(a) Any person, firm or corporation before engaging in the business of leasing or renting motor vehicles without drivers in this state and any person, firm or corporation which is the lessor of or rents any vehicle required to be registered under the provisions of section 14-15a shall make a sworn application to the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles for a license to engage in such leasing or renting. Each such application and each application for renewal shall be accompanied by a fee of three hundred dollars. Each such license shall be renewed biennially according to renewal schedules established by the commissioner so as to effect staggered renewal of all such licenses. If the adoption of a staggered system results in the expiration of any license more or less than one year from its issuance, the commissioner may charge a prorated amount for such license fee. Not less than forty-five days prior to the date of expiration of each such license, the commissioner shall mail to each licensee an application for renewal. An application for renewal filed with the commissioner after the date of expiration shall be accompanied by a late fee of one hundred dollars provided the commissioner shall not renew any license under this subsection that has expired for more than forty-five days. No such license shall be transferred. Such licensee shall furnish proof of financial responsibility satisfactory to the commissioner, as provided by section 14-112 or 14-129, provided such licensee may furnish such proof separately with respect to each vehicle or each group of vehicles leased to any single lessee. Each application for such license shall contain the name and address of the owner and shall be accompanied by a surety bond as required pursuant to section 14-52. Each application for registration of a motor vehicle to be leased for a period of more than thirty days shall contain the name and address of the owner and the lessee of such vehicle. The owner of such vehicle shall disclose the name and address of any subsequent lessee of such vehicle to the commissioner in such manner as the commissioner may require. The commissioner shall ensure that such information relative to the lessee is available to the Connecticut on-line law enforcement communications teleprocessing system. Each person, firm or corporation licensed under the provisions of this subsection shall keep such books, records and accounts as the commissioner may require provided each licensee shall retain a copy of each rental or lease contract for a period of three years, which shall be subject to inspection by the commissioner or the commissioner’s designee at all reasonable times. The provisions of this subsection shall not apply to any person, firm or corporation which, incidental to the conduct of its principal business, leases or rents any motor vehicle without a driver to other persons, firms or corporations whose principal business is the same as that of the lessor. Violation of any provision of this subsection shall be an infraction.

      (b) Each person, firm or corporation licensed under the provisions of subsection (a) of this section that in the opinion of the commissioner is qualified and holds a current registration certificate for a motor vehicle used in connection with its business may issue a sixty-day temporary transfer of such registration to any other vehicle used in connection with its business with an official stamp issued by the commissioner to such licensee. The licensee, within five days from the issuance of such temporary registration, shall submit to the commissioner an application together with all necessary documents for a permanent registration for the vehicle transferred. The commissioner shall adopt regulations in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54 to implement the provisions of this subsection.

      (c) Notwithstanding the provisions of section 14-22, the commissioner may authorize any person, firm or corporation licensed under the provisions of subsection (a) of this section who in the opinion of the commissioner is qualified and who holds a current registration certificate for a motor vehicle used in connection with its business to renew such registration by means of an electronic data processing system connected to the system of registration records maintained by the commissioner. The commissioner shall adopt regulations in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54 to implement the provisions of this subsection.