12.4 License Registration and Proof of Insurance

12.4 License, Registration and Proof of Insurance

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Metropolitan Police Academy

12.4 License, Registration, and

Proof of Insurance

Approved 5/9/2023

12.4 License, Registration and Proof of Insurance

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12.4.1 Outline the permit requirements for operating a motor vehicle in

the District of Columbia

One part of functioning as a police officer is having an understanding of the definitions that relate to

vehicular offenses as they contain the information on who is legally allowed to have a government-issued

license or permit to operate a motor vehicle within the District of Columbia. Another part of functioning

as a police officer is having the foundational knowledge to understand the elements of certain crimes that

relate to infractions committed by drivers.

In order to operate a motor vehicle within the District of Columbia, a person must have a driver’s license,

learner’s permit, provisional permit, or motorcycle endorsement that is in good standing and has not been

suspended or revoked.

Driver’s License

A driver’s license that has been suspended has been temporarily withdrawn or taken away from the

individual due to traffic violations or unpaid traffic fines, or after the person accumulated more than eight

(8) points on his or her driver’s license. An individual obtains points on his or her driver’s license (or

learner’s permit) when issued one or more NOIs for traffic violations. The point value is pre-assigned for

each violation.

Suspension is different from revocation. An individual that has been penalized by revocation has had his

or her driving privileges terminated because he or she accumulated more than twelve (12) points,

committed reckless and flagrant traffic violations, was involved in the commission of a felony utilizing a

motor vehicle, or caused danger to the public through the use of a vehicle. The person must serve a period

of revocation and may then reapply to get a driver’s license. Revocation is thus different from suspension

because once the term of the suspension has been served, the individual still retains his or her driver’s

license and does not have to reapply for one.

Learner’s Permit

A DC DMV learner’s permit is a license issued to a person who is at least sixteen (16) years old that allows

him or her to operate a specific type of motor vehicle on public roadways for a period not to exceed one

(1) year, though it can be renewed for an additional year. In addition, the person cannot drive a vehicle if

he or she is not accompanied by someone who is twenty-one (21) years of age or older who is also a

licensed driver.

An individual with a learner’s permit who is under the age of eighteen (18) cannot by law:

 Operate a motor vehicle that is not a passenger vehicle, motorcycle, or motorized bicycle.

 Drive any vehicle for compensation.

 Operate a vehicle between the hours of 2100-0600.

Provisional Permits

The DC DMV provisional permit is a license issued to a person who is at least seventeen (17) years old

that allows him or her to operate a specific type of motor vehicle on public roadways for a period not to

exceed one (1) year, though it can be renewed for an additional year. Unlike a learner’s permit, the DC

DMV provisional permit grants a bit more freedom with regard to the hours during which a person may

operate a motor vehicle. As opposed to the learner’s permit which prohibits the operation of a vehicle

during 2100-0600 hours, a person who has a provisional permit is granted an additional two (2) hours and

is only prohibited in their operation of a motor vehicle between the hours 2300-0600. The person is also

not required to have a licensed driver within the vehicle when he or she is driving.

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Motorcycles

If you happen to conduct a traffic stop on a person who is operating a motorcycle, his or her DC driver’s

license must have an endorsement that certifies that he or she has a motorcycle permit. A motorcycle

endorsement is a permit that can be applied for if person already has a driver’s license and passes the DC

DMV motorcycle knowledge test. Without this endorsement, the person is not operating the motorcycle

legally.

Whenever you conduct a traffic stop, you should request a WALES check on the permit or license number

for the individual who is driving the vehicle. You have to confirm whether the permit or license is valid. If

the permit or license is expired for more than ninety (90) days, then under the law the person is viewed

as not having a valid permit or license and can be placed under arrest for Driving with No Permit. We will

cover the elements of that offense later in this lesson.

During your career as a police officer, you will conduct countless traffic stops and may find yourself coming

in contact with a driver who is a member of the US military. When this happens, it is important that you

understand that the Metropolitan Police Department does not recognize permits issued by the military

that allow its personnel to operate their personal motor vehicles. Active-duty military personnel need

valid driver’s licenses to operate personal vehicles.

