or any person employed by the highway patrol. The powers delegatedto any examiner may be revoked at any time by the director of revenue uponnotice.
4. Notwithstanding the requirements of subsections 1 and 3 of thissection, the successful completion of a motorcycle rider training courseapproved pursuant to sections 302.133 to 302.137 shall constitute an actualdemonstration of the person's ability to exercise due care in the operationof a motorcycle or motortricycle, and no further driving test shall berequired to obtain a motorcycle or motortricycle license or endorsement.
(L. 1951 p. 678, A.L. 1965 p. 479, A.L. 1971 H.B. 264, A.L. 1983 H.B. 723, A.L. 1987 S.B. 283, A.L. 1989 1st Ex. Sess. H.B. 3, A.L. 1995 H.B. 717, A.L. 1999 S.B. 19, A.L. 2001 S.B. 244 merged with S.B. 406, A.L. 2004 S.B. 1233, et al.)