80R1855 JTS-D

By: Goolsby H.B. No. 226

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the transfer of registration and license plates between vehicles with the same owner.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 502.180(b), Transportation Code, is amended to read as follows:

(b) Subject to Subchapter I, the [The] department shall issue only one license plate or set of plates for a vehicle during a five-year period.

SECTION 2. Chapter 502, Transportation Code, is amended by adding Subchapter I to read as follows: SUBCHAPTER I. REGISTRATION EXPIRATION OR TRANSFER UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES AND TRANSFER OF LICENSE PLATES

Sec. 502.451. EXPIRATION OF REGISTRATION ON TRANSFER OR DESTRUCTION OF VEHICLE. (a) Notwithstanding Section 502.158, a vehicle's registration expires on the date on which:

(1) ownership of the vehicle is transferred; or

(2) the vehicle is destroyed.

(b) The transferor of a transferred vehicle or the owner of a destroyed vehicle shall remove the license plates from the transferred or destroyed vehicle and:

(1) surrender the plates to the department; or

(2) transfer the plates to another vehicle under Section 502.454.

Sec. 502.452. REGISTRATION OF VEHICLE WITH JOINT OWNERS. (a) The registration of a vehicle registered in the names of two or more persons, as partners or otherwise, does not expire on a change in ownership of the vehicle as long as any of the persons named in the registration as owners of the vehicle is the owner or part owner of the vehicle. If any change in the ownership of the vehicle occurs and the registration does not expire, the owner or owners must:

(1) file with the department a statement of the ownership of the vehicle as required by department rule; and

(2) pay a fee of $7.75.

(b) In addition to the fee required by Subsection (a)(2), the owner of a vehicle described by Subsection (a) must pay an additional fee of $2. This subsection expires September 1, 2009.

Sec. 502.453. PLATES ON VEHICLE TAKEN OUT OF STATE. If a vehicle is permanently removed from this state, the owner may remove the license plates from that vehicle and may use the plates on another vehicle as provided by Section 502.454.

Sec. 502.454. TRANSFER OF REMOVED PLATES. (a) A person may use license plates removed from a vehicle under Section 502.451 or 502.453 on another vehicle currently registered to the person if the person, when registering the vehicle:

(1) submits an application on a form prescribed by the department;

(2) pays a transfer fee of $7.75; and

(3) pays the amount, if any, that the annual fee for registration of the vehicle exceeds the annual fee for the registration of the vehicle from which the plates were removed for each day or fraction of a day remaining in the unexpired registration period.

(b) The department shall issue a new registration insignia for a vehicle to which license plates are transferred under this section.

(c) If the license plates of the vehicle from which the plates were removed are not appropriate for the vehicle being registered, the department shall, on surrender of the inappropriate plates, issue appropriate license plates.

(d) In addition to the transfer fee required by Subsection (a)(2), a person who transfers a license plate under Subsection (a) shall pay an additional fee of $2. This subsection expires September 1, 2009.

Sec. 502.455. TRANSFER OF PLATES BETWEEN VEHICLES WITH SAME OWNER. (a) The owner of a registered vehicle may transfer the registration and, if appropriate, the plates of the vehicle to a second vehicle owned by the person if the person:

(1) submits an application on a form prescribed by the department;

(2) pays a transfer fee of $7.75; and

(3) pays the amount, if any, that the annual fee for registration of the vehicle exceeds the annual fee for the registration of the second vehicle for each day or fraction of a day remaining in the unexpired registration period.

(b) A person who transfers registration under Subsection (a) must:

(1) cancel the registration for the second vehicle and surrender the plates on the second vehicle to the department; or

(2) transfer the registration and plates on the second vehicle to a third vehicle.

(c) The department shall issue a new registration insignia for a vehicle to which license plates are transferred under this section.

(d) If the license plates of one vehicle are not appropriate for another vehicle, the department shall, on surrender of the inappropriate license plates, issue appropriate license plates.

(e) In addition to the transfer fee required by Subsection (a)(2), a person who transfers registration under Subsection (a) must pay an additional fee of $2. This subsection expires September 1, 2009.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2007 .