MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

1998 Regular Session

To: Transportation; Ways and Means

By: Representative Endt

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 63-13-7, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT A MOTOR VEHICLE CERTIFICATE OF INSPECTION MUST BE OBTAINED NOT LATER THAN THE DATE THAT THE VEHICLE IS REQUIRED TO BE REGISTERED; TO AMEND SECTIONS 27-19-43 AND 63-1-19, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REQUIRE COUNTY TAX COLLECTORS AND THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY TO GIVE NOTICE OF THE MOTOR VEHICLE INSPECTION LAW TO PERSONS WHO MAKE APPLICATION FOR A MOTOR VEHICLE LICENSE TAG OR A DRIVER'S LICENSE; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. Section 63-13-7, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

63-13-7. (1) Except as provided in subsection (4) of this section, the Commissioner of Public Safety shall, not more than once each year, require that every motor vehicle, trailer, semitrailer and pole trailer registered in this state be inspected and that an official certificate of inspection and approval be obtained for each such vehicle not later than the date that such vehicle is required to be registered in this state. Each such vehicle must display at all times a certificate of inspection and approval duly issued for such vehicle upon the lower left hand corner of the windshield thereof or upon such vehicle in such position as to be visible from the outside.

(2) Except as provided in subsection (4) of this section, every motor vehicle registered in any other state and operated over the highways of this state shall be inspected and shall display an inspection certificate which shall be different either in color or design from the inspection certificates issued for use on state registered vehicles.

However, the Commissioner of Public Safety may authorize the acceptance in this state of a certificate of inspection and approval issued under the authority of a qualified agency or department of another state, provided that every municipality, county and state office in such other state accepts under a mutually acceptable reciprocal agreement, Mississippi's certificate of inspection and approval. The commissioner shall except from the provisions of this chapter all passenger buses and other vehicles certified by the Surface Transportation Board and subject to its rules and regulations and its periodical inspections.

(3) The Commissioner of Public Safety shall require all school buses in the State of Mississippi to be inspected during the months of July or August each year and may provide such special certificate of inspection and approval as he may deem necessary.

(4) A motor vehicle manufactured or having a model year earlier than 1961 shall not be required to be inspected or to display a certificate of inspection under the provisions of this chapter.

SECTION 2. Section 27-19-43, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

27-19-43. (1) License tags, substitute tags and decals for individual fleets and for private carriers of passengers, school buses (excluding school buses owned by a school district in the state), church buses, taxicabs, ambulances, hearses, motorcycles and private carriers of property, and private commercial carriers of property of a gross weight of ten thousand (10,000) pounds and less, shall be sold and issued by the tax collectors of the several counties.

(2) Applications for license tags for motor vehicles in a corporate fleet registered under Section 27-19-66, and applications for all other license tags, substitute tags and decals shall be filed with the commission or the local tax collector of the respective counties and forwarded to the commission for issuance to the applicant. All tags and decals for vehicles owned by the state or any agency or instrumentality thereof, and vehicles owned by a fire protection district, school district or a county or municipality, and all vehicles owned by a road, drainage or levee district shall be issued by the commission.

(3) At the time of application for a license tag, the tax collector shall provide written notice to the applicant that, in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 13 of Title 63, Mississippi Code of 1972, every motor vehicle registered in this state must be inspected and an official certificate of inspection and approval must be obtained not later than the date that the vehicle is required to be registered.

(4) In addition to the privilege taxes levied herein, there shall be collected the following registration or tag fee:

(a) For the issuance of both a license tag and two (2) decals, a fee of Five Dollars ($5.00).

(b) For the issuance of up to two (2) decals only, a fee of Three Dollars and Seventy-five Cents ($3.75).

No tag or decal shall be issued either by a tax collector or by the commission without the collection of such registration fee except substitute tags and decals and license tags for vehicles owned by the State of Mississippi.

Beginning July 1, 1987, and until the date specified in Section 65-39-35, there shall be levied a registration fee of Five Dollars ($5.00) in addition to the regular registration fee imposed in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this subsection. Such additional registration fee shall be levied in the same manner as the regular registration fee.

SECTION 3. Section 63-1-19, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

63-1-19. Every applicant for a license issued pursuant to this article shall file an application for such license, on a form provided by the Department of Public Safety, with the commissioner or an official license examiner of the department. All persons not holding valid, unexpired licenses issued in this state shall be required to secure an original license, except those specifically exempted from licensing under Section 63-1-7. The application shall state the name, date of birth, sex, race, color of eyes, color of hair, weight, height and residence address, and whether or not the applicant's privilege to drive has been suspended or revoked at any time, and, if so, when, by whom, and for what cause, and whether any previous application by him has been denied, and whether he has any physical defects which would interfere with his operating a motor vehicle safely upon the highways.

Each application or filing made under this section shall include the Social Security number(s) of the applicant in accordance with Section 93-11-64, Mississippi Code of 1972.

At the time of application for a license under this article, the Department of Public Safety shall provide written notice to the applicant that, in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 13 of Title 63, Mississippi Code of 1972, every motor vehicle registered in this state must be inspected and an official certificate of inspection and approval must be obtained not later than the date that the vehicle is required to be registered.

SECTION 4. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 1998.