§ 13905. Effective periods of registration

(a) Person Holding ICC Authority.— Any person having authority to provide transportation or service as a motor carrier, freight forwarder, or broker under this title, as in effect on December 31, 1995, shall be deemed, for purposes of this part, to be registered to provide such transportation or service under this part.
(b) Person Registered With Secretary.—
(1) In general.— Except as provided in paragraph (2), any person having registered with the Secretary to provide transportation or service as a motor carrier or motor private carrier under this title, as in effect on January 1, 2005, but not having registered pursuant to section 13902 (a), shall be treated, for purposes of this part, to be registered to provide such transportation or service for purposes of sections 13908 and 14504a.
(2) Exclusively intrastate operators.— Paragraph (1) does not apply to a motor carrier or motor private carrier (including a transporter of waste or recyclable materials) engaged exclusively in intrastate transportation operations.
(c) In General.— Except as otherwise provided in this part, each registration issued under section 13902, 13903, or 13904 shall be effective from the date specified by the Secretary and shall remain in effect for such period as the Secretary determines appropriate by regulation.
(d) Suspension, Amendments, and Revocations.—
(1) In general.— On application of the registrant, the Secretary may amend or revoke a registration. On complaint or on the Secretary’s own initiative and after notice and an opportunity for a proceeding, the Secretary may
(A) suspend, amend, or revoke any part of the registration of a motor carrier, broker, or freight forwarder for willful failure to comply with this part, an applicable regulation or order of the Secretary or of the Board (including the accessibility requirements established by the Secretary under subpart H of part 37 of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, or such successor regulations to those accessibility requirements as the Secretary may issue, for transportation provided by an over-the-road bus), or a condition of its registration; and
(B) suspend, amend, or revoke any part of the registration of a motor carrier, broker, or freight forwarder:
(i) for failure to pay a civil penalty imposed under chapter 5, 51, 149, or 311 of this title; or
(ii) for failure to arrange and abide by an acceptable payment plan for such civil penalty, within 90 days of the time specified by order of the Secretary for the payment of such penalty. Subparagraph (B) shall not apply to any person who is unable to pay a civil penalty because such person is a debtor in a case under chapter 11 of title 11, United States Code.
(2) Regulations.— Not later than 12 months after the date of the enactment of this paragraph, the Secretary, after notice and opportunity for public comment, shall issue regulations to provide for the suspension, amendment, or revocation of a registration under this part for failure to pay a civil penalty as provided in paragraph (1)(B).
(e) Procedure.— Except on application of the registrant, the Secretary may revoke a registration of a motor carrier, freight forwarder, or broker, only after—
(1) the Secretary has issued an order to the registrant under section 14701 requiring compliance with this part, a regulation of the Secretary, or a condition of the registration; and
(2) the registrant willfully does not comply with the order for a period of 30 days.
(f) Expedited Procedure.—
(1) Protection of safety.— Notwithstanding subchapter II of chapter 5 of title 5, the Secretary—
(A) may suspend the registration of a motor carrier, a freight forwarder, or a broker for failure to comply with requirements of the Secretary pursuant to section 13904 (c) or 13906 or an order or regulation of the Secretary prescribed under those sections; and
(B) shall revoke the registration of a motor carrier that has been prohibited from operating in interstate commerce for failure to comply with the safety fitness requirements of section 31144.
(2) Imminent hazard to public health.— Without regard to subchapter II of chapter 5 of title 5, the Secretary shall revoke the registration of a motor carrier of passengers if the Secretary finds that such carrier has been conducting unsafe operations which are an imminent hazard to public health or property.
(3) Notice; period of suspension.— The Secretary may suspend or revoke under this subsection the registration only after giving notice of the suspension or revocation to the registrant. A suspension remains in effect until the registrant complies with the applicable sections or, in the case of a suspension under paragraph (2), until the Secretary revokes the suspension.