Mich. Comp. Laws » Michigan Compiled Laws / Chapter 257 / Act 300 of 1949
Michigan Compiled Laws

Mich. Comp. Laws § 257.301 (2026)

Valid operator's or chauffeur's license required; group designation and indorsements; surrender of other valid licenses; notice; number of licenses permitted; certifying nonpossession of valid license; pandemic expiration extension.

✓ current as of July 2026
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MICHIGAN VEHICLE CODE


Act 300 of 1949


257.301 Valid operator's or chauffeur's license required; group designation and indorsements; surrender of other valid licenses; notice; number of licenses permitted; certifying nonpossession of valid license; pandemic expiration extension.

Sec. 301.

    (1) Except as provided in this act, an individual shall not drive a motor vehicle on a highway in this state unless that individual has a valid operator's or chauffeur's license with the appropriate group designation and indorsements for the type or class of vehicle being driven or towed. A resident of this state holding a commercial driver license group indorsement issued by another state shall apply for a license transfer within 30 days after establishing domicile in this state.

    (2) An individual shall not receive a license to operate a motor vehicle until that individual surrenders to the secretary of state all valid licenses to operate a motor vehicle issued to that individual by this or any state or certifies that he or she does not possess a valid license. The secretary of state shall notify the issuing state that the licensee is now licensed in this state.

    (3) An individual shall not have more than 1 valid driver license.

    (4) An individual shall not drive a motor vehicle as a chauffeur unless that individual holds a valid chauffeur's license. An individual shall not receive a chauffeur's license until that individual surrenders to the secretary of state a valid operator's or chauffeur's license issued to that individual by this or any state or certifies that he or she does not possess a valid license.

    (5) An individual holding a valid chauffeur's license need not procure an operator's license.

    (6) An operator's or chauffeur's license that expires on or after March 1, 2020 is valid until March 31, 2021. An operator's or chauffeur's license that expires after March 31, 2021 but before August 1, 2021 is valid until 120 days after the date of the expiration.

    

    

History: 1949, Act 300, Eff. Sept. 23, 1949 ;-- Am. 1967, Act 7, Imd. Eff. Apr. 21, 1967 ;-- Am. 1978, Act 139, Eff. May 1, 1979 ;-- Am. 1980, Act 398, Eff. Mar. 31, 1981 ;-- Am. 1988, Act 346, Eff. Jan. 1, 1990 ;-- Am. 2011, Act 159, Imd. Eff. Sept. 30, 2011 ;-- Am. 2020, Act 127, Imd. Eff. July 1, 2020 ;-- Am. 2020, Act 241, Eff. Oct. 28, 2020 ;-- Am. 2020, Act 304, Imd. Eff. Dec. 29, 2020 ;-- Am. 2021, Act 71, Imd. Eff. July 29, 2021

Compiler's Notes:

    Section 2 of Act 346 of 1988 provides:

    “(1) Except as otherwise provided in this section, this amendatory act shall take effect October 1, 1989.

    “(2) Sections 634, 710g, 722, 723, 724, 802, and 907 of this amendatory act shall take effect January 1, 1989.

    “(3) Sections 4B and 801 of this amendatory act shall take effect upon the date of enactment of this amendatory act.”

    Section 2 of Act 173 of 1989 provides:

    “(1) The amendments made to sections 8b, 57, 67a, 301, 303, 305, 306, 307, 309, 310, 312d, 312e, 312f, 312g, 312h, 314, 314b, 319a, 321a, 323, 728, 732, 743, and 907 of Act No. 300 of the Public Acts of 1949, being sections 257.8b, 257.57, 257.67a, 257.301, 257.303, 257.305, 257.306, 257.307, 257.309, 257.310, 257.312d, 257.312e, 257.312f, 257.312g, 257.312h, 257.314, 257.314b, 257.319a, 257.321a, 257.323, 257.728, 257.732, 257.743, and 257.907 of the Michigan Compiled Laws, by Act No. 346 of the Public Acts of 1988 shall take effect January 1, 1990.

    “(2) Enacting section 2 of Act No. 346 of the Public Acts of 1988 is repealed.”

    Enacting section 1 of Act 71 of 2021 provides:

    "Enacting section 1. Sections 216(2), 217(11) and (12), 226(11) and (13), 255(4), 301(6), 306(1), (2), (4), and (6), 306a(4), 309(11), 312k(1), 314(7), 801k(1) and (2), and 811(5) of the Michigan vehicle code, 1949 PA 300, MCL 257.216, 257.217, 257.226, 257.255, 257.301, 257.306, 257.306a, 257.309, 257.312k, 257.314, 257.801k, and 257.811, as amended by this amendatory act, are intended to be retroactive and apply retroactively."

