Vehicle owners must apply for registration within 30 days after buying a vehicle or moving into the state, and the application must include personal identification and be filed through a county assessor-collector.
Sec. 502.040. REGISTRATION REQUIRED; GENERAL RULE. (a) Not more than 30 days after purchasing a vehicle or becoming a resident of this state, the owner of a motor vehicle, trailer, or semitrailer shall apply for the registration of the vehicle for: (1) each registration year in which the vehicle is used or to be used on a public highway; and (2) if the vehicle is unregistered for a registration year that has begun and that applies to the vehicle and if the vehicle is used or to be used on a public highway, the remaining portion of that registration year. (b) The application must be accompanied by personal identification as determined by department rule and made in a manner prescribed by the department through: (1) the county assessor-collector of the county in which the owner resides; or (2) any county assessor-collector who is willing to accept the application. (c) A provision of this chapter that conflicts with this section prevails over this section to the extent of the conflict. (d) A county assessor-collector, a deputy county assessor-collector, or a person acting on behalf of a county assessor-collector is not liable to any person for: (1) refusing to register a vehicle because of the person's failure to submit evidence of residency that complies with the department's rules; or (2) registering a vehicle under this section. Transferred, redesignated and amended from Transportation Code, Section 502.002 by Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1296 (H.B. 2357), Sec. 78, eff. January 1, 2012. Amended by: Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1135 (H.B. 2741), Sec. 63, eff. September 1, 2013. Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 968 (S.B. 2075), Sec. 4, eff. September 1, 2017. Acts 2021, 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 592 (S.B. 876), Sec. 5, eff. March 1, 2022.