(a) Before issuing a registration license to the owner of any motor vehicle, the Director of Motor Vehicles shall see that it is in satisfactory condition to insure safety on the public highways, and that its equipment is in full compliance with the requirements of this title. At any time that it is deemed necessary, the Director may examine and inspect any motor vehicle to insure safety on the public highways, and may order the owner or operator to make necessary repairs. The Bureau of Motor Vehicles in conjunction with the Department of Planning and Natural Resources shall develop and implement a vehicle emissions inspection program.
(b) The Director of Motor Vehicles shall prohibit the operation of all motor vehicles considered unsafe, and shall order the owners to remove motor vehicles in unserviceable condition which have been left on the public highways for over 10 days in this condition.
(c) Whenever requested by the Director of Motor Vehicles, the Department of Public Works shall inspect or remove motor vehicles.
(d) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) the Director of Motor Vehicles shall issue a registration license to any member of the Armed Forces of the United States who was born in the Virgin Islands or inducted from the Virgin Islands if request is made for such registration license accompanied by a statement or certificate from his base or post commander showing that the vehicle for which a registration license is sought is in a satisfactory condition to insure safety on the public highways of the state, territory or commonwealth in which the base or post of the Armed Forces is located. The Director of Motor Vehicles shall issue a registration license without examination and inspection for a motor vehicle not more than three years old.
(e) In addition to the authority to inspect motor vehicles established in subsection (a) of this section, the Director of Motor Vehicles may certify designated auto repair business on each island and authorize such auto repair businesses to serve as inspection stations for the purpose of inspecting motor vehicles prior to the vehicles' registration. The certified auto repair businesses shall issue Certificates of Inspection to the owners of vehicles that meet the safety and equipment requirements of this title. In order to protect against fraud, the Director is authorized to require bonds of each auto repair business designated to issue Certificates of Inspection.
(1) An owner of a vehicle inspected at a certified auto repair business, may hand deliver or mail the Certificate of Inspection to the Director of Motor Vehicles.
(2) Upon review of the application for registration license renewals, Certificate of Inspection, vehicle registration license, and the payment of fees pursuant to section 433 of this chapter, the Director of Motor Vehicles may, provided that all liens on the vehicles being registered are paid, issue a renewal registration license to an owner of a motor vehicle who registers by mail.
(3) The Director of Motor Vehicles is authorized to promulgate rules and regulations to implement the provisions of this section.
(f) The Director of Motor Vehicles is authorized to accept certified personal and business checks as a means of payment for all transactions relating to the registration and licensing of all motor vehicles and operators of motor vehicles in the Virgin Islands. An administrative penalty of $50.00 per incident of a returned check for insufficient funds shall be assessed.