§ 750.415Concealing or misrepresenting identity of motor vehicle or mechanical device as

misdemeanor or felony; evidence of violation; confiscation; sale at public auction;
 revocation of dealer's license; vehicle identification plate and applicable labels; motor
 vehicle or part with identification number removed.
 Sec. 415.
    (1) A person who, without the intent to mislead another as to the identity of the vehicle,
 conceals or misrepresents the identity of a motor vehicle or of a mechanical device by
 removing or defacing the manufacturer's serial number or the engine or motor number on the
 motor vehicle, or by replacing a part of the motor vehicle or mechanical device bearing the
 serial number or engine or motor number of the vehicle with a new part upon which the proper
 serial number or engine or motor number has not been stamped, is guilty of a misdemeanor.
    (2) A person who, with the intent to mislead another as to the identity of a vehicle, conceals
 or misrepresents the identity of a motor vehicle or of a mechanical device by removing or
 defacing the manufacturer's serial number or the engine or motor number on the motor
 vehicle, or by replacing a part of the motor vehicle or mechanical device bearing the serial
 number or engine or motor number of the vehicle with a new part upon which the proper serial
 number or engine or motor number has not been stamped, is guilty of a felony, and if the
 person is a licensed dealer, the dealer's license shall be revoked.
    (3) In all prosecutions under this section, possession by a person of a motor vehicle or of a
 mechanical device with the manufacturer's serial number or the engine or motor number
 removed, defaced, destroyed or altered or with a part bearing the number or numbers replaced
 by one on which the proper number does not appear, shall be prima facie evidence of violation
 of this section.
    (4) If the identification of a motor vehicle or a mechanical device has been removed,
 defaced, or altered as provided in this section and the real identity of the motor vehicle or
 mechanical device cannot be determined, the motor vehicle or mechanical device shall be
 subject to confiscation by the state and shall be sold at public auction, put to official use by the
 government agency seizing the vehicle, or rendered scrap. If the items are confiscated from a
 licensed vehicle dealer, the dealer's license shall be revoked.
    (5) A person shall not knowingly possess, buy, deliver, or offer to buy, sell, exchange, or
 give away any manufacturer's vehicle identification number plate, federal safety certification
 label, antitheft label, posident die stamps, secretary of state vehicle identification label, rosette
 rivet, or any facsimile thereof. This subsection does not apply to a motor vehicle manufacturer,
 a motor vehicle parts supplier under contract with a motor vehicle manufacturer, or a law
 enforcement officer in the official performance of his or her duties or to a motor vehicle in
 which a manufacturer's vehicle identification plate and each of the applicable labels listed in
 this subsection have been installed as prescribed by law. A person who violates this subsection
 is guilty of a felony, punishable by imprisonment for not more than 4 years, a fine of not more
 than $10,000.00, or both. If the person who violates this subsection is a licensed dealer or
 repair facility, its license shall be revoked.
    (6) A person shall not buy, receive, or obtain control of a motor vehicle or motor vehicle
 part with the intent to sell or otherwise dispose of the motor vehicle or motor vehicle part
 knowing that an identification number of that motor vehicle or motor vehicle part has been
 removed, obliterated, tampered with, or altered. This subsection does not apply to a motor
 vehicle obtained from or at the direction of a law enforcement agency. A person who violates


                                                                Michigan Compiled Laws Complete Through PA 91 of 2026
Rendered Sunday, September 6, 2026           Page 350 of 465                             Courtesy of legislature.mi.gov

 this subsection is guilty of a felony punishable by imprisonment for not more than 10 years, a
 fine of not more than $20,000.00, or both.
    (7) As used in this section:
    (a) "Antitheft label" means a label containing the vehicle identification number affixed to a
 motor vehicle by the manufacturer in accordance with subtitle VI of title 49 of the United
 States Code, 49 U.S.C. 30101 to 33118.
    (b) "Federal safety certification label" means a label affixed to a motor vehicle that certifies
 that the motor vehicle conforms to current safety standards at the time of production and
 displays the vehicle identification number.
    (c) "Motor vehicle" means a device in, upon, or by which a person or property is or may be
 transported or drawn upon a street, highway, or waterway, whether subject to or exempt from
 registration, except a device exclusively moved by human power or used exclusively upon
 stationary rails or tracks.
    (d) "Posident die stamps" means specially designed die stamps used by motor vehicle
 manufacturers to produce unique letters and numbers when stamping vehicle identification
 numbers upon vehicle identification plates, tags, and parts affixed to a motor vehicle.
    (e) "Rosette rivet" means a special rivet designed to prevent removal or tampering with a
 vehicle identification number plate affixed by the manufacturer to a motor vehicle and that,
 when used to affix a vehicle identification number plate, forms 5 or 6 petals at the rivet head.