§437-2  Licenses.  (a)  No person shall
engage in the business as or serve in the capacity of, or act as a motor
vehicle dealer, salesperson, auction, manufacturer, or distributor in this
State, or otherwise engage in the business of selling or negotiating for the
purchase of motor vehicles in this State without being licensed as provided in
this chapter.  A license issued under this chapter shall authorize the holder
to engage in the business or activities permitted by the license, only in the
county for which the license is issued.



(b)  A license issued under this chapter shall
authorize the holder to engage in the same business at branch locations in the
same county for which the license is issued during the term thereof; provided
that each branch location of a motor vehicle dealer is approved by the board.



(c)  A dealer's license issued to a sole
proprietorship or partnership shall authorize the sole proprietor or general
partner to engage in the business of a salesperson without a license therefor,
only for and in the business of the holder of the dealer's license and only for
the county in which the license is issued.



(d)  In the event of the dissolution of a
partnership, holding a current license issued under this chapter, due to the
death of one or more partners, the surviving partners may operate the business
under the license for the remaining effective term of the license but not to
exceed sixty days.  In the event of the death or bankruptcy of the holder of a
current license issued under this chapter, the duly appointed personal
representative or receiver or trustee in bankruptcy, whichever the case may be,
may operate the business under the license for the remaining effective term of
the license.



(e)  Notwithstanding any provisions of this
chapter, the authority of any state or county agency to purchase motor vehicles
for state or county use from any dealer licensed under this chapter shall not
be limited or conditioned.  Any dealer licensed under this chapter may sell
vehicles to any state or county agency. [L 1939, c 258, §2; RL 1945, §7362; am
L 1951, c 90, pt of §1; RL 1955, §160-161; am L 1957, c 302, §1(2); am L 1961,
c 59, §1(2); am L 1963, c 199, §1b; HRS §437-2; am L 1969, c 263, §1(4); am L
1976, c 200, pt of §1; am L 1992, c 45, §1; gen ch 1992; am L 1996, c 264, §3;
am L 2003, c 126, §4]