(a) A motor vehicle registration issued pursuant to this chapter shall expire in accordance with schedules established by the commissioner. If the expiration date of the registration of the motor vehicle, except the registration of a motor vehicle used to transport passengers for hire, falls on any day when offices of the commissioner are closed for business, the registration shall be deemed valid for the operation of the motor vehicle until midnight of the next day on which offices of the commissioner are open for business. The commissioner shall prescribe the date and manner of renewing registrations. Not less than forty-five days prior to the expiration of any valid registration, the commissioner shall cause to be mailed to the registrant an application for renewal. Except for the processing of such application at an official emissions inspection station as provided in subsection (b) of this section or by telephone as provided in subsection (c) of this section, the commissioner may require that the application be returned by mail in order to be processed and approved, with only such exceptions, on a hardship basis, as shall be established by the commissioner in regulations, adopted pursuant to chapter 54.

      (b) The commissioner may provide for the renewal of passenger registrations at official emissions inspection stations established pursuant to chapter 246a in accordance with schedules established by him which shall provide that expirations of registrations and emissions stickers occur on the same date. The commissioner may employ the services of the independent contractor which operates the system of official emissions inspection stations to process such applications for renewal in accordance with standards and procedures established by the commissioner.

      (c) The commissioner may provide for the renewal of the registration of any motor vehicle by means of a telephone request and order by the registrant. The commissioner may charge a service fee of five dollars, in addition to the fee prescribed for the renewal of the registration, for each application for renewal processed by telephone. Such service fee shall be used to cover the costs incurred in processing such applications. Any funds in excess of those necessary for the processing of such applications shall be deposited in the General Fund. Each registrant who elects to renew by telephone shall sign the certificate of registration, attesting to the information contained therein under penalty of false statement, as provided in section 53a-157b, when the certificate is issued by the commissioner. Any such certificate which is not signed shall be void. The commissioner may employ the services of an independent contractor or contractors to process such applications for renewal and provide any equipment or system necessary for such purpose.

      (d) If the adoption of a staggered system results in the expiration of any registration more than two years from its issuance, a prorated amount of the registration fee paid shall be charged in addition to the biennial fee.