(a) At least once every year, each owner of a motor vehicle described in subsection (a) of section 14-163c shall file with the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles evidence that the owner has in effect the security requirements imposed by law for each such motor vehicle. The evidence shall be filed in such form as the commissioner prescribes in accordance with a schedule established by the commissioner.

(b) The Commissioner of Motor Vehicles may establish a system to verify, by means of electronic communication, that an owner of a motor vehicle described in subsection (a) of section 14-163c has the security requirements imposed by law. If the commissioner uses such system to make an inquiry to any insurance company that is licensed to issue automobile liability insurance in this state, or to any data source maintained by the United States Department of Transportation pursuant to the provisions of Title 49, Part 387 of the Code of Federal Regulations, as amended, the commissioner may accept the results of such inquiry in lieu of a filing by the owner pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, for the period for which such filing is required.

(c) When the owner of a motor vehicle files evidence under subsection (a) of this section or when a company licensed to issue automobile liability insurance in this state provides verification under subsection (b) of this section, the commissioner shall construe such evidence or verification as proof that the owner of a motor vehicle or motor vehicles described in subsection (a) of section 14-163c has insurance coverage of not less than the amounts required under Title 49, Part 387 of the Code of Federal Regulations, as amended, or any applicable section of chapter 246.

(d) In addition to other penalties provided by law, the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles, after notice and opportunity for hearing in accordance with chapter 54, shall suspend the registration of each motor vehicle registered in the name of any owner who fails to file a motor carrier identification report or to provide satisfactory evidence of the security requirements imposed by law.

(e) Each filing made in accordance with the provisions of subsection (a) of this section by each for-hire motor carrier or private motor carrier of property or passengers, and each owner of any motor vehicle that transports hazardous materials, as described in subsection (a) of section 14-163c, shall provide satisfactory evidence of insurance coverage or other security in amounts not less than are required by the provisions of Title 49, Part 387 of the Code of Federal Regulations, as amended. Such requirement concerning the amount of security that must be evidenced to the commissioner may be made applicable by the commissioner to the initial registration of any such motor vehicle, including the registration of any motor vehicle under the International Registration Plan, in accordance with the provisions of section 14-34a.

(Oct. 25 Sp. Sess. P.A. 05-3, S. 4; P.A. 07-167, S. 11; P.A. 08-150, S. 19; P.A. 11-213, S. 29; P.A. 14-130, S. 23.)

History: Oct. 25 Sp. Sess. P.A. 05-3 effective January 1, 2006; P.A. 07-167 added Subsec. (c) re evidence of amount of insurance coverage or other security; P.A. 08-150 added new Subsec. (b) re establishment and use of system to verify by electronic means that owner of motor vehicle has security requirements imposed by law and redesignated existing Subsecs. (b) and (c) as Subsecs. (c) and (d), respectively; P.A. 11-213 amended Subsec. (a) to change filing requirement from biannual to annual and to delete biennial filing requirement for motor carrier identification report, effective July 1, 2011; P.A. 14-130 added new Subsec. (c) re evidence or verification as proof of insurance coverage and redesignated existing Subsecs. (c) and (d) as Subsecs. (d) and (e).