Traffic Stops
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 302.181 and § 303.024 — the license and the insurance card, shown on demand
In Missouri, a driver carries the license at all times while driving, and displays it on demand of any highway patrol officer, police officer, peace officer or other duly authorized person. Failing to exhibit it to an authorized officer is presumptive evidence that the person is not a licensed operator.
An insurance identification card is carried in the insured vehicle at all times. The operator exhibits it on the demand of a peace officer who lawfully stops the operator or investigates an accident, and if it is not exhibited the officer issues a citation.
The card may be on a phone. The policy, a binder, a receipt, a photocopy, or an image on a mobile electronic device carrying the required information is satisfactory evidence of insurance. Showing the card on a phone is not consent for the officer to access anything else on the device, beyond verifying the image.
Why a car may be stopped, when it may be searched, and what follows a stop are set in other sections and in case law, and are not reproduced here. Whether a stop was lawful is a question for a court and for a licensed Missouri attorney.
Sources for this section (2)
- Mo. Rev. Stat. § 302.181 — Form of license, information shown
- Mo. Rev. Stat. § 303.024 — Insurance identification cards, exhibition to peace officers
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Missouri attorney.