(a) Whenever, by reason of a conviction, the commissioner of safety suspends or revokes a nonresident‘s operating privileges in this state, or requests that the commissioner of revenue suspend or revoke that person‘s registration privileges, the privileges shall remain suspended or revoked as permitted under the motor vehicle laws of this state until that person immediately gives, and maintains for three (3) years, proof of financial responsibility as required by § 55-12-126 and pays to the commissioner of safety a sixty-five-dollar restoration fee. Upon restoration of that person’s license, the commissioner of safety shall request that the commissioner of revenue reinstate that person’s motor vehicle owner‘s registration and, upon payment to the commissioner of revenue of the appropriate motor vehicle registration fees provided by § 55-4-111, § 55-4-112 or § 55-4-113, the registration shall be reinstated immediately.
(b) At any time after five (5) years from the date of revocation, the department of safety may, in its own discretion, or upon request of the person required to furnish proof of financial responsibility, release the requirement of that proof, if the records of the department of safety establish that the person, during the preceding five-year period, has not been convicted of any offense authorizing or requiring the suspension or revocation of a license or registration by the department of safety or by the department of revenue and has not suffered suspension, revocation, prohibition, or cancellation of license or registration arising from a conviction or a violation of law as ordered by the department or a court. If the department of safety, pursuant to this subsection (b), releases the requirement that a person furnish proof of financial responsibility, and if that person’s motor vehicle registration has been suspended or revoked due to failure to furnish that proof, then the commissioner of safety shall request that the commissioner of revenue reinstate the motor vehicle owner’s registration and, upon payment to the commissioner of revenue of the appropriate motor vehicle registration fees provided by § 55-4-111, § 55-4-112 or § 55-4-113, the registration shall be reinstated immediately. Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, this subsection (b) shall not apply if there is an unsatisfied judgment based on a motor vehicle accident.