388.This section inserts a new section 28A into the Vehicle Excise and Registration Act 1994. It provides constables and persons authorised by the Secretary of State for the purposes of this section with a power to require a person using a vehicle to produce the registration document issued in respect of that vehicle on demand. An authorised person exercising this power must produce evidence of his authority to exercise the power if requested to do so. A person who does not produce the document required will be committing an offence, unless one of three conditions applies. The first is if within 7 days or as soon as reasonably practicable the person produces the document required in person at a police station or vehicle testing station nominated by him at the time of the request. The second condition is that the vehicle is subject to a lease or hire agreement, that the vehicle is not, and is not required to be, registered in the name of the lessee or hirer under that agreement, that the person produces appropriate evidence of the agreement within seven days or as soon as reasonably practicable at a police station or vehicle testing station nominated by him and the person has reasonable grounds for believing or it is reasonable for him to expect that the person from whom the vehicle has been leased or hired is able to produce or require the production of the registration document. The third condition is that any exception to the offence provided in regulations made under new section 28A is met.
389.A person who is guilty of an offence under new section 28A is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 2 on the standard scale (currently £500).