§17A-6B-9. Investigation; grounds for suspending or revoking license certificate; notice of refusal, suspension or revocation of license certificate; relinquishing license certificate and temporary plates or markers.

The commissioner may conduct an investigation to determine whether any provisions of this chapter have been violated by a licensee. Any investigation shall be kept in strictest confidence by the commissioner, the division, the licensee, any complainant and all other persons, unless and until the commissioner suspends or revokes the license certificate of the licensee involved.

 (a) The commissioner may suspend or revoke a license certificate if the commissioner finds that the licensee:

(1) Has failed or refused to comply with the laws of this state relating to the registration and titling of vehicles and the giving of notices of transfers;

(2) Has failed or refused to comply with the provisions and requirements of this article, and the promulgated rules and regulations authorized in section nine, article two of this chapter which were implemented by the commissioner, in accordance with the provisions of article three, chapter twenty-nine-a of this code, to enforce the provisions of this article; or

(b) The commissioner shall suspend or revoke a license certificate if the commissioner finds that the licensee:

(1) Has knowingly made a false statement of a material fact in his or her application for the license certificate then issued and outstanding;

(2) Has habitually defaulted on financial obligations;

(3) Has been guilty of any fraudulent act in connection with the license service business;

(4) Has defrauded or is attempting to defraud the state or any political subdivision of the state of any taxes or fees in connection with the sale or transfer of any vehicle;

(5) Has committed fraud in the registration of a vehicle;

(6) Has knowingly purchased, sold or otherwise dealt in a stolen vehicle or vehicles;

(7) Has advertised by any means, with intent to defraud, any material representation or statement of fact which is untrue, misleading or deceptive in any particular, relating to the conduct of the licensed business;

(8) Has a license certificate to which he is not lawfully entitled; or

(9) The existence of any other ground upon which the license certificate could have been refused, or any ground which would be cause for refusing a license certificate to such licensee were he then applying for the same.

(c) Whenever a licensee fails or refuses to keep the bond required by section two of this article in full force and effect, the license certificate of such licensee shall automatically be suspended unless and until the required bond is furnished to the commissioner, in which event the suspension shall be vacated.

(d) Whenever the commissioner shall refuse to issue a license certificate, or shall suspend or revoke a license certificate, or shall suspend the right of a licensee to issue temporary plates or markers under the provisions of section fifteen, article six of this chapter, he or she shall make and enter an order to that effect and shall cause a copy of such order to be served in person or by certified mail, return receipt requested, on the applicant or licensee, as the case may be.

(e) Suspensions hereunder shall continue until the cause therefor has been eliminated or corrected. Whenever a license certificate and the right of a licensee to issue temporary registration plates or markers is suspended or revoked, the commissioner shall, in the order of suspension or revocation, direct the licensee to return to the division his or her license certificate and any temporary registration plates or markers still in the licensee's possession and issued in conjunction with the issuance of such license service certificate. It is the duty of the licensee to comply with the order. Whenever a licensee fails or refuses to comply with any order herein specified, the commissioner shall proceed as provided in section seven, article nine of this chapter.

(f) Any applicant whose request for a license certificate is refused, and any licensee whose license certificate is suspended or revoked, may appeal such order in accordance with the procedures set by the commissioner.

(g) Revocation of a license certificate shall not preclude application for a new license certificate, which application shall be processed in the same manner. The license certificate shall be issued or refused on the same grounds as any other application for a license certificate, except that any previous suspension and revocation may be considered in deciding whether to issue or refuse such license certificate.