P.R. Laws tit. 9, § 5623
The owner of a trailer or a semi-trailer shall be responsible for ensuring that said vehicle is in good working order and that the same complies with all the provisions of this chapter. The fines for violations of this chapter in these cases shall be adjudicated to the owner of the trailer or the semi-trailer, as determined by an attesting document.
In the case of trailers or semitrailer trucks belonging to or represented by shipping companies, the latter shall be liable for the administrative fines imposed to said trailers. The handing of the ticket to the driver of the trailer truck shall be deemed as sufficient notice to the owner of the trailer or semitrailer truck; the license plate of the trailer or semitrailer; the name of the company generating the cargo or the maritime shipping company, the control number of the manifest (bill of lading) related to said freight and the name of the consignee of the freight.
In the case it should it be impossible to identify the owner of the trailer or semi-trailer, the driver shall not move the same and the Puerto Rico Police shall assume its custody. The Puerto Rico Police shall establish through regulations the procedure to notify the owner and to remove the trailer or semi-trailer.
The issue of the traffic ticket or fine to the driver shall be deemed sufficient notice as to the fact that the latter is liable for the ticket. If the responsibility falls on any other entity among those provided in this chapter, the driver of the heavy vehicle shall be bound to deliver one (1) of the two (2) copies thereof to the Maritime Shipping Company so as to also notify the latter, in these cases the tickets shall be remitted by the Secretary of Transportation and Public Works to the person liable for the ticket to his/her official address, who shall then have the opportunity of exercising the government recourse provided by law to appeal the ticket issued, if necessary. Said ticket or fine shall include the license plate of the trailer or semi-trailer; the name of the company generator of the cargo or of the maritime shipping company; the control number of the waybill, of the bill of lading or of the “Trailer Interchange Receipt (TIR)/Inspection Report” and the name of the addressee of the cargo; the administrative fault or infraction committed or any other information provided by the Secretary through regulations.
History —Jan. 7, 2000, No. 22, § 22.03, renumbered as § 21.03 and amended on June 3, 2004, No. 132, §§ 17, 22; Aug. 19, 2005, No. 57, § 5.