This section says what happens to vehicle registration when a vehicle is sold or transferred, including removal of the registration insignia and when the remaining registration period continues or expires.
Sec. 502.491. TRANSFER OF VEHICLE REGISTRATION. (a) On the sale or transfer of a vehicle, the registration insignia issued for the vehicle shall be removed. The registration period remaining at the time of sale or transfer expires at the time of sale or transfer. (b) On a sale or transfer of a vehicle in which neither party holds a general distinguishing number issued under Chapter 503, the part of the registration period remaining at the time of the sale or transfer shall continue with the vehicle being sold or transferred and does not transfer with the license plates or registration validation insignia. To continue the remainder of the registration period, the purchaser or transferee must file the documents required under Section 501.145. (c) On the sale or transfer of a vehicle to a dealer, as defined by Section 503.001, who holds a general distinguishing number issued under Chapter 503, the registration period remaining at the time of the sale or transfer expires at the time of the sale or transfer. On the sale of a used vehicle by a dealer, the dealer shall issue to the buyer new registration documents for an entire registration year. (d) If the transferor has paid for more than one year of registration, the department may credit the transferor for any time remaining on the registration in annual increments. Added by Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 101 (H.B. 310), Sec. 2, eff. January 1, 2008. Amended by: Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 432 (S.B. 1057), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2011. Transferred, redesignated and amended from Transportation Code, Section 502.451 by Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1296 (H.B. 2357), Sec. 163, eff. January 1, 2012. Reenacted and amended by Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 161 (S.B. 1093), Sec. 20.014, eff. September 1, 2013. Reenacted and amended by Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1135 (H.B. 2741), Sec. 75, eff. September 1, 2013.