(a) A foreign motor carrier or foreign private motor carrier required to have a certificate of registration issued by the United States Secretary of the Department of Transportation pursuant to Part 368 (commencing with Section 368.1), or required to be registered pursuant to Part 365 (commencing with Section 365.101), of Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations shall not do any of the following:

(1) Operate in this state without the required certificate in the vehicle.

Terms Used In California Vehicle Code 34518

  • commercial vehicle: is a motor vehicle of a type required to be registered under this code used or maintained for the transportation of persons for hire, compensation, or profit or designed, used, or maintained primarily for the transportation of property. See California Vehicle Code 260
  • Department: means the Department of Motor Vehicles except, when used in Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 2100) of Division 2 and in Divisions 11 (commencing with Section 21000), 12 (commencing with Section 24000), 13 (commencing with Section 29000), 14 (commencing with Section 31600), 14. See California Vehicle Code 290
  • Highway: is a way or place of whatever nature, publicly maintained and open to the use of the public for purposes of vehicular travel. See California Vehicle Code 360
  • owner: is a person having all the incidents of ownership, including the legal title of a vehicle whether or not such person lends, rents, or creates a security interest in the vehicle. See California Vehicle Code 460
  • vehicle: is a device by which any person or property may be propelled, moved, or drawn upon a highway, excepting a device moved exclusively by human power or used exclusively upon stationary rails or tracks. See California Vehicle Code 670

(2) Operate beyond the limitations or restrictions specified in the certificate as issued.

(3) Refuse to show the certificate upon request of a peace officer.

(4) Provide point-to-point transportation services, including express delivery services, within the United States for goods other than international cargo.

(b) A motor carrier required to be registered with the United States Secretary of the Department of Transportation pursuant to Section 13902 of Title 49 of the United States Code, Part 365 (commencing with Section 365.101), Part 390 (commencing with Section 390.1), or Section 392.9a of Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations shall not do any of the following:

(1) Operate in this state without the required registration.

(2) Operate beyond the limitations or restrictions specified in its registration.

(3) Operate in this state without the required operating authority.

(c) A violation of subdivision (a) or (b) is an infraction punishable by a fine of one thousand dollars ($1,000).

(d) A member of the Department of the California Highway Patrol may impound a vehicle operated in violation of subdivision (a) or (b) and its cargo, until the citation and all charges related to the impoundment are cleared. The impoundment charges are the responsibility of the vehicle’s owner.

(e) (1) A motor carrier granted permanent operating authority pursuant to subdivision (a) shall not operate a vehicle on a highway, unless the vehicle is inspected by a Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance-certified inspector every three months and displays a current safety inspection decal attesting to the successful completion of those inspections for at least three years after receiving permanent operating authority.

(2) Paragraph (1) does not apply to a motor carrier granted authority to operate solely in a commercial zone on the United States-Mexico International Border.

(f) As used in this section “limitations” or “restrictions” include definitions of “commercial zones,” “municipality,” “contiguous municipalities,” “unincorporated area,” and “terminal areas,” in Part 372 (commencing with Section 372.101) of Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

(Amended by Stats. 2010, Ch. 491, Sec. 48. (SB 1318) Effective January 1, 2011.)

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