Some active-duty service members with whom you come into contact may present you a driver’s license

from an outside jurisdiction that has expired. When this happens, do not issue the individual a Notice of

Infraction (NOI) for not having a valid license or place them under arrest for having no permit. The leniency

offered active-duty military personnel with expired driver’s licenses from jurisdictions outside of the

District of Columbia does not, however, extend to military personnel who live within DC as they should

not encounter the same difficulties with renewal as their military counterparts who are not stationed

within the same jurisdiction that issued the driver’s license. Active-duty military personnel who reside in

the District of Columbia will instead be held to the same requirements as all other DC residents.

12.4.2 Outline the registration requirements for operating a motor vehicle

within the District of Columbia

Just as there are laws in place that regulate who may have a driver’s license or permit, there are also

regulations that dictate what type of vehicles can be driven on the roads within the District of Columbia

and the types of registration necessary to operate those vehicles. Every vehicle operated within the city

must be registered and display a current and valid registration on the vehicle as it is unlawful to operate

a motor vehicle with tags or a registration that is expired.

You have probably at some point seen a vehicle being operated on a public road in which a sheet of paper

or cardboard is placed in the back window showing a license plate number and no other form of vehicle

identification is visible in the legally sanctioned places at the rear and front of the vehicle. The driver of

the vehicle may have an explanation for this, such as perhaps the tag is lost or stolen, but that fact does

not exempt the driver from having to display a government-issued vehicle identification tag.

If you were to initiate a traffic stop or come into contact with the owner of a vehicle on the scene of a

crash who has a hand-written vehicle tag number posted in the window and the driver informs you that

the tags are lost or stolen, you have discretion when deciding how you choose to enforce this regulation.

In other words, it is not a Notice of Infraction that must be mandatorily issued.

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If someone informs you that the reason they have displayed a non-government issued vehicle

identification tag is because their tags were lost or stolen, you should do what you can to verify the

information they have given you. You may ask the driver if he or she has report numbers for the lost or

stolen tags.

Whenever you conduct a traffic stop or investigate a traffic crash, drivers must be able to present you

with the registration for the vehicle they were driving and any trailer they were towing behind their

vehicle.

NOTE: There are additional regulations that govern the registration of vehicles in the District of Columbia

and their operation.

Additional Regulations for Registration and Tags

 A vehicle that is registered within the District of Columbia is required to have two (2) current

identification tags, also known as license plates, displayed on the vehicle: one in front and the

other on the rear of the vehicle unless the motor vehicle is a motorcycle, trailer, or a vehicle that

has a dealer’s tag identification. In those instances, only one (1) identification tag is required and

it has to be placed on the rear of the vehicle.

 It is unlawful for an individual to knowingly drive or tow any vehicle within the District of Columbia

or allow a vehicle to be driven or towed by another person when the vehicle is not registered

unless the unregistered vehicle being towed is suspended in the air in such a manner that the

front or rear wheels do not come into contact with any street or highway within the District of

Columbia and remain so for the duration of the vehicle’s movement.

 Personalized or vanity plates are allowed but only on private passenger vehicles.

 A vehicle identification tag or registration can only be utilized in conjunction with the vehicle for

which it is issued.

If you encounter a vehicle from outside the District of Columbia and you wish to verify the laws for that

jurisdiction with regard to registration and vehicle tags, the MDTn your scout car has internet access. You

can use to locate the government-regulated Department of Motor Vehicles website for the person’s

jurisdiction, where you will be able to locate the motor vehicle laws for that jurisdiction.

12.4.3 Outline the insurance requirements for operating a motor vehicle

within the District of Columbia

In addition to having a valid permit or driver’s license and a lawfully registered vehicle in order to operate

a motor vehicle within the District of Columbia, a driver must also have current insurance for the vehicle

in question. The legal requirement for all vehicles operated within the District of Columbia to be insured

can be found within the DC Code.

Findings and Purpose (§ 31–2401)

In 1982, the Council of the District of Columbia found that:

(1) “Motorists, motor vehicle passengers, and pedestrians in the District are not adequately

protected, by the law and practice of the time, from the consequences of motor vehicle crashes.