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 32 cases (19 in the last 5 years), 1971–2026 · leading case: People v. Nunley, 819 N.W.2d 8 (Mich. Ct. App. 2011).
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People v. Nunley, 819 N.W.2d 8 (Mich. Ct. App. 2011). “204a(l) states: The secretary of state shall create and maintain a computerized central file that provides an individual historical driving record for a person with respect to all of the following: (a) A license issued to the person under chapter 3 [of the Michigan Vehicle Code,…”
People v. Gray, 824 N.W.2d 213 (Mich. Ct. App. 2012). “7403(2)(a)(iii), and driving without a license, MCL 257.301(1). At the plea proceeding defendant admitted, with respect to the day of his arrest, that he had smoked some marijuana, that he then proceeded to drive a motor vehicle with his destination being the motel where his…”
Young v. Barker, 405 N.W.2d 395 (Mich. Ct. App. 1987). “1925; as well as on the basis that he received positive information that another police officer held a warrant for plaintiff’s arrest, MCL 764.”
Morrison v. Parker, 90 F. Supp. 2d 876 (W.D. Mich. 2000). · cites it 2× “Laws § 257.904(1). Plaintiffs seek a declaration that Brian Edgerton, Jr.”
Auto Club Ins. v. Great Am. Ins. Grp., 800 F. Supp. 2d 877 (E.D. Mich. 2011). · cites it 2× “See Mich. Comp. Laws § 257.301 (1) (“[A] person shall not drive a motor vehicle upon a highway in this state unless that person has a valid operator’s or chauffeur’s license with the appropriate .”
Keenan v. Sec'y of State, 302 N.W.2d 602 (Mich. Ct. App. 1981). “MCL 257.301(1); MSA 9.2001(1). Persons who may administer the driver’s examination are designated in the Michigan Vehicle Code: "Sheriffs and their deputies and the chiefs of police of cities and villages having organized police departments within this state and their duly…”
People v. James, 194 N.W.2d 57 (Mich. Ct. App. 1971). “It is beyond our province to say that the jury might not have chosen to credit the testimony of the alibi witnesses but for the impeaching evidence.”
People v. Dixon, 205 N.W.2d 852 (Mich. Ct. App. 1973). “MCLA 257.301; MSA 9.2001; MCLA 257.313; MSA 9.”
Freeman v. Sec'y of State, 347 N.W.2d 20 (Mich. Ct. App. 1984). “The Michigan Vehicle Code provides that a person may not drive upon state highways without an appropriate operator’s license, MCL 257.301; MSA 9.2001. The defendant is the exclusive state agency with the authority to issue drivers’ licenses.”
Alfonzo Washington v. Nationwide Mut. Fire Ins. Co. (Mich. Ct. App. 2025). · cites it 6× “116(C)(10), asserting that plaintiff’s unlawful taking of the subject vehicle required the dismissal of his claims related to the first accident. Relying on Ahmed v Tokio Marine America Ins Co, 337 Mich App 1 , 4; 972 NW2d -2- 860 (2021), it argued plaintiff committed an…”
Tiburcio Pena-Cruz v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co (Mich. Ct. App. 2024). · cites it 4× “MCL 257.301. Under the “should have known” standard, plaintiff was obligated to determine the scope of the authorization that the owner, Meade Lexus, had set under the rental agreement for a nonparty such as himself to take and drive the car.”
People of Michigan v. Anthony Quinn Lavallis (Mich. Ct. App. 2019). · cites it 3× “81d(1), and operating a motor vehicle without a valid license, MCL 257.301(1). We reverse. I. FACTS This case arises from a traffic stop.”
Show all 32 citing cases →
— Mich. Comp. Laws § 257.301(1) — 15 cases
People v. Gray, 824 N.W.2d 213 (Mich. Ct. App. 2012). “7403(2)(a)(iii), and driving without a license, MCL 257.301(1). At the plea proceeding defendant admitted, with respect to the day of his arrest, that he had smoked some marijuana, that he then proceeded to drive a motor vehicle with his destination being the motel where his…”
Keenan v. Sec'y of State, 302 N.W.2d 602 (Mich. Ct. App. 1981). “MCL 257.301(1); MSA 9.2001(1). Persons who may administer the driver’s examination are designated in the Michigan Vehicle Code: "Sheriffs and their deputies and the chiefs of police of cities and villages having organized police departments within this state and their duly…”
People of Michigan v. Anthony Quinn Lavallis (Mich. Ct. App. 2019). “81d(1), and operating a motor vehicle without a valid license, MCL 257.301(1). We reverse. I. FACTS This case arises from a traffic stop.”
Omar Akeem Amos v. Progressive Marathon Ins. Co. (Mich. Ct. App. 2023).
Damonte Antwan Cater v. Eric Myers Powell (Mich. Ct. App. 2026).
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