A. The following violations of laws shall be punished as follows:

1. Any person who does not obtain a proper registration card, identification marker, or other evidence of registration as required by this chapter shall be guilty of a Class 4 misdemeanor.

2. Any person who operates or causes to be operated on any highway in the Commonwealth any motor vehicle that does not carry the proper registration and identification that this article requires or any motor vehicle that does not display (i) an identification marker in such manner as is prescribed by the Department or (ii) other identifying information that this article requires it to display shall be guilty of a Class 4 misdemeanor.

3. Any person who knowingly displays or uses on any vehicle operated by him any identification marker or other identification that has not been issued to the owner or operator thereof for such vehicle and any person who knowingly assists him to do so shall be guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor.

4. Any person who operates or causes to be operated on any highway in the Commonwealth any motor vehicle requiring registration from the Department under this title after such registration cards or identification markers have been revoked, canceled or suspended shall be guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor.

B. The officer charging the violation under this section shall serve a citation on the operator of the vehicle in violation. Such citation shall be directed to the owner, operator or other person responsible for the violation as determined by the officer. Service of the citation on the vehicle operator shall constitute service of process upon the owner, operator, or other person charged with the violation under this article, and shall have the same legal force as if served within the Commonwealth personally upon the owner, operator, or other person charged with the violation, whether such owner, operator, or other person charged is a resident or nonresident.

2001, c. 596.