(a) If it appears to the secretary of state that a motor vehicle was purchased by an applicant in a state other than this state, unless the applicant produces a certificate of title issued to the applicant under the laws of that state, or a certificate of registration or registered bill of sale issued under the laws of another state showing the applicant for a Michigan certificate of title to have resided in the state that issued the certificate of title, certificate of registration, or registered bill of sale, the secretary of state shall conduct an investigation of the purchase and sale and of the title to the motor vehicle. If the secretary of state is satisfied that the applicant is the owner of the motor vehicle, or is otherwise entitled to register the motor vehicle in the applicant’s name, the secretary of state shall issue to the applicant an appropriate certificate of title under section 217. Before the secretary of state issues the certificate of title, the applicant shall attach to the application a statement showing the amount of use tax due upon the motor vehicle described in the application on a form prescribed by the state treasurer, together with the amount of the use tax due upon the motor vehicle, under the use tax act, 1937 PA 94, MCL 205.91 to 205.111. However, if the motor vehicle is exempt by law from the payment of use tax, no use tax shall be paid.

    (b) The secretary of state shall transmit the statement and the funds collected under subdivision (a) covering the payment of the use tax to the state treasurer. The secretary of state shall not issue a certificate of title for a motor vehicle until the requirements of this section are satisfied. An owner of a motor vehicle purchased outside of this state who paid the use tax to the secretary of state under this section is not required to comply with sections 6, 7, and 8 of the use tax act, 1937 PA 94, MCL 205.96, 205.97, and 205.98.

    (c) An owner of a motor vehicle purchased from a Michigan dealer in this state without application of sales tax due to an exemption under section 4a of the general sales tax act, 1933 PA 167, MCL 205.54a, who later by reason of storage or use is required to register the vehicle in this state shall pay a use tax at the time of registration, computed on the retail dollar value of a like vehicle, except when the motor vehicle is exempt from the use tax. The secretary of state shall use as his or her guide the retail dollar value from the current issue of any nationally recognized used vehicle guide for financial institution appraisal purposes in this state.