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(2) If a person suffers personal injuries because of a crash involving a motor vehicle in the District,

he or she is unlikely to recover the amount of his or her actual losses.

(A) Approximately 50% of the victims do not satisfy the prerequisites to compensation

under the present law;

(B) Approximately 40% of the operators in the District do not maintain any motor

vehicle insurance or have other financial resources sufficient to pay losses;

for the personal injuries of any 1 victim, a sum that is insufficient to compensate

adequately a victim with serious injuries; and

(D) Satisfaction of the prerequisites to compensation under the present law is time-

consuming and expensive to policyholders because a victim must establish that the

accident was the fault of another person; that the person injured was free from

contributory fault; and that the injuries suffered were the natural and probable

consequences of the accident.

(3) Far greater protection to victims of motor vehicle accidents is available at a lower price than

that afforded for coverage currently available.”

Required Insurance (§ 31–2403)

Following these findings, the Council of the District of Columbia codified the maintenance of insurance for

a motor vehicle a law under The Compulsory/No-fault Motor Vehicle Insurance Act of 1982, stating that:

 “Each owner of a motor vehicle which is required to be registered or for which a reciprocity sticker

is required in the District shall maintain insurance,” and

 “This insurance shall be in effect continuously during the motor vehicle's period of registration or

reciprocity.”

The insurance requirement extends to those who are not residents of Washington, DC as well. The law

goes on the further state:

A person who is not a resident of the District who owns a motor vehicle shall not operate

the motor vehicle, or permit the motor vehicle to be operated in the District, unless

insurance … is provided and maintained during the time that the motor vehicle is present

in the District.

Any operator of a motor vehicle within the District of Columbia must provide proof of the vehicle’s

insurance when asked by any law enforcement officer.

A person who does not have insurance for his or her vehicle faces a substantially higher penalty when he

or she is issued an NOI for not being in compliance with the law. The individual, however, does not have

to have a paper copy of proof of insurance on his or her person if he or she is able to verify the existence

of the insurance in some other way, such as pulling up the proof on a smartphone.

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There are two NOIs that must be issued together to a driver who fails to have insurance on a vehicle:

 Failure to Provide Proof of Insurance (T333) - $30 fine

 Failure to Have Insurance (T711) - $500 fine

When you issue the citation, inform the driver that he or she can take the tickets to the Department of

Motor Vehicles Adjudication Services and that the NOI for failing to have insurance (the NOI with the $500

fine) will be dismissed if he or she can prove that, in fact, he or she does have insurance. In that situation,

though, the person will still be responsible for the fine in relation to the NOI for failing to provide proof of

insurance at the time of the stop (a $30 fine).

12.4.4 Classify civil violations of vehicle operation requirements in the

District of Columbia

When you are patrolling and come across a person who is operating an uninsured or unregistered vehicle,

there are ramifications for such actions. We have already discussed the ways an individual must remain

in compliance with the law when operating a vehicle within the District of Columbia. Enforcement of these

infractions of the law, can be handled by arrest in specific circumstances outlined in DC Code that we will

cover shortly or with the issuance of a Notice of Infraction that we are now about to discuss.

When encountering a person who has a vehicle that is not registered, you can issue either of the following

NOIs depending on the how long the vehicle has been unregistered:

 Unregistered Vehicle, 30 Days or Less (T400) - $100 fine

 Unregistered Vehicle, More than 30 Days (T404) - $200 fine

You also have the option to request that a vehicle that is unregistered for more than thirty (30) days be

towed or impounded, but you must first ensure that you take into consideration the totality of the

circumstances. Consider the following:

 What reason has the individual provided for not having the vehicle registered?

 How might impounding the vehicle after having issued an NOI affect this person once you no

longer have interaction with him or her?

 How long has the vehicle been unregistered?

