(a) Before any motor carrier engaged solely in interstate commerce under authority issued by the Interstate Commerce Commission or any successor agency shall operate any motor vehicle on or over any public highway of this state, it shall obtain from the commissioner or the carrier's designated base state a registration receipt issued pursuant to rules adopted by the Interstate Commerce Commission or any successor agency as determined by federal law.

(b) Before any motor carrier engaged solely in interstate operations exempt from regulation by the Interstate Commerce Commission shall operate any motor vehicle on or over any public highway of this state, it shall first:

(1) Secure a registration permit from the commissioner by making application therefor on forms supplied by the commissioner and paying a $25.00 filing fee. A carrier's registration shall be valid so long as there is no change in its operating authority with regard to its operations in this state, but the registration may be amended to reflect such changes by application to the commissioner on forms supplied by the commissioner and payment of a $5.00 filing fee;

(2) Annually on or before the thirty-first day of December of each calendar year, but not earlier than the preceding first day of October or, as to a vehicle put into use during the course of the year, before the vehicle is put into use, make application to the commissioner for the issuance of an annual identification and registration stamp or stamps, make application for the registration of all motor vehicles to be operated under such permit, in such manner and form as the commissioner may by rule or regulation prescribe, and shall pay to the commissioner a fee of $5.00 for the registration of each vehicle and issuance of identification and registration stamp to operate same. Each annual identification and registration stamp shall be valid for a period of 16 months extending from the first day of October of any year through the thirty-first day of January of the next succeeding year. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Code section, the commissioner is authorized to impose a vehicle identification and registration fee equal to the identification and registration fee charged by any other state, up to a maximum of $25.00, upon vehicles licensed in that state if such state charges equipment licensed in Georgia a vehicle identification and registration fee in excess of $5.00; and

(3) Give the bond or indemnity insurance prescribed by this article, omitting the protection in respect to their own passengers and cargoes.

(c) Motor carriers operating pursuant to a registration permit as provided for in this Code section may, in lieu of all other registration and identification requirements contained in subsection (b) of this Code section, register vehicles operated in Georgia as an emergency, temporary, or trip-lease vehicle for a period not exceeding 15 days by payment to the commissioner of a fee of $8.00 for each vehicle so registered; and upon such payment, the commissioner shall issue an emergency, temporary, or trip-lease vehicle registration permit. (d) Where a carrier has not previously qualified with the commissioner to operate in interstate exempt or intrastate commerce in Georgia pursuant to this Code section and thus has not secured a registration permit pursuant to this Code section, the emergency, temporary, or trip-lease vehicle registration permit provided for in subsection (c) of this Code section will also include the authority to operate in Georgia during the 15 day or less period covered by the emergency, temporary, or trip-lease vehicle registration permit, provided that the carrier has otherwise qualified its operations with the commissioner as provided for in this Code section; provided, however, that whenever any motor vehicle is operated on or over any public highway of this state without the motor carrier operating such vehicle first having obtained the annual registration and identification stamp or license or the emergency, temporary, or trip-lease vehicle registration permit provided for in this Code section, the motor carrier operating such vehicle shall be required to pay a fee of $25.00 for the late registration and identification of such vehicle.

(e) Nothing in this Code section shall limit the authority of the commissioner to negotiate reciprocal agreements relating to vehicle identification and registration fees in excess of those provided for under Title 49 USC, Section 302(b)(2), as provided in Code Section 46-7-91.

(f) It shall not be necessary for any motor carrier to obtain a certificate of public convenience from the commissioner when such carrier is engaged solely in interstate commerce over the public highways of this state.