49 USC § 31504 - Identification of motor vehicles

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t49/s31504"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_legal_evidence"
title: "49 USC § 31504 - Identification of motor vehicles"
title_number: 49
title_name: "TRANSPORTATION"
section_number: "31504"
section_name: "Identification of motor vehicles"
chapter_number: 315
chapter_name: "MOTOR CARRIER SAFETY"
part_number: "B"
part_name: "COMMERCIAL"
positive_law: true
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-17"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Pub. L. 97–449, Jan. 12, 1983, 96 Stat. 2439, § 3104; renumbered § 31504 and amended Pub. L. 103–272, § 1(c), (e), July 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 745, 1030.)"
---


# § 31504. Identification of motor vehicles

**(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.

---

**Source Credit**: (Pub. L. 97–449, Jan. 12, 1983, 96 Stat. 2439, § 3104; renumbered § 31504 and amended Pub. L. 103–272, § 1(c), (e), July 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 745, 1030.)

| RevisedSection | Source (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— renumbered  as this section and amended it generally, restating it without substantive change.