Sec. 28.4. Trip permits

(a) General.

Upon receipt of an appropriate application and payment of required fees, the department shall make available trip permits which shall be valid for both interstate and intrastate operation in this State of a vehicle for which such permit has been issued for a period of 72 hours. A trip permit may only be issued for a motor vehicle registered in a jurisdiction which is a member of IRP but which is not proportionately registered in this State.

(b) Method of issuance.

(1) Direct issuance. The department shall issue a trip permit directly to a registrant upon submission to the International Registration Bureau of the department of an appropriate application (form IRP-4) and fee, which fee is not refundable, at least 30 days prior to the beginning of the 72-hour period for which the permit is requested.

(2) Wire service issuance. The department shall sell trip permits to established wire services for issuance by such services to vehicle registrants.

(c) Procedure for issuance of trip permits by established wire services.

(1) Request for trip permits.

An established wire service may make application for a supply of trip permits for issuance to registrants by submitting an appropriate form (form IRP-3) to the International Registration Bureau of the department. The statutory fee, which in no case shall be refundable, must be submitted by the service with the application form. Upon approval of the application by the department, the trip permits will be remitted to the established wire service.

(2) Issuance of trip permit to registrant by established wire service. To issue a trip permit, an established wire service shall complete all the information contained on the trip permit. The trip permit shall contain the name of the service issuing the permit and a telephone number of the service which may be used by enforcement officials for verification of the trip permit. The service shall then immediately give the registrant or the registrant's agent a photocopy of the form, or if the registrant or the registrant's agent is not personally present, electronically transmit a copy to the registrant or the registrant's agent.

(3) Report of issuance by wire service. An established wire service shall transmit to the International Registration Bureau of the department a copy of each permit issued within 15 days of issuance.

(d) Use of trip permit.

In order to be valid, a properly completed trip permit, if issued directly by the department, or a photocopy or electronically transmitted copy, if issued by a wire service, must be carried on the vehicle to which it applies. The signature required on the appropriate document may be that of the registrant or agent of the registrant authorized to sign and must be completed prior to use.

(e) Required records for established wire services.

Established wire services must keep a record of all permits obtained and/or issued by it, including all pertinent information regarding registrants, vehicles, jurisdictions and dates of issuance effectiveness and expiration of permits issued. Such records must be maintained for a period of at least three years from the date of issuance by the service and such records shall be available for audit by department personnel.

(f) Denial of trip permits.

The failure of a wire service to maintain status as an established wire service or to comply with issuance procedures, recordkeeping requirements or to adequately service enforcement verification requirements shall be grounds to deny such service further trip permits for issuance.

(g) Electronic technologies authorized.

Unless otherwise specified in this Part, all transactions and activities required or authorized by, or conducted pursuant to this Part regarding trip permits may be performed by any electronic technologies as may be acceptable to the International Registration Bureau. Such transactions and activities shall include, but not be limited to: submission of application forms and required fees to the department for the issuance or purchase of trip permits; direct issuance of trip permits by the department to a registrant or to a registrant’s agent; the sale of trip permits by the department to established wire services for issuance by the wire services to a registrant or to a registrant’s agent; wire service issuance of trip permits to a registrant or to a registrant’s agent; and the recording by wire services of all trip permits obtained and issued.