This section sets rules for specialty license plates, including how the department designs them, how applications are submitted, when plates may be issued or refused, fee handling, and when a plate must be returned or cannot be transferred.
Sec. 504.008. SPECIALTY LICENSE PLATES. (a) The department shall prepare the designs and specifications of specialty license plates. (b) Any motor vehicle other than a vehicle manufactured for off-highway use only is eligible to be issued specialty license plates, provided that the department may vary the design of a license plate to accommodate or reflect its use on a motor vehicle other than a passenger car or light truck. (c) An application for specialty license plates must be submitted in the manner specified by the department, provided that if issuance of a specialty license plate is limited to particular persons or motor vehicles, the application must be accompanied by evidence satisfactory to the department that the applicant or the applicant's vehicle is eligible. (d) Each fee described by this chapter is an annual fee, provided that the department may prorate the fee for a specialty license plate fee on a monthly basis to align the license plate fee to the registration month for the motor vehicle for which the license plate was issued, and if a fee is prorated the allocation of the fee by this chapter to an account or fund shall be prorated in proportion. (e) The director or the director's designee may refuse to issue a specialty license plate with a design or alphanumeric pattern that the director or designee considers potentially objectionable to one or more members of the public and the director or designee's refusal may not be overturned in the absence of an abuse of discretion. (f) For each specialty license plate that is issued by a county assessor-collector and for which the department is allocated a portion of the fee for administrative costs, the department shall credit 50 cents from its administrative costs to the county treasurer of the applicable county, who shall credit the money to the general fund of the county to defray the costs to the county of administering this chapter. (g) If the owner of a motor vehicle for which a specialty license plate is issued disposes of the vehicle or for any reason ceases to be eligible for that specialty license plate, the owner shall return the specialty license plate to the department. (h) A person who is issued a specialty license plate may not transfer the plate to another person or vehicle unless the department approves the transfer. Added by Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1296 (H.B. 2357), Sec. 173, eff. January 1, 2012.