§ 56-10-530 — Involvement in accident resulting in death, injury, or property damage when uninsured motor vehicle fee unpaid; suspension of driver's license, license plates and registration certificates; contested case hearing.

When it appears to the Department of Motor Vehicles from its records that an uninsured motor vehicle as defined in Section 56-9-20, subject to registration in the State, is involved in a reportable accident in the State resulting in death, injury, or property damage, the department shall, in addition to enforcing the applicable provisions of Section 56-10-10, et seq. suspend such owner's driver's license and all of his license plates and registration certificates until such person has complied with those provisions of law and has paid to the department a reinstatement fee as provided by Section 56-10-520. However, no order of suspension required by this section must become effective until the department has offered the person an opportunity for a contested case hearing before the Office of Motor Vehicle Hearings to show cause why the order should not be enforced. Notice of the opportunity for a contested case hearing must be included in the order of suspension. The presentation by a person subject to the provisions of this section of a certificate of insurance, executed by an agent or representative of an insurance company qualified to do business in this State, showing that on the date and at the time of the accident the vehicle was an insured motor vehicle as herein defined is sufficient bar to the suspension provided for in this section.

Legislative History

HISTORY: 1997 Act No. 154, SECTION 2; 2008 Act No. 279, SECTION 11, eff October 1, 2008; 2023 Act No. 51 (S.549), SECTION 5, eff July 1, 2024. Editor's Note 2023 Act No. 51, SECTION 40(B), provides as follows: "[SECTION 40.](B) SECTION 5 takes effect on the first day of the fiscal year following twelve months after approval by the Governor." Effect of Amendment 2023 Act No. 51, SECTION 5, rewrote the section.