(a) All contract, common, private commercial, and private carriers of property, and all common and contract carriers of passengers, who shall enter or come into the State of Mississippi upon any highway upon which there has been established an inspection station, as provided for in Sections 27-5-71 and 27-5-73, shall stop at such station and submit to inspection in order that the agents or representatives of the Mississippi Department of Transportation on duty at such station may determine whether or not such vehicle is liable for the Mississippi motor vehicle privilege license tax or permit fees, and whether or not such vehicle is properly licensed in this state. Upon demand therefor, the driver or operator of such vehicle shall exhibit, for the inspection of such representatives or agents, the manifest or bill of lading required to be carried by Section 27-19-91 of this article, if the vehicle be one that is required to carry such a manifest or bill of lading. The Mississippi Transportation Commission, however, shall have authority to exempt from the requirement to stop at inspection stations carriers who have been pre-approved based upon criteria established by the state or the appropriate state agency or agencies.

(b) If the vehicle is not licensed in Mississippi and is subject to motor vehicle privilege license taxation or permit fees, or if such vehicle be licensed in an improper license classification or for an insufficient gross weight, then the operator or driver of such vehicle shall obtain and pay the proper fee for the proper trip permit from such representative, as provided in Section 27-19-79, or shall make application for a license tag and pay the proper annual tax therefor; provided, however, that no permit shall be issued for any vehicle or combination of vehicles having a gross weight exceeding the limits prescribed by law; nor shall any application for an annual privilege license be accepted or received upon such vehicles.

(c) The agent or representative of the Mississippi Department of Transportation on duty at any such station shall have the power and authority to weigh such vehicle and the load thereon by means of portable or stationary scales furnished to him by the Mississippi Department of Transportation, in order to determine whether or not the gross weight of such vehicles exceeds the limits provided by law and in order to determine whether or not the gross weight exceeds the licensed gross weight of such vehicle, and for any other purposes connected with and related to the enforcement and administration of this article.