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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the transfer of registration and removal of license |
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plates for the sale or transfer of used vehicles. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 502.180(b), Transportation Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(b) Subject to Subchapter I, the [The] department shall |
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issue only one license plate or set of plates for a vehicle during a |
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five-year period. |
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SECTION 2. Chapter 502, Transportation Code, is amended by |
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adding Subchapter I to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER I. REGISTRATION TRANSFER AND REMOVAL OF LICENSE PLATES |
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FOR THE SALE OR TRANSFER OF USED VEHICLES |
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Sec. 502.451. TRANSFER OF VEHICLE REGISTRATION AND REMOVAL |
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OF LICENSE PLATES. (a) On the sale or transfer of a motor vehicle, |
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the seller or transferor may remove each license plate and the |
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registration insignia issued for the motor vehicle. |
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(b) A license plate removed from a motor vehicle under |
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Subsection (a) must be: |
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(1) disposed of in the manner specified by the |
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department; or |
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(2) transferred to another vehicle owned by the seller |
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or transferor as provided by Section 502.453. |
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(c) The part of the registration period remaining at the |
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time of the sale or transfer shall continue with the vehicle being |
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sold or transferred and does not transfer with the license plates or |
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registration validation insignia. To continue the remainder of the |
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registration period, the purchaser or transferee must file the |
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documents required under Section 520.031. |
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Sec. 502.452. REGISTRATION OF VEHICLE WITH JOINT OWNERS. |
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Notwithstanding Section 502.451, if a motor vehicle is registered |
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in the names of two or more persons, the license plates and |
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registration insignia are not required to be removed on the change |
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of ownership of the vehicle if any of the resultant owners is a |
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person named in the registration records of the department as an |
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owner of the vehicle at the time of its sale or transfer. |
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Sec. 502.453. TRANSFER OF REMOVED PLATES. (a) A person may |
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use license plates removed from a vehicle under Section 502.451 on |
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another motor vehicle that is titled in the person's name after the |
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person: |
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(1) obtains: |
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(A) the department's approval of an application |
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to transfer the license plates; and |
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(B) a new registration insignia for the motor |
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vehicle; and |
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(2) pays the appropriate fees required under Section |
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502.454. |
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(b) A person may use the license plates removed from a motor |
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vehicle under Section 502.451 on a new motor vehicle purchased from |
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a dealer licensed under Chapter 503 after the person: |
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(1) obtains the department's approval of a title and |
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registration application; and |
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(2) pays the applicable title and vehicle registration |
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fees and the transfer fee required under Section 502.454. |
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Sec. 502.454. FEES REQUIRED FOR TRANSFER OF LICENSE PLATE |
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AND REGISTRATION INSIGNIA. The fee for transferring license plates |
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and receiving a new registration insignia under this subchapter |
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from one motor vehicle to another vehicle that is titled in the name |
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of the transferor is $5.00. |
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Sec. 502.455. TEMPORARY PERMIT FOR A VEHICLE PURCHASED IN A |
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PRIVATE PARTY TRANSACTION. (a) A purchaser or transferee may |
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obtain from the department a temporary single-trip permit to |
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operate a motor vehicle: |
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(1) that is subject to registration in this state; |
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(2) from which the license plates and the registration |
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insignia have been removed as required by Section 502.451; and |
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(3) that is not authorized to travel on a public |
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roadway because the required license plates and the registration |
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insignia are not attached to the vehicle. |
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(b) The department may issue the permit in accordance with |
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this section. |
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(c) A permit issued under this section is valid for one trip |
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between the point of origin and the destination and those |
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intermediate points specified in the permit. |
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(d) A permit issued under this section may not be valid for |
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longer than a five-day period. |
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(e) A person may obtain a permit under this section by |
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applying, on a form provided by the department, to the department. |
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Application may be made using the department's Internet website. |
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(f) A person is eligible to receive only one permit under |
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this section for a motor vehicle. |
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(g) A permit receipt issued under this section must be on a |
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form provided by the department. The receipt must contain the |
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information required by this section and shall be carried in the |
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vehicle at all times during which it is valid. |
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(h) The department may refuse to issue a permit under this |
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section for any vehicle if in the department's opinion the |
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applicant has been involved in operations that constitute an abuse |
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of the privilege granted under this section. |
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Sec. 502.456. APPLICATION OF SUBCHAPTER; TEMPORARY |
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PROVISION. (a) This subchapter applies only to passenger cars and |
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light trucks. |
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(b) To be eligible for transfer under this subchapter, |
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license plates must be appropriate for the class of vehicle to which |
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the plates are being transferred. |
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(c) This section expires August 31, 2011. |
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Sec. 502.457. DEPARTMENT SUPPORT. (a) The department may |
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enter into a system design contract to determine the feasibility |
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and benefits of an electronic registration and title system to |
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facilitate the registration and titling of motor vehicles under |
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this subchapter. |
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(b) Subsection (a) may not be construed to authorize the |
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department to implement a system or enter into a contract for the |
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implementation of a system that affects the issuance of temporary |
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license tags under Chapter 503. |
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SECTION 3. Section 520.021, Transportation Code, is |
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repealed. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect January 1, 2008. |
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