§411.1.  Licensee to have license in immediate possession; notification to vehicle owner; surrender of license; issuance of temporary permits

A.(1)  Any person lawfully possessed of a driver's license issued to him by either the Department of Public Safety and Corrections or the appropriate agency of another state if such person resides in this state shall have such license in his immediate possession at all times when driving a motor vehicle and shall display it upon demand of any officer or agent of the department or any police officer of the state, parish, or municipality.

(2)  However if the person is on active duty with the armed forces of the United States or is a dependent thereof, or is enrolled in a Louisiana college or university and is charged with a violation of the Louisiana Highway Regulatory Act or any municipal or parish ordinance regulating traffic in any municipality or in any parish the provisions of C.Cr.P. Article 211.4 shall apply.

(3)  Additionally, any person described in Paragraph (2) of this Subsection shall also furnish, upon demand, satisfactory proof of his residency in this state by either providing the arresting officer with a copy of orders assigning him, or the person whose dependent he is, to an area inside Louisiana or with a valid student identification card issued by a Louisiana college or university.

(4)  Whenever any person who resides in this state is arrested and charged with a violation of the Louisiana Highway Regulatory Act or any municipal or parish ordinance regulating traffic in any parish or municipality such person shall be released on his own recognizance upon signing the promise to appear section of the traffic citation.  This shall only apply to such persons who are not wanted for failure to appear in connection with other traffic citations or for whom a warrant has been issued for any other reason.  If the offender fails to pay the fine by mail in advance of adjudication and fails to appear at the time and date indicated on the citation, the court may impose an additional penalty in an amount not to exceed the amount of the fine for the original violation.

B.  When the arresting officer has probable cause to believe that the person charged has committed an offense as defined in Title 14 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950 he shall take such person forthwith before the nearest or most accessible magistrate having jurisdiction.

C.(1)  When an officer or agent of the department or any police officer of the state, or any parish or municipality has reasonable grounds to believe a person has committed an offense of driving without a valid driver's license in his possession, the police officer shall make every practical attempt based on identifying information provided by the person to confirm that the person has been issued a valid driver's license.  If the police officer determines that the person has been issued a valid driver's license which is neither under revocation, suspension, or cancellation, but that the license is not in his possession, the peace officer shall issue a written summons to the offender in accordance with law, commanding him to appear and answer the charge.

(2)  The provisions of this Subsection shall in no way limit the peace officer from issuing a citation for operating a motor vehicle without physical possession of a valid driver's license.

D.  When a person is arrested or issued a summons for a violation of R.S. 14:98 or 98.1, the arresting officer shall determine whether the person is the owner of the vehicle used.  If the person is not the owner, the arresting officer, his agency of employment, or the Department of Public Safety and Corrections shall take all reasonable measures to identify and locate the registered owner and notify him of the arrest or summons.  Such notification may be oral or written.  A record shall be kept of whether or not such notification was given.

E.(1)  When a fine is levied against a person convicted of any  violation of the Louisiana Highway Regulatory Act or any municipal or parish ordinance regulating traffic in any municipality or in any parish and the defendant is granted an extension of time to pay the fine, the judge of the court having jurisdiction may order the driver's license to be surrendered to the sheriff or official of the court collecting fines for a period of time not to exceed one hundred eighty days. If, after expiration of one hundred eighty days, the defendant has not paid the fine, the sheriff or official of the court designated to collect fines shall forward the license to the Department of Public Safety and Corrections.

(2)(a)  Upon receipt of a surrendered driver's license, the sheriff or court official responsible for collection of such fines shall issue a temporary permit for a period not to exceed one hundred eighty days or for a period of time set forth by the judge having jurisdiction.  The Department of Public Safety and Corrections shall devise such temporary permits and provide for a procedure for distributing such permits, all by the promulgation of rules and regulations according to the Administrative Procedure Act.  After final promulgation of such rules and regulations the temporary permits shall be distributed to the courts or other agencies responsible for the collection of the fines and court costs for such violations.

(b)  The sheriff or court official responsible for issuing temporary permits pursuant to the provisions of this Subsection may prepare and issue such permits electronically to any defendant granted an extension of time to pay a fine for a violation of the Louisiana Highway Regulatory Act or any municipal or parish ordinance regulating traffic.  In cases where temporary permits are issued electronically, the sheriff or court official shall sign the electronic permit in an appropriate place and shall maintain possession of the defendant's driver's license until the fine and all fees, costs, and penalties are paid in full or the expiration of one hundred eighty days, whichever is sooner.

(3)  The department shall not return, reissue, or renew a driver's license in its possession pursuant to this Subsection until payment of the fine and any additional administrative cost, fee, or penalty required by the judge having the jurisdiction and any other cost, fee, or penalty required by the department.

Acts 1995, No. 995, §1; Acts 1997, No. 1296, §3, eff. July 15, 1997; Acts 2005, No. 50, §1, eff. June 16, 2005.