Court Opinions

State Laws

US Code

US Constitution

Texas Transportation Code - Section 502.185. Refusal To Register Vehicle In Certain Counties

Legal Research Home > Texas Lawyer > Transportation Code > Texas Transportation Code - Section 502.185. Refusal To Register Vehicle In Certain Counties

§ 502.185. REFUSAL TO REGISTER VEHICLE IN CERTAIN 
COUNTIES.  (a) A county assessor-collector or the department may 
refuse to register a motor vehicle if the assessor-collector or the 
department receives information that the owner of the vehicle owes 
the county money for a fine, fee, or tax that is past due.
	(b)  A county may contract with the department to provide 
information to the department necessary to make a determination 
under Subsection (a).
	(c)  A county that has a contract under Subsection (b) shall 
notify the department regarding a person for whom the county 
assessor-collector or the department has refused to register a 
motor vehicle on:
		(1)  the person's payment or other means of discharge of 
the past due fine, fee, or tax;  or
		(2)  perfection of an appeal of the case contesting 
payment of the fine, fee, or tax.
	(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.
	(f)  A county that has a contract under Subsection (b) may 
impose an additional fee to a person paying a fine, fee, or tax to 
the county after it is past due.  The additional fee may be used only 
to reimburse the department for its expenses for providing services 
under the contract.
	(g)  In this section:                                                          
		(1)  a fine, fee, or tax is considered past due if it is 
unpaid 90 or more days after the date it is due;  and
		(2)  registration of a motor vehicle includes renewal 
of the registration of the vehicle.
	(h)  This section does not apply to the registration of a 
motor vehicle under Section 501.0234.

Added by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 192, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1997.  
Amended by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 97, § 1, eff. May 17, 1999.

Last modified: August 11, 2007