§17A-6C-10. 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.

(a) The commissioner may investigate whether any provisions of this article have been violated by a licensee. Any investigation conducted by the commissioner shall be confidential and the confidentiality of the investigation shall be maintained by the commissioner, the division, the licensee, any complainant and all other persons until the commissioner suspends or revokes the license certificate of the licensee involved.

(b) 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 requiring notices of transfers; or

(2) Has failed or refused to comply with the provisions of this article and the rules promulgated hereunder.

(c) 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 automobile auction 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 misrepresentation or misleading or deceptive statement of fact, relating to the conduct of the licensed business;

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

(9) Has committed an act for which a certificate could have been refused.

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

(e) If the commissioner refuses to issue a license certificate, or suspends or revokes a license certificate, or suspends the right of a licensee to issue temporary plates or markers under the provisions of section eleven, article six of this chapter, he or she shall make and enter an order to that effect and shall cause a copy of this order to be served in person or by certified mail, return receipt requested, on the applicant or licensee.

(f) Suspensions continue until the cause of suspension is eliminated or corrected. If 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 in the licensee's possession and issued in conjunction with the issuance of an automobile auction certificate. If a licensee fails or refuses to comply with any order of the commissioner, the commissioner shall proceed as provided in section seven, article nine of this chapter.

(g) Any applicant whose request for a license certificate is refused, and any licensee whose license certificate is suspended or revoked, may appeal the suspension or revocation in accordance with the rules promulgated by the commissioner pursuant to this article.

(h) Revocation of a license certificate shall not preclude application for a new license certificate, which shall be processed in the same manner. The license certificate shall be issued or denied 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 the license certificate.