The county assessor-collector or department may refuse vehicle registration in limited warrant cases, but must stop refusing once notice is received. Municipalities may contract for the needed information and may charge a $20 reimbursement fee in covered cases.
Sec. 702.003. REFUSAL TO REGISTER VEHICLE. (a) A county assessor-collector or the department may refuse to register a motor vehicle if the assessor-collector or the department receives under a contract information from a municipality that the owner of the vehicle has an outstanding warrant from that municipality for failure to appear or failure to pay a fine on a complaint that involves the violation of a traffic law. (b) A municipality may contract with a county in which the municipality is located or the department to provide information to the county assessor-collector or department necessary to make a determination under Subsection (a). (c) A municipality that has a contract under Subsection (b) shall notify the county assessor-collector or the department regarding a person for whom the county assessor-collector or the department has refused to register a motor vehicle on: (1) entry of a judgment against the person and the person's payment to the court of the fine for the violation and of all court costs; (2) perfection of an appeal of the case for which the arrest warrant was issued; or (3) dismissal of the charge for which the arrest warrant was issued. (d) After notice is received under Subsection (c), the county assessor-collector or the department may not refuse to register the motor vehicle under Subsection (a). (e) A contract under Subsection (b) must be entered into in accordance with Chapter 791, Government Code, and is subject to the ability of the parties to provide or pay for the services required under the contract. (e-1) A municipality that has a contract under Subsection (b) may impose an additional $20 reimbursement fee to a person who has an outstanding warrant from the municipality for failure to appear or failure to pay a fine on a complaint that involves the violation of a traffic law. The additional reimbursement fee may be used only to reimburse the department or the county assessor-collector for its expenses for providing services under the contract, or another county department for expenses related to services under the contract. (f) This section does not apply to the registration of a motor vehicle under Section 501.0234. Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995. Amended by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 30.160(b), eff. Sept. 1, 1997. Amended by: Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 542 (S.B. 1617), Sec. 3, eff. September 1, 2009. Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1094 (S.B. 1386), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2011. Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1352 (S.B. 346), Sec. 2.77, eff. January 1, 2020.