\n(a) Civil Penalties. – The Division must assess a civil penalty against a person who owns or leases a vehicle that is subject to an inspection and who engages in any of the emissions violations set out in this subsection. As provided in G.S. 20-54, the registration of a vehicle may not be renewed until a penalty imposed under this subsection has been paid. The civil penalties and violations are as follows:\n(1) Fifty dollars ($50.00) for failure to have the vehicle inspected within four months after it is required to be inspected under this Part.\n(2) Two hundred fifty dollars ($250.00) for instructing or allowing a person to tamper with an emission control device of the vehicle so as to make the device inoperative or fail to work properly.\n(3) Two hundred fifty dollars ($250.00) for incorrectly stating the vehicle's county of registration to avoid having an emissions inspection of the vehicle.\n(b) Waiver. – The Division must waive the civil penalty assessed under subdivision (a)(1) of this section against a person who establishes the following:\n(1) The person was continuously out of the State on ver. – The Division must waive the civil penalty assessed under subdivision (a)(1) of this section against a person who establishes the following:\n(1) The person was continuously out of the State on active military duty from the date the electronic authorization expired to the date the four-month grace period expired.\n(2) No person operated the vehicle from the date the electronic authorization expired to the date the four-month grace period expired.\n(3) The person obtained a current electronic authorization within 30 days after returning to the State. (1993 (Reg. Sess., 1994), c. 754, ss. 1, 8; 1998-212, s. 27.6(b); 2007-364, ss. 3, 4; 2007-503, s. 15; 2009-319, s. 4.)
North Carolina Legal Code