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

1. Any person who does not declare a motor vehicle to be operated for hire when required by § 46.2-2121.1 or otherwise obtain a proper registration card or other evidence of registration as required by Chapter 6 (§ 46.2-600 et seq.) is 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 title requires or any motor vehicle that does not display (i) an identification marker issued for such vehicle by the Department in such manner as is prescribed by the Department or (ii) other identifying information that this title requires it to display is 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 is 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from the Department under this title or Title 58.1 after such registration cards or identification markers have been revoked, canceled or suspended is guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor.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; 2017, cc. 790, 815.