The department must register eligible motor carriers, issue one certificate with one registration number, and adopt simplified registration procedures for certain household-goods agents. It may also deny registrations in several listed situations.
Sec. 643.054. DEPARTMENT APPROVAL AND DENIAL; ISSUANCE OF CERTIFICATE. (a) The department shall register a motor carrier under this subchapter if the carrier complies with Sections 643.052 and 643.053. (a-1) The department may deny a registration if the applicant has had a registration revoked under Section 643.252. (a-2) The department may deny a registration if the applicant is owned, operated, managed, or otherwise controlled by or affiliated with a person, including a family member, corporate officer, entity, or shareholder, that the Department of Public Safety has determined has: (1) an unsatisfactory safety rating under 49 C.F.R. Part 385; or (2) multiple violations of Chapter 644, a rule adopted under that chapter, or Subtitle C, other than Section 545.455(c). (a-3) The department may deny a registration if the applicant is owned, operated, managed, or otherwise controlled by or affiliated with a person, including a family member, corporate officer, entity, or shareholder, that: (1) owned, operated, managed, or otherwise controlled a motor carrier that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has placed out of service for unacceptable safety compliance; or (2) has unpaid administrative penalties assessed under this chapter or Subtitle E. (b) The department shall issue a certificate containing a single registration number to a motor carrier, regardless of the number of vehicles requiring registration the carrier operates. (c) To avoid multiple registrations of a single motor carrier, the department shall adopt simplified procedures for the registration of motor carriers transporting household goods as agents for carriers required to register under this chapter. Added by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 30.150(a), eff. Sept. 1, 1997. Amended by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 62, Sec. 17.12(a), eff. Sept. 1, 1999. Amended by: Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1135 (H.B. 2741), Sec. 122, eff. September 1, 2013. Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1135 (H.B. 2741), Sec. 123, eff. September 1, 2013. Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 703 (H.B. 3254), Sec. 2, eff. January 1, 2018. Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1034 (S.B. 2807), Sec. 8, eff. September 1, 2025.