NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY

1981 SESSION

CHAPTER 938

SENATE BILL 650

AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR SERVICE OF NOTICE OF REVOCATION OF OPERATORS' LICENSES AND VEHICLE REGISTRATIONS BY MAIL AND TO DELETE THE REQUIREMENT THAT PICKUP ORDERS BE SERVED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

Section 1. The second sentence of G.S. 20-29 is amended by deleting the words and punctuation ", and such patrolmen and peace officers, while" and substituting: "or may be served in accordance with G.S. 20-48. Patrolmen and peace officers, while".

Sec. 2. G.S. 20-45 is amended by designating the existing paragraph as subsection (a) and adding a new subsection to read:

"(b) Nothing contained herein or elsewhere shall be construed to require the Division to take possession of any certificate of title, registration card permit, license, or registration plate which has expired, been revoked, canceled or suspended or which is fictitious or which has been unlawfully or erroneously issued, or which has been unlawfully used. The Division may give notice to the owner, licensee or lessee of its authority to take possession of any ownership document, operator's license, or plate and require that person to surrender it to the Commissioner or his officers or agents. Any person who fails to surrender the ownership document, operator's license, or plate, or any duplicate thereof upon personal service of notice or within 10 days after receipt of notice by mail, as provided in G.S. 20-48, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor."

Sec. 3. G.S. 20-111(4) is amended at the end by adding a new sentence to read:

"Service of the demand shall be in accordance with G.S. 20-48."

Sec. 4. G.S. 20-312 is amended by adding a new sentence at the end to read:

"Notice of revocation of the certificate of registration or registration plates shall be issued in accordance with G.S. 20-48."

Sec. 5. G.S. 20-20, as the same is found in the 1980 Interim Supplement to the General Statutes, is repealed.

Sec. 6. This act shall become effective January 1, 1982, and shall apply to any revocation, cancellation, suspension or other demand by the Commissioner to be issued on or after the effective date.

In the General Assembly read three times and ratified, this the 10th day of July, 1981.