§ 46-8-8 - Altered or removed serial numbers – Penalties – Replacement identification numbers.
SECTION 46-8-8
§ 46-8-8 Altered or removed serial numbers– Penalties – Replacement identification numbers. – (a) Whoever removes, defaces, alters, changes, destroys, obliterates, ormutilates, or causes to be removed or destroyed or in any way defaced, altered,changed, obliterated, or mutilated, the identification number of themanufacturer of a motor or engine designed for use in or on a boat, with intentthereby to conceal the identity of the motor or engine, shall be punished by afine of not more than five hundred dollars ($500) or by imprisonment for notmore than one year, or both. Whoever possesses, sells, or otherwise disposes ofor attempts to sell or otherwise dispose of such motor or engine, knowing orhaving reason to believe that the identifying number or numbers on the motor orengine have been so removed, defaced, altered, changed, destroyed, obliterated,or mutilated, shall be punished by the same fine or imprisonment or both.
(b) This section shall not prohibit the restoration by anowner of an original serial, engine, or other number or mark when therestoration is made under permit issued by the director of the department ofenvironmental management, or the director's designee, nor prevent anymanufacturer from placing, in the ordinary course of business, numbers or marksupon a motor or engine or parts thereof.
(c) Any person who has in his or her possession any motor orengine or any part thereof, the identifying number or numbers of which havebeen removed, defaced, altered, changed, destroyed, obliterated, or mutilated,can, on or before January 1, 1980, make application to the director of thedepartment of environmental management for a replacement identification number.Upon a showing that the person in possession thereof is the rightful owner, theidentification number shall be attached by the director of the department ofenvironmental management, or the director's designee.