61-5-212. Driving while license suspended or revoked -- penalty -- seizure of vehicle or rendering vehicle inoperable. (1) A person who drives a motor vehicle or commercial motor vehicle on any public highway of this state at a time when the person's privilege to do so is suspended or revoked in this state or any other state is guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than 2 days or more than 6 months and may be fined not more than $500.
     (2) The department upon receiving a record of the conviction of any person under this section upon a charge of driving a vehicle while the person's driver's license was suspended or revoked shall extend the period of suspension or revocation for an additional like period.
     (3) The vehicle owned and operated at the time of an offense under this section by a person whose driver's license is suspended or revoked for violating the provisions of 61-8-401, 61-8-402, 61-8-406, 61-8-409, or 61-8-410 must, upon a person's first conviction, be seized or rendered inoperable by the county sheriff of the convicted person's county of residence for a period of 30 days.
     (4) The sentencing court shall order the action provided for under subsection (3) and shall specify the date on which the vehicle is to be returned or again rendered operable. The vehicle must be seized or rendered inoperable by the sheriff within 10 days after the conviction.
     (5) A convicted person is responsible for all costs associated with actions taken under subsection (3). Joint ownership of the vehicle with another person does not prohibit the actions required by subsection (3) unless the sentencing court determines that those actions would constitute an extreme hardship on a joint owner who is determined to be without fault.
     (6) A court may not suspend or defer imposition of penalties provided by this section.

     History: En. Sec. 39, Ch. 267, L. 1947; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 84, L. 1959; R.C.M. 1947, 31-155; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 503, L. 1985; amd. Sec. 29, Ch. 443, L. 1987; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 30, L. 1989; amd. Sec. 24, Ch. 195, L. 1993; amd. Sec. 5, Ch. 447, L. 1995; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 88, L. 1997.