Título V. De los Vehiculos

Vehicle means any land or water means of transportation circulating permanently or occasionally on public roads, whether for the transportation of persons or cargo or those intended for special activities, and for such purpose they must meet the following requirements:

a.Have a valid circulation card and license plate; or a valid permit issued by competent authority;

b.Be in perfect operating condition and equipped for the safety of the driver and all its occupants, in accordance with the regulations;

c.Be provided with the necessary devices to not produce black smoke or any other type of environmental pollution, pursuant to the laws and regulations on the matter; and

d.Vehicles used by disabled persons shall be duly adapted and equipped to be driven under strict safety conditions.

Every vehicle is subject to the periodic verifications established by the transit authorities.

Every vehicle traveling on public roads shall be identified with the circulation card and license plate issued by the Ministry of Public Finance, but the Ministry of the Interior is empowered to prescribe the designs, define the issuance systems and monitor the use thereof, in safeguard of the general interest and national security; for such purpose, the Ministry of Public Finance shall comply with such provisions.

Under penalty of cancellation of the corresponding authorization, permit or concession or simply of prohibiting the exercise of the activity, individual or juridical persons who provide transportation services to the public shall keep updated in the Department of Transit the following information:

a.Identification number of each vehicle and the numbers of the circulation card and plate;

b.Domicile and residence of the owner or of their legal representative; and,

c.Full given names and surnames, residence, driver's license number and neighborhood identity card number of the drivers of said vehicles.

Emergency vehicles, such as ambulances, fire department vehicles and police vehicles, duly authorized, are subject to the provisions of this law and its regulations; and shall have preferential right of way only when engaged in the performance of emergency duties, which they shall indicate with visual and audible signals.

The Transit Department of the General Directorate of the Police shall organize, maintain and update a vehicle register comprising all those circulating in the country, based on the vehicle register of the Ministry of Public Finance and on the Customs reports on transit vehicles. The Executive Branch, by means of a governmental agreement, may unify the vehicle registers of the Ministry of the Interior with the fiscal register of the Ministry of Public Finance.