(a) The department shall, before renewing the registration of any vehicle, check the driver’s license record of all registered owners for conviction of traffic violations and traffic accidents.
(b) The department shall, before renewing the registration of any vehicle, check the driver’s license record of all registered owners for notices filed with the department pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 40509 and notices that the licensee has failed to pay a lawfully imposed fine, penalty, assessment, or bail within the time authorized by the court for any violation which is required to be reported pursuant to Section 1803 and shall refuse to renew the registration of the vehicle if the driver’s license record of any registered owner has any such outstanding notices to appear or failures to pay a court ordered fine, unless the department has received a certificate issued by the magistrate or clerk of the court hearing the case in which the promise was given showing that the case has been adjudicated or unless the registered owner’s record is cleared as provided in Chapter 6 (commencing with Section 41500) of Division 17. In lieu of the certificate of adjudication, a notice from the court stating that the original records have been lost or destroyed shall permit the department to renew the registration.
(c) Any notice received by the department pursuant to Section 40509 which has been on file five years may be removed from the department records and destroyed, in the discretion of the department.
(d)In lieu of the certificate of adjudication or a notice from the court, the department shall with the consent of all registered owners collect the amounts which it has been notified are due pursuant to Sections 40509 and 40509.5, and authorized to be collected pursuant to Article 2 (commencing with Section 14910) of Chapter 5 of Division 6.
(Amended by Stats. 1992, Ch. 635, Sec. 5. Effective September 14, 1992.)