(a) Upon application for a motor vehicle operator's license or identification card, the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles shall verify the identity of the applicant in accordance with the rules prescribed by the driver license agreement, as set forth in regulations adopted by the commissioner, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, and shall determine whether the applicant has ever held, or is the holder of, a license issued by any other jurisdiction. The commissioner shall not issue a license to any applicant whose license is withdrawn in any other member jurisdiction for any conviction or administrative action required to be reported under the driver license agreement, as evidenced by the driver control record. The commissioner shall not issue a license to any applicant who is the subject of a notice of failure to comply, as reported by any other member jurisdiction. If the applicant is the holder of any unexpired license issued by another jurisdiction, the commissioner shall not issue a license unless the applicant surrenders such license document previously issued by such jurisdiction.

(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, the commissioner may issue an operator's license to an applicant who is the subject of a withdrawal of a commercial driver's license in any other member jurisdiction if the conduct on which such withdrawal is based would not have resulted in the withdrawal of the privilege to operate any motor vehicle other than a commercial motor vehicle.

(c) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, the commissioner may issue a motor vehicle operator's license to (1) an applicant who is the subject of a withdrawal that occurred five years or more before the date of application, or (2) an applicant whose license has been withdrawn for the period of time required by the jurisdiction of record, but whose license has not been returned or restored by such jurisdiction due to the failure or the alleged failure to fulfill reinstatement requirements, pertaining to the filing of proof of financial responsibility or necessitating personal attendance in such jurisdiction including, but not limited to, a requirement to complete an education or treatment program. In exercising the discretion to grant or deny an application for a license as conferred by the provisions of this subsection, the commissioner shall review and consider the entire driver control record of the applicant, and may require additional information and references from the applicant such as will attest to the applicant's present fitness and capability to safely operate a motor vehicle.

(d) If the commissioner issues an identification card to a person who holds an operator's license issued by another jurisdiction, the commissioner shall report to such jurisdiction within thirty days the name of such person and such other information concerning such person and such identification card as is required by the driver license agreement.

(P.A. 02-70, S. 37; P.A. 03-171, S. 11; P.A. 04-217, S. 15; P.A. 05-218, S. 26; P.A. 09-187, S. 57.)

History: P.A. 02-70 effective January 1, 2003; P.A. 03-171 amended Subsec. (b) to delete reference to motorcycle operator's license; P.A. 04-217 amended Subsec. (a) to include application for identification card and to require commissioner to verify identity of applicant in accordance with operator's license agreement, replaced “a class 1 or class 2” with “an” in Subsec. (b) and added new Subsec. (d) re issuance of identification card to person holding operator's license issued by another jurisdiction, effective January 1, 2005; P.A. 05-218 amended Subsecs. (a) and (d)(1) by changing “operator's” to “driver”, effective July 6, 2005; P.A. 09-187 amended Subsec. (d) to delete former Subdiv. (2) re regulations adopted by commissioner and make a conforming change, effective July 1, 2009.