Mich. Comp. Laws » Michigan Compiled Laws / Chapter 750 / Act 328 of 1931
Michigan Compiled Laws

Mich. Comp. Laws § 750.415 (2026)

Concealing 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.

✓ current as of July 2026 Cite as: Mich. Comp. Laws § 750.415 (2026)
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THE MICHIGAN PENAL CODE


Act 328 of 1931


750.415 Concealing 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 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.

History: 1931, Act 328, Eff. Sept. 18, 1931 ;-- CL 1948, 750.415 ;-- Am. 1978, Act 494, Eff. Dec. 13, 1978 ;-- Am. 2000, Act 217, Eff. Oct. 1, 2000

FormerLaw Notes:

    See sections 1 to 3 of Act 182 of 1917, being CL 1929, §§ 16972 to 16974; Act 115 of 1919; and Act 129 of 1929.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 20 cases (2 in the last 5 years), 1976–2021 · leading case: People v. Venticinque
Sort: Relevance Newest Treatment
People v. Venticinque (1998) mich · cites it 20× “MCL 750.415; MSA 28.647 has little enforcement value to construe it otherwise.”
People v. Wilson (2003) michctapp · cites it 8× “In Venticinque , our Supreme Court stated that a plain reading of MCL 750.415 “illustrates that possession of the contraband is prima facie evidence of a violation of either subsection 415(1) or 415(2),” id.”
People v. Brooks (1979) mich · cites it 8× “) MCL 750.415; MSA 28.647. [4] Possession of a motor vehicle with an "altered" VIN is, under this statute, "prima facie evidence of violation" of this law.”
People v. Belanger (1982) michctapp · cites it 6× “In People v Brooks, 405 Mich 225 ; 274 NW2d 430 (1979), the Court considered the circumstances under which a police officer could arrest a suspect for the misdemeanor of concealing or misrepresenting the identity of a motor vehicle by altering the manufacturer’s serial number,…”
Mich. Gun Owners, Inc. v. Ann Arbor Pub. Sch. (2018) mich “224e ; MCL 750.224f ; MCL 750.227b ; MCL 750.”
People v. Powell (1999) michctapp “803, and concealing the identity of a motor vehicle with intent to mislead, MCL 750.415(2); MSA 28.647(2). 1 Before trial, defendant moved to suppress evidence seized during a search of the test “cell” space where he conducted experiments as a graduate student at the University…”
People v. Oxendine (1993) michctapp · cites it 3× “MCL 750.415; MSA 28.647; People v Boscaglia, 419 Mich 556, 564 ; 357 NW2d 648 (1984).”
People v. Battle (1987) michctapp · cites it 2× “Following a jury trial, defendant was found guilty of intentionally concealing or misrepresenting the identity of a motor vehicle by altering the identification numbers, MCL 750.415(2); MSA 28.647(2). Defendant was sentenced to prison for to 4 years.”
People v. Coon (1993) michctapp · cites it 3× “Originally charged in a three-count complaint, defendant was convicted by a jury of two counts and acquitted of one count of concealing or misrepresenting the identity of a motor vehicle with intent to mislead, MCL 750.415(2); *246 MSA 28.647(2). He appeals as of right his…”
People v. Boscaglia (1984) mich “803, which prohibits receiving, possessing, and concealing stolen property, and MCL 750.415; MSA 28.647, which prohibits the removing and defacing of vehicle identification numbers on automobile parts and also prohibits the switching of parts that have vehicle identification…”
People v. Robbins (1997) michctapp “803, and possession of a motor vehicle with an incorrect identification number, MCL 750.415(2); MSA 28.647. The 36th District Court dismissed the charges before any evidence was submitted at a second preliminary examination involving defendant’s charges.”
People v. Noble (1986) michctapp “As a foundation for answering defendant’s argument, some discussion of the statute and its context is in order. The statute is only one part of a statutory scheme dealing with automobiles and *324 stolen goods in general.”
Show all 20 citing cases →
