File retention responsibilities of Department of Motor Vehicles

(a) For each record relating to a certificate of title submitted to the Department of Motor Vehicles, the department shall: (1) Maintain the hull identification number and all the information submitted with the application pursuant to subsection (b) of section 15-207 to which the record relates, including the date and time the record was delivered to the department; (2) Maintain the files for public inspection; and (3) Index the files of the department pursuant to subsection (b) of this section. (b) The department shall maintain in its files the information contained in all certificates of title created pursuant to section 15-208. The information in the files of the department shall be searchable by the hull identification number for the vessel, the vessel number, the name of the owner of record and any other method used by the department. (c) The department shall maintain in its files, for each vessel for which it has created a certificate of title, all title brands known to the department, the name of each secured party known to the department, the name of each person known to the department to be claiming an ownership interest and all stolen property reports the department has received. (d) Upon request, for safety, security or law enforcement purposes, the department shall provide to federal, state or local government the information in its files relating to any vessel for which the department has issued a certificate of title. (e) Except as otherwise provided by the general statutes, the information required pursuant to section 15-209 is a public record.