(a) Whoever sells or delivers fuel oil or propane in quantities of 20 gallons or more for heating or cooking purposes shall issue a delivery ticket which shall consist of an original and at least 1 carbon copy. Said ticket shall be serially numbered for the purpose of identification and shall have the date of delivery as well as the names and addresses of the vendor and the purchaser legibly recorded on the ticket prior to delivery of the fuel oil or propane. A statement of the quantity of fuel oil or propane delivered, in terms of gallons and fractions thereof, if any, the price per gallon, the grade of fuel and the identity of the person making such delivery shall also appear on the ticket. One copy of said ticket shall be delivered to the purchaser or the purchaser’s agent at the time of delivery of such fuel oil or propane, unless the purchaser initiates a request in writing that the vendor deliver such ticket to another person, to another location or at another time. Another copy of said ticket shall be retained by the vendor for a period of 1 year. The number printed on the delivery ticket that is presented to the purchaser of the fuel oil or propane shall be listed on the records kept by the individual or company that sells or delivers the fuel oil or propane.

(b) The Administrator or Inspector of the weights and measures section of the Department of Agriculture shall have the authority, at any time after the delivery of any fuel oil or propane, to enter and go into or upon, without warrant, any delivery vehicle in order to inspect or examine the metering system, vehicle tank compartment or delivery tickets then in the actual possession of or under the control of the person making the delivery, and said Administrator or Inspector shall also have the authority to seize, without warrant, any delivery tickets or devices suspected of constituting or contributing to a deceptive or fraudulent delivery practice. No retained delivery ticket or copy thereof which is so seized shall be destroyed, but may be voided by said Administrator or Inspector and kept on file with the Department of Agriculture.

(c) On deliveries of fuel oil or propane made through a meter, the quantity determinations of the fuel oil or propane delivered shall be mechanically printed on a meter ticket at the time of delivery. A sales sequence number shall also be mechanically printed on the ticket by the ticket printing mechanism of the metering system, unless the printing mechanism is of the cumulative type. The sales sequence number shall not be returnable to 0 until it has reached its highest attainable number.

(d) Only 1 delivery ticket shall be inserted into the printing mechanism at any given time, and in the case of vehicle tank meters, said ticket shall not be inserted until immediately before a delivery is begun, and in no case shall a ticket be left in the printing mechanism while the vehicle is in motion on a public street, highway or thoroughfare.

(e) The possession of a preprinted ticket imprinted with a gallonage amount in advance of delivery shall be prima facia evidence of intent to use such ticket in violation of this section.

(f) Any person who, by himself or herself, or by his or her employee or agent or as the employee or agent of another person, alters or substitutes a delivery ticket in violation of this section, or for otherwise fraudulent or deceptive purposes, shall be punished by a fine of not more than $1,000 or by imprisonment of not more than 1 year, or both.

6 Del. C. 1953, § 5132; 53 Del. Laws, c. 187, § 3; 58 Del. Laws, c. 281, § 17; 69 Del. Laws, c. 100, § 1; 70 Del. Laws, c. 186, § 1; 70 Del. Laws, c. 370, §§ 12, 14.