At its November meeting, the Virginia Motor Vehicle Dealer Board in conjunction with the Virginia DMV determined that it will take action against dealers who are regularly missing the 30-day deadline to process title work for temporary tags.
Based upon the fact that a number of dealers are still missing the deadline, the DMV and MVDB will start by sending investigators to dealers who appear to be in violation to look at their processes. During the visit, the investigators will explain what the law requires and the sanctioning process. The next step will be a warning letter if two months following the investigation 25% or more of the titles processed exceed 30 days or any title work exceeds 60 days. Following that letter, if two months later a dealer is still not in compliance, there will be an administrative hearing to suspend the dealerês privilege of issuance of temporary tags and/or canceling the dealerês online processing privileges.
The following sanctions will apply: first offense 30 day suspension; second offense 60 days; third offense 90 days. If following all of these actions a dealer still does not comply, the DMV reserves the right to take criminal action which can result in the loss of the dealerês license.
In other notable developments:
à MVDB staff has developed a new dealer operator test and a new study guide. There are 133 questions. To a pass the test, a dealer operator applicant will have to answer correctly 80% of 80 questions chosen at random by computer.
à MVDB considered the case involving a sales person who had embezzled a $1,500 deposit and a $1,000 deposit from customers. He had been convicted in court of a felony and had been placed on two years probation. MVDB agreed to impose a civil penalty of $2,000 and to suspend his license for six months.
à The advertising committee agreed to review advertisements for police seizure vehicles. Apparently, there are companies that are operating promotional sales for dealers in which these vehicles are being offered and it is claimed in the advertisement that hundreds or thousands are available.
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