(a)(1) A corporation or firm which has an established place of business in this state or which is controlled by a parent corporation which has an established place of business in this state and which owns or operates under a lease agreement a fleet which is not required to be registered under the International Registration Plan in accordance with Article 3A of this chapter may enroll in the fleet registration plan and register and obtain licenses to operate the motor vehicles in such fleet as provided in this article.

(2) The provisions of this article for fleet enrollment, registration, and licensing shall not apply to any corporation or firm which leases or rents motor vehicles to other persons for use thereby.

(b)(1) Applications for enrollment of a fleet under the fleet registration plan may be submitted to the department in the form and manner prescribed thereby during the period of December 1 of the prior registration year to February 15 of the year for which the license plates are to be issued. Motor vehicles of a fleet shall be enrolled separately by classes and by counties where the vehicles are to be registered.

(2)(A) An applicant for enrollment of a fleet under the fleet registration plan shall pay a fleet enrollment fee of $200.00 for initial enrollment of the fleet.

(B) If the applicant for enrollment of a fleet or the parent corporation or firm thereof has not had an established place of business in this state for a period of ten consecutive years or more, the applicant shall post a $25,000.00 surety bond at the time of applying for enrollment.

(3) If the department determines that the applicant is eligible for fleet registration and proper application has been made, the department shall enroll the fleet, indicate the amount of license fees due for the fleet, validate the enrollment form or forms for the applicable county or counties, and mail the validated original enrollment form or forms with fees indicated to the applicant. Such enrollment shall be valid for a period which is concurrent with that period for which regular license plates are issued for use under Code Section 40-2-31. Thereafter, the department shall, prior to December 1 of each year of the enrollment period, mail the enrollee a statement of the amount of license fees due and payable during the forthcoming registration period for such fleet.