No person may operate a vehicle, trailer, or semitrailer as a commercial motor vehicle on the public highways of this state with a gross weight of more than the gross weight fixed and determined by the person and for which the person has paid commercial motor vehicle fees and received a commercial motor vehicle certificate. A violation of this section is a Class 2 misdemeanor. Source: SDC 1939, § 44.0424; SL 1977, ch 249 , § 25; SL 1989, ch 255 , § 26; SL 1989, ch 264 , § 9.