§ 66‑257.  Misdemeanor violations.

(a) Class 1 Misdemeanors. – A person who does any of the following commits a Class 1 misdemeanor:

(1) Fails to keep a record of new merchandise and fails to produce a record or an affidavit pursuant to G.S. 66‑254.

(2) Falsifies a record of new merchandise required by G.S. 66‑254.

(b) Class 2 Misdemeanors. – A person who does any of the following commits a Class 2 misdemeanor:

(1) If the person is an itinerant merchant or a specialty market vendor, fails to display the certificate of registration as required by G.S. 66‑252.

(2) If the person is a specialty market operator, fails to maintain the daily registration list as required by G.S. 66‑255.

(c) Class 3 Misdemeanors. – A person who does any of the following commits a Class 3 misdemeanor:

(1) If the person is a peddler or an itinerant merchant, fails to obtain the permission of the property owner as required by G.S. 66‑251.

(2) If the person is a peddler or a specialty market operator, fails to produce the certificate of registration as required by G.S. 66‑252.

(3) Fails to provide name, address, or identification upon request as required by G.S. 66‑253 or provides false information in response to the request.

(4) Knowingly gives false information when registering pursuant to G.S. 66‑255.

(d) Defense. – Whenever satisfactory evidence is presented in any court of the fact that permission to use property was not displayed as required by G.S. 66‑251 or that a certificate of registration was not displayed or produced as required by G.S. 66‑252, the person charged may not be found guilty of that violation if the person produces in court a valid permission or a valid certificate of registration, respectively, that had been issued prior to the time the person was charged. (1996, 2nd Ex. Sess., c. 14, s. 24; 1998‑121, s. 8.)