As a police officer, you also enforce and recognize the vehicle registration laws of certain other

jurisdictions as the Metropolitan Police Department engages in reciprocity with some jurisdictions. It is

reciprocity that ensures that a driver who has had his or her driver’s license suspended for DUI in one

jurisdiction is unable to get a license in another jurisdiction. Reciprocity also ensures that a driver can have

his or her license revoked in a differing jurisdiction following the commission of a DUI offense within the

District of Columbia.

Some states only require that an individual secure a license tag, or plate, to the rear of the vehicle without

making it mandatory that one also be placed on the front of the car. When the operator of a vehicle from

an outside jurisdiction is utilizing the vehicle in accordance with the registration law of the home state

(i.e., the jurisdiction where the vehicle is registered does not require both a front and rear tag), you cannot

issue the driver an NOI for failing to have a front tag while operating in the District.

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When the person is supposed to have two (2) vehicle tags secured horizontally to the front or rear of the

vehicle but has only one (1) tag displayed, the vehicle is in violation of the laws of the jurisdiction in which

the vehicle is registered. In that situation, you would issue an NOI for the appropriate infraction:

 No Front Tag (T745) - $50 fine

 No Rear Tag (T746) - $50 fine

An NOI can also be issued when an individual fails to properly display his or her vehicle license or tag. If

the tag is placed on the dashboard or a seat, taped to a window, or displayed in any manner that is not

secured horizontally at a height not less than twelve (12) inches from the ground, the NOI to be issued is:

 Improper Display of Tags (T227) - $50 fine

Safety is always a priority while you patrol, and one of the most important aspects of safety when

conducting a traffic stop is to tell the dispatcher the description of the vehicle you have stopped. Doing

so gives your fellow officers an instantaneous look-out were you to be injured during the course of the

stop.

When the tags on a vehicle are obstructed so that you are unable to identify the state, letters, or numbers,

even if the information is only partially obstructed, it is still a safety concern for you. This is because when

you notify the dispatcher of the stop, you will be unable to inform him or her of the tag information. In

addition, you will be unable to run the information yourself. This means you cannot know if the vehicle is

stolen or could be potentially linked to additional offenses.

If the tags on the vehicle are covered by glass, plastic, or any type of material or substance that prevents

the deciphering of the numbers or letters in any capacity, then you would issue an NOI for:

 Covered Tags (T150) - $500 fine

If portions of the tag numbers, letters, or name of the state are obstructed because of a plate frame or

other decorative item but are readable, then you shall not issue the driver an NOI. However, if the tag is

partially obscured and you are unable to decipher the numbers, state, or letters, then the NOI issued

would be for:

 Obstructed Tag (T747) - $50 fine

Check for Understanding: If you pull over a driver from North Carolina who does not have a front tag on

the vehicle but who informs you that a front tag is not required in North Carolina, can you issue the driver

a citation for No Front Tag? Why or why not? How would you attempt to verify what the driver has told

you?

You could make an effort to look up the North Carolina vehicle tag requirements on the NC DMV official

government website. If it is found that front tags are not required in North Carolina, then you could not

issue the driver an NOI for No Front Tag.

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12.4.5 Issue an NOI for eligible vehicle operation requirements violations

in the District of Columbia

(Guided Practice)

12.4.6 Classify the elements of offenses involving the operation of motor

vehicles

While NOI’s are used for many violations, there are certain traffic offenses where an arrest would be

warranted.

Counterfeit Tags – § 50–1501.04

This law states that it is unlawful for “the owner of any motor vehicle to knowingly use or permit the use

of any motor vehicle with a counterfeit, stolen, or otherwise fraudulent temporary identification tag.” In

order to make an arrest for the offense Counterfeit Tags, you could not simply observe the fact that a

person is using counterfeit, stolen, or fraudulent tags on the vehicle. You have to articulate how you came

to know during the course of your preliminary investigation that the person in question knowingly did so.

This means the driver used tags or allowed another person to use tags for a vehicle that a reasonable

person would know were not legitimate.

