§ 3104. Supervisory Jurisdiction
TITLE 9: VEHICLE CODE DIVISION 3: INSPECTION OF VEHICLES § 3104. Safety Inspections: Nature and Purpose of Inspection Required. The purpose of a motor vehicle safety inspection is to determine whether the vehicle inspected meets all lawfully prescribed requirements as to equipment and is in such safe condition as not to endanger the operator or any other person or property when operated or moved on any road or highway. To accomplish this purpose the following provisions apply: (a) Every motor vehicle required to be registered must be inspected by a duly licensed safety inspection station. Upon satisfactory completion of inspection, an official certificate of safety inspection shall be issued. (b) Each vehicle which has passed an annual inspection, shall be issued a sticker certifying passage. To ensure compliance with safety and equipment requirements, the following procedures shall be enforced: (1) If any motor vehicle is found on inspection not to meet all requirements as to safe operating condition and equipment prescribed under applicable law and rules and regulations of the bureau, a notice of those deficiencies shall be given to the operator and the operator shall be issued a temporary permit by a duly licensed safety inspection station to indicate that the vehicle has not passed safety inspection. No person may thereafter operate the vehicle except as may be necessary to return the vehicle to the residence or place of business of the owner or operator, deliver the car to a vehicle repair garage, or to return the vehicle for reinspection after equipment and safety deficiencies have been corrected. Every owner or operator receiving a notice of deficiencies shall remedy the deficiencies and within one month submit the vehicle for reinspec- tion. Upon satisfactory completion of inspection, a sticker shall be issued; provided that in lieu of compliance a vehicle owner may surrender the vehicle license and registration and thereupon cease to operate the motor vehicle upon public roads in the Commonwealth. (2) Following a collision or other accident in which any vehicle is involved, the police officer investigating the accident may remove the safety sticker from the vehicle involved if vehicle damage is so extensive that the vehicle is not in compliance with safety and equipment requirements. Unless subject to subsection (b)(3) of this section, the officer shall attach to the vehicle a sticker as provided for under subsection (b)(1) of this section. The vehicle shall then be subject to the requirements of that subsection. (3) If upon inspection any motor vehicle is found to be in such unsafe con- dition as to be a hazard to public health and safety and cannot reasonably be restored to a safe condition as required by this title, the officer making the inspection shall remove the sticker and immediately inform the chief or his designee of that action. The chief or his designee shall forthwith issue an order to suspend the registration of the motor vehicle and give notice of the order to the owner of the vehicle. Upon removal of a sticker pursuant to this section, the vehicle may not be operated upon public roads in the Commonwealth.
TITLE 9: VEHICLE CODE DIVISION 3: INSPECTION OF VEHICLES (4) Any person denied a safety inspection certificate may appeal such deni- al to the Director of Public Safety pursuant to 1 CMC § 9101 et seq., the Ad- ministrative Procedure Act, within five working days after such denial. Source: PL 3-61, § 1 (§ 304); amended by PL 5-22, § 4. Commission Comment: With respect to the reference to the “Director of Public Safety,” see Executive Order 94-3 (effective August 23, 1994), reorgan- izing the executive branch, changing agency names and official titles, and ef- fecting other changes, set forth in the Commission comment to 1 CMC § 2001.
Source: CNMI Law Revision Commission