66-257. Misdemeanor violations.

(a) Class 1 Misdemeanors. - A person who does any of the following commits a Class 1 misdemeanor:

(1) Fails to keep a record of new merchandise and fails to produce a record or an affidavit pursuant to G.S. 66-254.

(2) Falsifies a record of new merchandise required by G.S. 66-254.

(b) Class 2 Misdemeanors. - A person who does any of the following commits a Class 2 misdemeanor:

(1) If the person is an itinerant merchant or a specialty market vendor, fails to display the certificate of registration as required by G.S. 66-252.

(2) If the person is a specialty market operator, fails to maintain the daily registration list as required by G.S. 66-255.

(c) Class 3 Misdemeanors. - A person who does any of the following commits a Class 3 misdemeanor:

(1) If the person is a peddler or an itinerant merchant, fails to obtain the permission of the property owner as required by G.S. 66-251.

(2) If the person is a peddler or a specialty market operator, fails to produce the certificate of registration as required by G.S. 66-252.

(3) Fails to provide name, address, or identification upon request as required by G.S. 66-253 or provides false information in response to the request.

(4) Knowingly gives false information when registering pursuant to G.S. 66-255.

(d) Defense. - Whenever satisfactory evidence is presented in any court of the fact that permission to use property was not displayed as required by G.S. 66-251 or that a certificate of registration was not displayed or produced as required by G.S. 66-252, the person charged may not be found guilty of that violation if the person produces in court a valid permission or a valid certificate of registration, respectively, that had been issued prior to the time the person was charged.