Title 23. Vehicle Laws -- Inspection of Used Vehicles and Warnings for Defective Equipment — Subtitle 1. Definitions; General Provisions

Certifies that, as of its date, a specified vehicle meets or exceeds the standards for equipment established under this title; and

Identifies the inspection station and the licensed individual who personally inspected the vehicle.

Any uniformed police officer;

Any person listed under § 2–101(c) of the Criminal Procedure Article; or

Any civilian employee of the Department of State Police or the Maryland Transportation Authority Police assigned to enforce this subtitle or any regulation adopted under this subtitle, but only while acting under written authorization of the Secretary of State Police.

Certifies that, as of its date, the equipment specified in a safety equipment repair order meets or exceeds the standards established under this subtitle; and

Is signed and dated:

“Vehicle” means, except as otherwise provided in this subsection, any vehicle registered or to be registered in this State as:

For purposes of safety equipment repair orders only, “vehicle” means, except as provided in paragraph (3) of this subsection, any motor vehicle, trailer, or semitrailer.

“Vehicle” does not include any Class L (historic) vehicle with a model year of 1985 or earlier, or any trailer which is a mobile home as defined by § 11–134 of this article.

The Division shall enforce this subtitle in each of the counties of this State and Baltimore City.

Civilian employees of the Division designated by the Secretary of State Police shall have the authority to enforce this subtitle and any regulation adopted under it when acting under written authorization of the Secretary.

On receipt of an application and a nonrefundable fee established by the Administration from a facility for an inspection station license, the Division shall:

On receipt of a renewal application and the annual license fee established by the Administration for an inspection station, the Division shall issue the renewal license if the facility is qualified.

Inspect a used vehicle on request of its transferor or transferee;

Inspect the equipment of a vehicle for which a safety equipment repair order has been issued and issue a repair order certification for the vehicle; and

Inspect an ambulance on the request of its owner that is required to be inspected under § 13–515 of the Education Article.

For cause, suspend or revoke an inspection station license; and

On suspension or revocation of the license, require the surrender of the license and all related material issued by the Division.

An application in the manner and format designated by the Division; and

A nonrefundable application fee of $15 to take the examination.

The Division may not require an individual authorized to conduct vehicle inspections in the State under §§ 10–14A–03 and 10–14B–03 of the State Government Article to conduct an examination.

For cause, require a reexamination of a licensed inspection mechanic for qualification to continue or resume conducting vehicle inspections;

For cause, suspend or revoke the mechanic’s license; or

On suspension or revocation of the mechanic’s license, rescind the authorization to conduct vehicle inspections in accordance with this title.

If a police officer observes that a vehicle registered in this State is being operated with any equipment that apparently does not meet the standards established under this subtitle or the standards established under § 24-106.1(e) of this article, the officer shall stop the driver of the vehicle and issue to him a safety equipment repair order.

A police officer may issue a safety equipment repair order for a cover required under § 24-106.1(e) of this article only if:

To have the equipment corrected as necessary at a place of the owner’s choosing within 10 days from the issuance of the order; and

To send to the Division a repair order certification dated subsequent to the issuance of the order.

If a safety equipment repair order is for equipment that can be certified as corrected or adequate by visual inspection and without the use of testing equipment, any police department that issues safety equipment repair orders and repair order certifications shall, on request of the owner:

The Division shall determine the equipment that may be inspected visually under this subsection and shall adopt rules and regulations to carry out its provisions.

In cooperation with the Administration, the Division shall adopt rules and regulations to carry out the provisions of this section.

The rules or regulations shall provide for:

Any transfer of a used vehicle to any licensed dealer or to any foreign dealer;

Any transfer between:

Any transfer of a used vehicle that is not to be both titled and registered in this State;

Any transfer of a used vehicle among any agencies of the State;

Any transfer of a used vehicle as described in § 13–503.2 of this article;

Any transfer of a used vehicle into a written inter vivos trust in which the transferor is the primary beneficiary;

Any transfer of a used island vehicle, as defined in § 13–935 of this article, registered, or to be registered, as a Class K (farm area/island) vehicle;

Any transfer of an off–highway recreational vehicle;

Any transfer of a leased vehicle to the lessee at the end of the lease term; or

Any transfer of a used vehicle from a business entity to the majority owner of the business entity if:

Except as provided in paragraphs (4) and (5) of this subsection, if any licensed dealer that also is an inspection station transfers any used vehicle, it shall:

Except as provided in paragraphs (4) and (5) of this subsection, if any other person transfers a used vehicle, the person shall obtain an inspection certificate from an inspection station.

If a used vehicle is transferred other than by voluntary transfer or is transferred by a political subdivision of the State after that subdivision obtains the vehicle by proceedings pursuant to Title 12 of the Criminal Procedure Article, the transferee shall obtain the inspection certificate from an authorized inspection station.

In the case of a transfer of any used vehicle registered, or to be registered, as a Class E (truck) exceeding three–fourths ton manufacturer’s rated capacity, Class F (tractor), Class G (freight trailer or semitrailer), or Class G (dump service semitrailer) vehicle, the transferor or the transferee of the vehicle may obtain the required inspection certificate.

In the case of a transfer of any used vehicle registered or to be registered, that is sold for dismantling or rebuilding purposes, the transferor or the transferee of the vehicle may obtain the required inspection certificate.

Before the Administration titles and registers any used vehicle, except a Class L (historic) vehicle, it shall require a valid inspection certificate for the vehicle.

For the purposes of this subsection, an inspection certificate shall remain valid from the date the inspection certificate is issued for a period of:

This subsection does not apply to any vehicle transferred within 30 days after the date of an inspection certificate issued for the vehicle and filed by the Administration in its title records.

If a person applies for titling and registration of a vehicle, the Administration may:

A vehicle for which a temporary registration has been issued under this subsection shall be inspected within 60 days of the issuance of the temporary registration.

When an existing school vehicle (Class H) is changed to any other registration class, the vehicle shall be inspected at a licensed State inspection station.

The inspection certificate shall be submitted at the time the vehicle is being registered in the new class.