Mississippi Code
Miss. Code Ann. § 63-15-3 (2026)
Definitions
✓ current as of July 2026
The following words and phrases, when used in this chapter, shall, for the purposes of this chapter, have the meanings respectively ascribed to them in this section, except in those instances where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:
- (a) "Highway" means the entire width between property lines of any road, street, way, thoroughfare or bridge in the State of Mississippi not privately owned or controlled, when any part thereof is open to the public for vehicular traffic and over which the state has legislative jurisdiction under its police power.
- (b) "Judgment" means any judgment which shall have become final by expiration, without appeal, of the time within which an appeal might have been perfected, or by final affirmation on appeal, rendered by a court of competent jurisdiction of any state or of the United States, upon a cause of action arising out of the ownership, maintenance or use of any motor vehicle, for damages, including damages for care and loss of services, because of bodily injury to or death of any person, or for damages because of injury to or destruction of property, including the loss of use thereof, or upon a cause of action on an agreement of settlement for such damages.
- (c) "Motor vehicle" means every self-propelled vehicle (other than traction engines, road rollers and graders, tractor cranes, power shovels, well drillers, implements of husbandry, electric bicycles, personal delivery devices and electric personal assistive mobility devices as defined in Section 63-3-103) which is designed for use upon a highway, including trailers and semitrailers designed for use with such vehicles, and every vehicle which is propelled by electric power obtained from overhead wires but not operated upon rails.
For purposes of this definition, "implements of husbandry" shall not include trucks, pickup trucks, trailers and semitrailers designed for use with such trucks and pickup trucks.
- (d) "License" means any driver's, operator's, commercial operator's, or chauffeur's license, temporary instruction permit or temporary license, or restricted license, issued under the laws of the State of Mississippi pertaining to the licensing of persons to operate motor vehicles.
- (e) "Nonresident" means every person who is not a resident of the State of Mississippi.
- (f) "Nonresident's operating privilege" means the privilege conferred upon a nonresident by the laws of Mississippi pertaining to the operation by him of a motor vehicle, or the use of a motor vehicle owned by him, in the State of Mississippi.
- (g) "Operator" means every person who is in actual physical control of a motor vehicle.
- (h) "Owner" means a person who holds the legal title of a motor vehicle; in the event a motor vehicle is the subject of an agreement for the conditional sale or lease thereof with the right of purchase upon performance of the conditions stated in the agreement and with an immediate right of possession vested in the conditional vendee or lessee or in the event a mortgagor of a vehicle is entitled to possession, then such conditional vendee or lessee or mortgagor shall be deemed the owner for the purpose of this chapter.
- (i) "Person" means every natural person, firm, copartnership, association or corporation.
- (j) "Proof of financial responsibility" means proof of ability to respond in damages for liability, on account of accidents occurring subsequent to the effective date of said proof, arising out of the ownership, maintenance or use of a motor vehicle, in the amount of Twenty-five Thousand Dollars ($25,000.00) because of bodily injury to or death of one (1) person in any one (1) accident, and subject to said limit for one (1) person, in the amount of Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000.00) because of bodily injury to or death of two (2) or more persons in any one (1) accident, and in the amount of Twenty-five Thousand Dollars ($25,000.00) because of injury to or destruction of property of others in any one (1) accident. Liability insurance required under this paragraph (j) may contain exclusions and limitations on coverage as long as the exclusions and limitations language or form has been filed with and approved by the Commissioner of Insurance.
- (k) "Registration" means a certificate or certificates and registration plates issued under the laws of this state pertaining to the registration of motor vehicles.
- (l) "Department" means the Department of Public Safety of the State of Mississippi, acting directly or through its authorized officers and agents, except in such sections of this chapter in which some other state department is specifically named.
- (m) "State" means any state, territory or possession of the United States, the District of Columbia, or any province of the Dominion of Canada.
Codes, 1942, § 8285-01; Laws, 1952, ch. 359, § 1; Laws, 1972, ch. 349, § 1; Laws, 2003, ch. 485, § 11; Laws, 2005, ch. 483, § 1, eff. 1/1/2006.
Amended by Laws, 2022, ch. 439, SB 2508,§ 7, eff. 7/1/2022.
Amended by Laws, 2021, ch. 355, HB 1195,§ 7, eff. 7/1/2021.
Amended by Laws, 2015, ch. 315, HB 346, 1, eff. 7/1/2015.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 29
cases (2 in the last 5 years), 1984–2025 · leading case: Katrice Jones-Smith v. Safeway Ins. Co., 174 So. 3d 240 (Miss. 2015).
Katrice Jones-Smith v. Safeway Ins. Co., 174 So. 3d 240 (Miss. 2015). “Miss. Code Ann. § 63-15-3 (j) (Rev. 2013).”
Presley v. Mississippi State Hwy. Com'n, 608 So. 2d 1288 (Miss. 1992). “§ 41-29-108 (1982); Miss. Code Ann. § 63-15-3 (j) (Supp. 1982); Miss.”
