After July 1, 1951, no owner of any vehicle registered and licensed under the Louisiana Vehicle Registration License Tax Law, Chapter 4 of Subtitle II of Title 47 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950 shall operate any such vehicle upon any public road, highway or bridge in this state, without first applying for a certificate of title therefor, nor shall he so operate any such vehicle upon which the certificate of title has been cancelled; nor shall any other person operate such vehicle upon any public road, highway or bridge in this state, knowing or having reason to believe that the owner has failed to obtain a certificate of title therefor, or that same has been cancelled.
Provided, however, that the commissioner is hereby vested with discretion to grant extension of such general compliance date, upon reasonable grounds, for a reasonable period not exceeding three months, and may thereafter grant a further extension, upon reasonable grounds, not exceeding two months.