(a) The lessee of a motor vehicle, but not the lessor of a motor vehicle, shall be deemed a motor carrier for the purposes of this article unless otherwise specifically provided in this Code section.

(b) A lessor of motor vehicles may be deemed a motor carrier with respect to motor vehicles leased to others by him and with respect to motor fuel consumed by the motor vehicles when the lessor supplies or pays for the motor fuel consumed by the motor vehicles or makes rental or other charges calculated to include the cost of the motor fuel. The commissioner shall provide by rules and regulations for the presentation to other motor carriers and to the general public of satisfactory evidence and identification of the motor carrier status. Any lessee motor carrier may exclude from his reports pursuant to this article motor vehicles of which he is the lessee when the motor vehicles have been leased from a lessor who is a motor carrier pursuant to this Code section.

(c) Subsections (a) and (b) of this Code section shall govern primary liability of lessors and lessees of motor vehicles pursuant to this article. If a lessor or lessee who is primarily liable fails in whole or in part to discharge this liability, the failing party or other lessor or lessee party to the transaction shall be jointly and severally responsible and liable for compliance with this article and for the payment of any tax due pursuant to this article. The aggregate amount of any taxes collected by the state pursuant to this article, however, shall not exceed the total amount of tax due on the account of the transaction in question together with any costs and penalties imposed.