(a) Definition. In this section, "officer" means a police officer or a person other than a police officer who is authorized to enforce the provisions of this title as specified in § 12-3-303.
(b) Issuance. Whenever an officer issues a citation for a violation of this title, the officer shall issue the citation to the driver of the vehicle, or in the case of an unattended vehicle, shall attach the citation to the vehicle in a conspicuous place. A copy of the citation shall be retained by the officer and shall bear certification under penalty of perjury by the officer attesting to the truth of the matters set forth in the citation.
(c) Owner of vehicle presumed to be recipient. If a citation is issued for a violation of this title to an unattended vehicle, the registered owner of the vehicle is presumed to be the person receiving the citation.
(d) Election to pay or stand trial; presence of officer at trial. The recipient of a citation issued under this title shall:
(1) pay the citation in the manner prescribed in the citation within 30 days of the date the citation was issued; or
(2) elect to stand trial in the manner prescribed in the citation at least five days before the payment due date. At the same time as electing to stand trial, the person shall also give notification if the person desires the officer who issued the citation to be present at the hearing. If the person does not give notification that the presence of the officer is desired, it is not necessary for the officer to appear and the citation shall be prima facie evidence of the matters specified in the citation.
(e) Sanction for failure to pay or state desire to stand trial. If within 30 days after the date the citation was issued, the person cited has neither remitted full payment nor elected to stand trial, the person shall be sent a delinquent notice and shall be subject to a delinquent penalty of $5. Failure to pay within 30 days after a delinquent notice is sent shall result in an additional delinquent penalty of $10.
(f) Sanction for failure to obey citation. Failure to obey a citation shall result in the vehicle registration renewal being withheld until the required payment is made.
(g) Notice. Notice of the provisions of this section shall be clearly printed in a conspicuous place on citations issued for parking violations.
(1985 Code, Art. 18, § 4-301) (Bill No. 19-92; Bill No. 11-12)
State Code reference – Transportation Article, §§ 26-302 et seq.