— Mich. Comp. Laws § 750.415(1) — 5 cases
People v. Venticinque (1998) mich “MCL 750.415; MSA 28.647 has little enforcement value to construe it otherwise.”
People v. Belanger (1982) michctapp “In People v Brooks, 405 Mich 225 ; 274 NW2d 430 (1979), the Court considered the circumstances under which a police officer could arrest a suspect for the misdemeanor of concealing or misrepresenting the identity of a motor vehicle by altering the manufacturer’s serial number,…”
People v. Wilson (2003) michctapp “In Venticinque , our Supreme Court stated that a plain reading of MCL 750.415 “illustrates that possession of the contraband is prima facie evidence of a violation of either subsection 415(1) or 415(2),” id.”
People v. Oxendine (1993) michctapp “MCL 750.415; MSA 28.647; People v Boscaglia, 419 Mich 556, 564 ; 357 NW2d 648 (1984).”
People v. Griffis (1996) michctapp
— Mich. Comp. Laws § 750.415(2) — 13 cases
People v. Wilson (2003) michctapp “In Venticinque , our Supreme Court stated that a plain reading of MCL 750.415 “illustrates that possession of the contraband is prima facie evidence of a violation of either subsection 415(1) or 415(2),” id.”
People v. Venticinque (1998) mich “MCL 750.415; MSA 28.647 has little enforcement value to construe it otherwise.”
People v. Belanger (1982) michctapp “In People v Brooks, 405 Mich 225 ; 274 NW2d 430 (1979), the Court considered the circumstances under which a police officer could arrest a suspect for the misdemeanor of concealing or misrepresenting the identity of a motor vehicle by altering the manufacturer’s serial number,…”
People v. Powell (1999) michctapp “803, and concealing the identity of a motor vehicle with intent to mislead, MCL 750.415(2); MSA 28.647(2). 1 Before trial, defendant moved to suppress evidence seized during a search of the test “cell” space where he conducted experiments as a graduate student at the University…”
People v. Battle (1987) michctapp “Following a jury trial, defendant was found guilty of intentionally concealing or misrepresenting the identity of a motor vehicle by altering the identification numbers, MCL 750.415(2); MSA 28.647(2). Defendant was sentenced to prison for to 4 years.”
— Mich. Comp. Laws § 750.415(3) — 5 cases
People v. Venticinque (1998) mich “MCL 750.415; MSA 28.647 has little enforcement value to construe it otherwise.”
People v. Belanger (1982) michctapp “In People v Brooks, 405 Mich 225 ; 274 NW2d 430 (1979), the Court considered the circumstances under which a police officer could arrest a suspect for the misdemeanor of concealing or misrepresenting the identity of a motor vehicle by altering the manufacturer’s serial number,…”
People v. Battle (1987) michctapp “Following a jury trial, defendant was found guilty of intentionally concealing or misrepresenting the identity of a motor vehicle by altering the identification numbers, MCL 750.415(2); MSA 28.647(2). Defendant was sentenced to prison for to 4 years.”
People v. Oxendine (1993) michctapp “MCL 750.415; MSA 28.647; People v Boscaglia, 419 Mich 556, 564 ; 357 NW2d 648 (1984).”
People v. Coon (1993) michctapp “Originally charged in a three-count complaint, defendant was convicted by a jury of two counts and acquitted of one count of concealing or misrepresenting the identity of a motor vehicle with intent to mislead, MCL 750.415(2); *246 MSA 28.647(2). He appeals as of right his…”
— Mich. Comp. Laws § 750.415(4) — 1 case
People v. Coon (1993) michctapp “Originally charged in a three-count complaint, defendant was convicted by a jury of two counts and acquitted of one count of concealing or misrepresenting the identity of a motor vehicle with intent to mislead, MCL 750.415(2); *246 MSA 28.647(2). He appeals as of right his…”
— Mich. Comp. Laws § 750.415(6) — 1 case
Mich. Gun Owners, Inc. v. Ann Arbor Pub. Sch. (2018) mich “224e ; MCL 750.224f ; MCL 750.227b ; MCL 750.”
Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.