100.48 Hour meter tampering.

(1) In this section:

(ad) “All-terrain vehicle" has the meaning given in s. 340.01 (2g).

(ag) “Boat" has the meaning given in s. 30.50 (2).

(am) “Farm equipment" means a tractor or other machinery used in the business of farming.

(b) “Hour meter" means an instrument that measures and records the actual hours of operation of the vehicle or device to which the instrument is attached.

(bg) “Off-highway motorcycle" has the meaning given in s. 23.335 (1) (q).

(c) “Snowmobile" has the meaning given in s. 350.01 (12).

(d) “Utility terrain vehicle" has the meaning given in s. 23.33 (1) (ng).

(2) No person may, either personally or through an agent, remove, replace, disconnect, reset, tamper with, alter, or fail to connect, an hour meter attached to farm equipment, a snowmobile, an all-terrain vehicle, a utility terrain vehicle, an off-highway motorcycle, or a boat with the intent to defraud by changing or affecting the number of hours of operation indicated on the hour meter.

(3)

(a) Nothing in this section shall prevent the service, repair or replacement of an hour meter if the number of hours of operation indicated on the hour meter remains the same as before the service, repair or replacement. If an hour meter attached to farm equipment, a snowmobile, an all-terrain vehicle, a utility terrain vehicle, an off-highway motorcycle, or a boat is incapable of registering the same number of hours of operation as before its service, repair or replacement, the hour meter shall be adjusted to read zero, and a sticker shall be affixed by the owner of the vehicle or device to which the hour meter is attached or an agent, in proximity to the hour meter, specifying the number of hours of operation recorded on the hour meter prior to its service, repair or replacement and the date on which it was serviced, repaired or replaced. No person who services, repairs or replaces an hour meter attached to farm equipment, a snowmobile, an all-terrain vehicle, a utility terrain vehicle, an off-highway motorcycle, or a boat that is incapable of registering the same number of hours of operation as before such service, repair or replacement may fail to adjust the hour meter to read zero or fail to affix the sticker required by this paragraph.

(b) No person may, with intent to defraud, remove, replace or alter a sticker affixed to an hour meter as required under par. (a).

(4)

(a) Any person who violates sub. (2) or (3) (b) with respect to an hour meter attached to farm equipment may be fined not more than $5,000 or imprisoned for not more than one year in the county jail, or both, for each violation.

(b) Any person who violates sub. (3) (a) with respect to an hour meter attached to farm equipment may be required to forfeit not more than $500 for each violation.

(c) Any person who violates sub. (2) or (3) with respect to an hour meter attached to a snowmobile, an all-terrain vehicle, a utility terrain vehicle, an off-highway motorcycle, or a boat may be fined not more than $5,000 or imprisoned for not more than one year in the county jail, or both, for each violation.

History: 1997 a. 278; 2003 a. 166; 2011 a. 208; 2015 a. 170.