The narrative you would write for Counterfeit Tags would have to provide more than just, “S-1 was

operating a vehicle with counterfeit tags on the 3300 block of Wisconsin Ave, NW at 1800 hours.” You

need to describe how you knew the tags were counterfeit, whether this came about because you ran the

tags through the WALES system within your vehicle and the return from the system alerted you to the

fact that the tags either did not match the vehicle you see before you, or because of statements made to

you by the driver after you had reason to conduct a stop. If you happen to know from simply looking at

the tags of the vehicle that they are fraudulent, you must articulate how a person without law

enforcement experience, such as the driver of the vehicle, should have known the tags to be fraudulent

prior to driving the vehicle.

Counterfeit Tags is a misdemeanor punishable by up to thirty (30) days in jail and/or a fine of up to

$1,000.

Failure to Display Permit upon Demand – §50.1401.01(c)

You may also encounter a driver that is unable to present you with a permit that allows him or her to

operate a motor vehicle. If a driver is not able to produce a license or permit but insists that he or she has

one, you are to attempt to verify the existence of a permit through the WALES system. You can do this

yourself or via the dispatcher. If the return verifies that the driver has a valid license or permit, then you

are to issue them an NOI for Failure to Display Permit upon Demand.

Failure to Display Permit upon Demand is punishable by a fine of not less than $10 nor more than $50.

No Permit – §50.1401.01(d)

If, however, you are unable to verify the existence of a permit for the driver, he or she is to be placed

under arrest for No Permit. You must also make an arrest of a person unable to present a driver’s license

or permit if:

 You verify that no permit has been issued to the individual.

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 The permit has been expired more than 90 days (DC residents only).

No Permit is a misdemeanor that is punishable by up to 90 days in jail or a fine.

Expired Permit

If the driver displays a license that has expired within a ninety-day period, then you simply issue an NOI

for:

 Expired within 90 days - $75 fine

NOTE: You allow this type of driver to continue on his or her way and you do not place him or her under

arrest.

Operating a Motor Vehicle after Suspension or Revocation – § 50–1503.01

There are times when the District of Columbia will suspend or revoke an individual’s license for reasons

we have discussed previously within the lesson. When this happens and the person drives a vehicle, he or

she could be arrested for Operating a Motor Vehicle after Suspension or Operating a Motor Vehicle

after Revocation, both of which are probable cause misdemeanors. DC Code states that, “Any individual

found guilty of operating a motor vehicle in the District during the period for which the individual's license

is revoked or suspended, or for which his right to operate is suspended or revoked, shall, for each such

offense, be fined or imprisoned for not more than 1 year, or both.”

Prior to making an arrest for operating after suspension or revocation, you must verify that the license or

permit has indeed been suspended or revoked. This verification is done in the same manner in which you

would attempt to verify the existence of a license when someone is unable to produce one for you to

view. If the WALES return comes back and the individual was operating the vehicle after suspension or

revocation, you must then place them under arrest.

Check for Understanding: You are 10-99, utilizing call sign 2071, when you are dispatched

to the 1800 block of M St. NW for a 10-50. The dispatcher informs you that the involved

vehicle is a black Mitsubishi Eclipse. As you enter the block, you see a vehicle matching

that description with its hazard lights on. You pull up behind the vehicle and angle your

scout car in a manner that will shield you against incoming traffic.

You approach a man standing next to the vehicle. As you walk towards him, he says,

“Officer! Hey, I’m the one that called. I don’t know how I did this, but when I was backing

up, I hit the fire hydrant.” He points to a hydrant a few feet away from the car and you

see water streaming from the front of the hydrant and black paint matching the same

shade as the paint on his car. He continues, “I just thought I should call and let someone

know.”

You thank him for calling, and request his license, registration, and insurance, which he

provides. Once you have the license, you note that it is a DC driver’s license as you request

a WALES check through the dispatcher. After a few moments, the dispatcher raises you.

“2071,” the dispatcher says.

“2071, bye.”

“Is your radio secure?”

You take a few steps away from the individual, and readjust your earpiece, “I’m secure.”

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“WALES is coming back 10-30 T-Time. The license has been suspended. I’m sending an

additional unit to your location.”

“Copy,” you reply. “Thank you.”

Can you place the man who called you to report striking the fire hydrant under arrest? If

you can, for what offense(s)? If you cannot, why not?