Nationwide Mut. Ins. Co. v. Garriga, 636 So. 2d 658 (Miss. 1994). “dissenting) ("The problem is that [the majority] accepts as the minimum amount the amount set forth in Miss. Code Ann. § 63-15-3 ."). The United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi dealt with a similar reduction clause in Porter v.”
Owens v. Mississippi Farm Bureau Cas. Ins. Co., 910 So. 2d 1065 (Miss. 2005). “[5] Miss.Code Ann. § 63-15-3 (Supp.2003). [6] The Farm Bureau policy's one-year time limit for payment of medical bills under its medical coverage expired around the same time Farm Bureau received Dr.”
Lyons v. Direct Gen. Ins. Co. of Mississippi, 138 So. 3d 887 (Miss. 2014). “” 6 Section 63-15-4 specifically provides that the insurance policy must comply with the requirements of Section 63-15-3(j), 7 which makes no reference to Section 63-15-43.”
Aetna Cas. & Sur. Co. v. Williams, 623 So. 2d 1005 (Miss. 1993). “Miss. Code Ann. §§ 63-15-3 (j) (1972); 63-15-43(2)(b) only requires a minimum of $10,000 coverage.”
Cheri W. Heflin v. Stephen Merrill, 154 So. 3d 857 (Miss. 2014). “Miss. Code Ann. §§ 63-15-3 (j), 63-15-4(2)(a) (Rev.”
Alfa Ins. Corp. v. Ryals Ex Rel. Beneficiaries of Ryals, 918 So. 2d 1260 (Miss. 2005). “Miss.Code Ann. § 63-15-3(a) (Rev.2004). "Motor vehicle" is defined as: every self-propelled vehicle (other than traction engines, road rollers and graders, tractor cranes, power shovels, well drillers, implements of husbandry and electric personal assistive mobility devices.”
Jones v. Shelter Mut. Ins. Companies, 738 N.W.2d 840 (Neb. 2007). “2007); Miss. Code Ann. § 63-15-3 (j) (Cum. Supp.”
In Re Koestler for Benefit of Koestler, 608 So. 2d 1258 (Miss. 1992). “The problem is that it accepts as the minimum amount the amount set forth in Miss. Code Ann. § 63-15-3 . This result is clearly contrary to the express provisions of the Mississippi Uninsured Motorist Act.”
Cossitt v. Federated Guar. Mut. Ins. Co., 541 So. 2d 436 (Miss. 1989). “1988); see also, Sections 63-15-3(j), 63-15-11(4), 63-15-31.”
Thompson v. Mississippi Farm Bureau Mut. Ins. Co., 602 So. 2d 855 (Miss. 1992). “The endorsement clause also conflicts with the policy set out in §§ 63-15-3(j) and 63-15-11 of the Safety Responsibility Act.”
Miss. Code Ann. § 63-15-3(a): 1 case
Alfa Ins. Corp. v. Ryals Ex Rel. Beneficiaries of Ryals, 918 So. 2d 1260 (Miss. 2005). “Miss.Code Ann. § 63-15-3(a) (Rev.2004). "Motor vehicle" is defined as: every self-propelled vehicle (other than traction engines, road rollers and graders, tractor cranes, power shovels, well drillers, implements of husbandry and electric personal assistive mobility devices.”
Miss. Code Ann. § 63-15-3(c): 2 cases
Alfa Ins. Corp. v. Ryals Ex Rel. Beneficiaries of Ryals, 918 So. 2d 1260 (Miss. 2005). “Miss.Code Ann. § 63-15-3(a) (Rev.2004). "Motor vehicle" is defined as: every self-propelled vehicle (other than traction engines, road rollers and graders, tractor cranes, power shovels, well drillers, implements of husbandry and electric personal assistive mobility devices.”
Olympia Williams, Mary Thomas & Alonzo Johnson v. Mississippi Farm Bureau Cas. Ins. Co. (Miss. 2025).
Miss. Code Ann. § 63-15-3(j): 10 cases
Katrice Jones-Smith v. Safeway Ins. Co., 174 So. 3d 240 (Miss. 2015). “Miss. Code Ann. § 63-15-3 (j) (Rev. 2013).”
Lyons v. Direct Gen. Ins. Co. of Mississippi, 138 So. 3d 887 (Miss. 2014). “” 6 Section 63-15-4 specifically provides that the insurance policy must comply with the requirements of Section 63-15-3(j), 7 which makes no reference to Section 63-15-43.”
Cossitt v. Federated Guar. Mut. Ins. Co., 541 So. 2d 436 (Miss. 1989). “1988); see also, Sections 63-15-3(j), 63-15-11(4), 63-15-31.”
Thompson v. Mississippi Farm Bureau Mut. Ins. Co., 602 So. 2d 855 (Miss. 1992). “The endorsement clause also conflicts with the policy set out in §§ 63-15-3(j) and 63-15-11 of the Safety Responsibility Act.”
Wise v. United Servs. Auto. Ass'n, 861 So. 2d 308 (Miss. 2003).
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