Permits for special transit service vehicles

(a) The department of budget and fiscal services shall establish a permit program to identify special transit service vehicles, other than those operated by a special transit service under Chapter 15B, Article 4 , which may benefit from the stopping, standing, or parking privileges under this chapter. Under the program, the department shall issue a permit for a vehicle eligible under subsection (d) upon: (1) Application by the registered owner of the vehicle or, if the registered owner is a partnership or corporation, by a partner or officer or employee authorized by the partnership or corporation; and (2) If imposed by the department, payment of a fee. A permit, which is granted upon approval of the application and, if required, payment of a fee, shall expire on December 31 of the year in which issued. (b) A permit may be renewed upon: (1) Application before December 1 of the year in which the permit is to expire; provided that the department may renew a permit after December 1, but before December 31. The application shall be made by any person allowed to make the application for an original permit; and (2) If imposed by the department, payment of a fee. If renewed, the permit is renewed on the January 1 immediately following the date of the application for renewal and shall expire on December 31 immediately following that January 1. There shall be no limit on the number of times a permit may be renewed; provided that the department shall have the right to deny renewal if the renewal would be contrary to this section. If a permit is not renewed before expiration, the permit expires on that expiration date. Nothing in this section shall prevent a person from applying for another permit for a vehicle in accordance with subsection (a) after the expiration of a permit for that vehicle. (c) A decal shall be issued with each permit, and if the department chooses to do so, a decal shall be issued with each renewal of a permit. To be identified as a special transit service vehicle under § 15-2.11 , a vehicle shall have a valid decal on its front right bumper or, if determined more appropriate by the department, elsewhere on its exterior. The decal shall be placed on the vehicle for which the permit is issued, and no other. The department may: (1) Change the form, substance, or color of the decal from year to year to make easier the identification of the decal that is valid in a given year; and (2) Require a permit holder to return a decal, the validity of which has expired, to the department. (d) To be eligible for a permit under this section, a vehicle shall be: (1) Under the registered ownership of a: (A) Proprietorship, partnership, or for-profit corporation, the primary business activity of which is the transportation of mobility-handicapped passengers upon demand or arrangement; or (B) Nonprofit corporation that provides the service of transporting mobility-handicapped passengers upon demand or arrangement. The department may require the proprietorship, partnership, or for-profit corporation to submit satisfactory evidence of compliance with this paragraph; and (2) If the registered owner is a: (A) Proprietorship, partnership, or for-profit corporation, clearly marked with a business identification sign lawful under Chapter 41, Article 29 ; or (B) Nonprofit corporation, clearly marked by a sign, graphics, or lettering relating to the corporation’s name or service performed. (e) When a decal is mutilated, defaced, or lost, the department may issue a replacement decal, upon request of the permit holder. (f) If deemed desirable or necessary, the department may establish and impose a fee for the: (1) Issuance of an original permit; (2) Renewal of a permit; (3) Issuance of a decal, when issued with an original or renewed permit; or (4) Replacement of a mutilated, defaced, or lost decal. If any fee is established, the amount shall be established by rule. (g) The department may revoke a permit: (1) When a permit or accompanying decal has been used in violation of this chapter; or (2) When a vehicle for which a permit is issued has violated the stopping, standing, or parking privileges provided under this chapter for special transit service vehicles. (h) The following persons shall be subject to a fine of not less than $50 nor more than $250: (1) Any person who falsifies an application for an original permit or renewal of a permit; (2) Any person who places a decal on a vehicle, other than the vehicle for which the permit and decal are issued; (3) Any person who retains on a vehicle a decal after the permit with which the decal was issued expires or is revoked; (4) Any person who uses a facsimile of a decal; and (5) Any person who uses a permit or decal issued under this section in a manner contrary to this section. The penalties provided under this subsection shall be in addition to any penalty provided elsewhere in this chapter. (i) Nothing in this section shall be construed as: (1) Requiring a special transit service vehicle operating under authority of Chapter 15B, Article 4 to acquire permits or decals under this section for its vehicles; (2) Requiring a vehicle of a special transit service operating under authority of Chapter 15B, Article 4 to have a decal to benefit from the stopping, standing, or parking privileges provided under this chapter for special transit service vehicles; or (3) Prohibiting a vehicle with a decal issued under §§ 15-29.2 and 15-24.11 when transporting a disabled person with a disabled parking identification card and a disabled parking placard issued under § 15-24.10 . When utilizing the parking or standing privileges under §§ 15-29.2 and 15-24.11 , the vehicle shall be subject to those sections.