The man cannot be placed under arrest as operating after suspension is not a probable

cause misdemeanor and he does not meet any of the three probable cause misdemeanor

exceptions. Based on the information provided by the man, you can attempt to get a

warrant for his arrest. You must also inform him that his license has been suspended and

that he cannot move the vehicle or operate another motor vehicle within the District of

Columbia until the suspension has been lifted.

Though you can check the status of or for the existence of a license without dispatcher assistance, when

you are going to make an arrest take the step of going over the air and asking the dispatcher to check the

status of the driver. This not only acts as a double-check to ensure that you have taken every possible step

to verify the status of the person’s driver’s license, but it is also a safeguard for you as the return and all

transmissions are recorded.

When you make an arrest of an individual for driving while utilizing a permit that has been suspended or

revoked, the charge Operating after Suspension (OAS) or Operating after Revocation (OAS) is only

applicable to a person who has a District of Columbia permit. If the person is driving on a suspended or

revoked license but the license was issued by an outside jurisdiction, then the charge in that case would

be No Permit.

Leaving After Colliding – § 50–2201.05c

There will be times when you will be called to the scene of a traffic crash and upon your arrival you will

be informed by an individual that the person who struck his or her vehicle has left the scene without

making their identity known. Such an action is unlawful within the District of Columbia.

The Leaving after Colliding statute states that:

(a) “Any person who operates or who is in physical control of a vehicle within the District who knows

or has reason to believe that his or her vehicle has been in a collision shall immediately stop, and

(1) Where another person is injured, call or cause another to call 911 or call or cause another

to call for an ambulance or other emergency assistance, if necessary, remain on the scene

until law enforcement arrives, and provide identifying information to law enforcement

and to the injured person;

(2) Where real or personal property belonging to another is damaged or a domestic animal

is injured, provide identifying information to the owner or operator of the property or the

owner of the domestic animal or, where the owner or operator of the property or the

owner of the domestic animal is not present, provide or cause another to provide

identifying information and the location of the collision, to law enforcement or 911; or

(3) Where real or personal property or a wild or domestic animal, as a result of the collision,

poses a risk to others, call or cause another to call 911 and provide identifying

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information, the location of the collision, and a description of the nature of the risk posed

to others.”

The person who leaves the scene following a crash must do so without making their identity known for

the charge to apply. If you get to the scene of a crash and are informed that the other party has left but

the individual with whom you are speaking tells you that he or she was given contact information and

name of the other individual, then the offense Leaving after Colliding has not occurred as the identity of

the other party is known.

However, if the name and contact information of the other driver has not been provided, first ascertain

that the person to whom you are speaking is not injured and does not need medical assistance. Then get

information about the striking vehicle from the complainant so that you might give a lookout to your

fellow officers who can begin assisting in a canvas for the other vehicle that was involved in the crash.

This means you need the following information, if available:

 Make

 Model

 Year

 Color

 Tag

 Location of potential damage on the vehicle

 Description of the other driver

After completing a traffic crash report, you will also be required to complete an offense report for the

charge of Leaving After Colliding. These two reports are separate and need to be submitted by the end of

your shift. The same CNN will be used and RMS will link the two reports.

Leaving after Colliding is a misdemeanor punishable by up to 180 days in jail and/or a $1,000 fine.

Reckless Driving – § 50–2201.04

As driving is a privilege extended by the government to individuals within the United States , including the

District, there are safety restrictions placed upon drivers and their operation of the vehicle. The DC Code

states that:

(b) “A person shall be guilty of reckless driving if the person drives a vehicle upon a highway carelessly

and heedlessly in willful or wanton disregard for the rights or safety of others, or without due

caution and circumspection and at a speed or in a manner so as to endanger or be likely to

endanger a person or property.

(b-1) A person shall be guilty of aggravated reckless driving if the person does one or more of the

following:

(1) Operates the vehicle at a rate of speed at or greater than 30 miles per hour over the

stated speed limit;

(2) Causes bodily harm or permanent disability or disfigurement to another; or

(3) Causes property damage in excess of $1,000.”

