§ 113-276.3.  Mandatory suspension of entitlement to license or permit for fixed period upon conviction of specified offenses.

(a) Upon conviction of a suspension offense under this section, the defendant's entitlement to any license or permit applicable to the type of activity the defendant was engaging in that resulted in the conviction is suspended for the period stated in subsection (d) or (f) of this section. The period of suspension begins:

(1) Upon the surrender to an authorized agent of the Wildlife Resources Commission of all applicable licenses and permits; or

(2) If no licenses or permits are possessed, the defendant fails or refuses to surrender all licenses or permits, or any license or permit is lost or destroyed, upon the Executive Director's placing in the mail the notification required by subsection (c).

(b) If the defendant does not wish to appeal, the presiding judge may order surrender of all applicable licenses and permits to an agent of the Wildlife Resources Commission. If the presiding judge does not order the surrender, or if there is for any other reason a failure by the defendant to surrender all applicable licenses and permits, an authorized agent of the Wildlife Resources Commission must demand surrender. Each day's failure or refusal to surrender a license or permit upon demand, in the absence of satisfactorily accounting for the failure to do so, is a separate offense. A charge under this subsection does not affect the power of the court to institute contempt proceedings if a failure or refusal to surrender a license or permit also violates a court order. Any agent of the Wildlife Resources Commission accepting surrender of licenses and permits, in the courtroom or at a subsequent time and place, must transmit them to the Executive Director with a written notation of the date of surrender and a report of other pertinent circumstances required by the Executive Director.

(c) The Executive Director must institute a procedure for the systematic reporting to him by protectors or other authorized agents of the Wildlife Resources Commission of all convictions of suspension offenses under this section. Upon obtaining information concerning conviction of a suspension offense and receiving any surrendered licenses and permits, the Executive Director must determine if all appropriate licenses and permits possessed by the defendant have been surrendered; if not, the Executive Director must notify the appropriate agent of the Wildlife Resources Commission to demand surrender or renew a demand for surrender under the terms of subsection (b) if it is feasible to do so. Upon satisfying himself that he has received all licenses and permits for which surrender may feasibly be obtained, if any, the Executive Director must mail the defendant a notice of the suspension of his entitlement to possess or procure any license or permit of the type applicable to the activity engaged in that resulted in conviction of the suspension offense. The notice must specify the commencement and termination dates of the period of suspension that apply under the terms of this section.

(d) Any violation of this Subchapter or of any rule adopted by the Wildlife Resources Commission under the authority of this Subchapter which is subject to a penalty greater than the one provided in G.S. 113-135(a)(1) is a suspension offense. Conviction of any of the following suspension offenses results in a suspension for a period of two years:

(1) A violation of G.S. 113-294(b).

(2) A violation of G.S. 113-294(c).

(2a) A violation of G.S. 113-294(c1).

(3) A violation of G.S. 113-294(e).

(4) Repealed by Session Laws 1999-120, s. 2, effective October 1, 1999.

(5) A violation of G.S. 113-291.1A.

(6) A third or subsequent violation of G.S. 14-159.6(a).

A conviction of any other suspension offense results in a suspension for a period of one year.

(e) Unless otherwise provided in the judgment, any action by a court under G.S. 113-277 to suspend entitlement to a license or permit or to suspend or revoke a license or permit supersedes any suspension of entitlement to a license or permit mandated by this section. If the judgment of the court after a conviction for suspension offense does not include any suspension or revocation action, the provisions of this section apply.

(f) Conviction of a second violation of G.S. 113-294(s) results in a suspension for a period of one year. Conviction of a third violation of G.S. 113-294(s) results in a permanent revocation. (1979, c. 830, s. 1; 1981, c. 424, s. 1; 1987, c. 827, s. 98; 1999-120, s. 2; 2005-62, s. 3; 2015-144, s. 4(a); 2024-32, s. 3(f).)