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When you make an arrest for Reckless Driving, the burden falls upon you to articulate how the individual’s

driving was so wantonly, willfully, and brazenly hazardous as to cause danger to another person or another

individual’s property. An egregious form of reckless driving would be someone who, not wanting to wait

at a long light, crosses the double line and drives towards oncoming traffic in an effort to bypass other

vehicles waiting at the light.

A common rule of thumb to assist in articulation of reckless driving is that you witnessed the driver commit

three or more vehicular infractions for which an NOI could be written. You do not need three other

infractions to make an arrest for reckless driving, however, as long as you are able to describe how the

driver’s actions meet the elements set forth within the Speeding and Reckless Driving statute.

Reckless Driving is a misdemeanor punishable by up to 90 days in jail and/or a $500 fine.

Unauthorized Use of Motor Vehicles – § 22–3215

While on patrol, you may run a vehicle’s tag and find out that the vehicle has been reported stolen. If this

happens when you are on the scene of a traffic crash, request additional units to your scene as you may

have a potential arrest situation. If you discover this information during a traffic stop, you should have

already requested units to assist with the stop, but if you feel that you need additional officers, never be

afraid to request more units to your scene. You can place the driver, after verifying that he or she is not

the owner of the vehicle, under arrest for Unauthorized Use of Motor Vehicle (UUV).

The DC Code states that:

(b) “A person commits the offense of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle under this subsection

if, without the consent of the owner, the person takes, uses, or operates a motor vehicle, or

causes a motor vehicle to be taken, used, or operated, for his or her own profit, use, or purpose.

after renting, leasing, or using a motor vehicle under a written agreement which provides for the

return of the motor vehicle to a particular place at a specified time, that person knowingly fails to

return the motor vehicle to that place (or to any authorized agent of the party from whom the

motor vehicle was obtained under the agreement) within 18 days after written demand is made

for its return...”

Unauthorized Use of Motor Vehicle is a felony typically punishable by up to 5 years in jail and/or a $12,500

fine. A greater penalty applies if the vehicle was used in a crime of violence or the offender has certain

prior convictions.

The passenger within a vehicle could also be charged under this statute if you are able to articulate how

he or she should have reasonably known that the driver did not have the owner’s permission to take, use,

or operate the vehicle.

If you stop a vehicle and have a UUV arrest for the driver, be sure to visually inspect the vehicle. Is a

window broken? Does the window frame show damage consistent with a vehicular break-in? Do the tags

and registration come back to the vehicle you see before you? Is the ignition punched in to allow the

vehicle to be started without a key? These types of evidence are not all inclusive. They will lend strength

to your articulation of the facts about the vehicle and how the passenger should have reasonably known

the vehicle was being operated without permission.

12.4 License, Registration and Proof of Insurance

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This law protects not only individuals, but businesses, such as rental car companies, against the theft of

its vehicles as they, too, can be complainants in a report for an offense.

12.4.7 Complete an Offense Report and Arrest Report for the offenses

encountered in this instructional unit

(Guided Practice)

Summary

As a police officer, in order to perform your job effectively, you must understand the offenses related to

the operation of a motor vehicle and your role in ensuring adherence to the laws of the District of

Columbia. During this lesson you have learned how to detect when an individual is operating a vehicle

with counterfeit tags and the difference between charging a person with operating a motor vehicle after

revocation and charging them with no permit. You have also gained an understanding of the key terms

related to the operation of a motor vehicle and how knowing them can lead to better articulation within

your reports.

REFERENCES

GO 303.01

Traffic Enforcement

04/30/1992

DCMR Title 18-305

Loss of all Operating Privileges and Surrender of License

11/25/2016

DCMR Title 18-301

Mandatory Revocations

06/08/2013

DCMR Title 18-302

Suspension and Revocation for Traffic Offenses

06/08/2013

DCMR Title 18-102

Driving Under Instruction: Learner Permit & Provisional Permit

01/23/2015

DCMR Title 18-421

Registration Card to be Carried and Exhibited on Demand

The Compulsory/No-Fault Motor Vehicle Insurance Act of 1982

1982

Official DC Code