Sec. 501.023. APPLICATION FOR TITLE.

(a) The owner of a motor vehicle must present identification and apply for a title as prescribed by the department, unless otherwise exempted by law. To obtain a title, the owner must apply:

(1) to the county assessor-collector in the county in which:

(A) the owner is domiciled; or

(B) the motor vehicle is purchased or encumbered; or

(2) to the county assessor-collector of a county who is willing to accept the application if the county assessor-collector's office of the county in which the owner resides is closed or may be closed for a protracted period of time as defined by the department.

(b) The assessor-collector shall send the application to the department or enter it into the department's titling system within 72 hours after receipt of the application.

(c) The owner or a lessee of a commercial motor vehicle operating under the International Registration Plan or other agreement described by Section 502.091 that is applying for a title for purposes of registration only may apply directly to the department. Notwithstanding Section 501.138(a), an applicant for registration under this subsection shall pay the fee imposed by that section. The fee shall be distributed to the appropriate county assessor-collector in the manner provided by Section 501.138.

(d) An application filed by the owner or lessee of a foreign commercial motor vehicle, as defined by Section 648.001, must be accompanied by a copy of the applicable federal declaration form required by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration or its successor in connection with the importation of a motor vehicle or motor vehicle equipment subject to the federal motor vehicle safety, bumper, and theft prevention standards.

(e) Applications submitted to the department electronically must request the purchaser's choice of county as stated in Subsection (a) as the recipient of all taxes, fees, and other revenue collected as a result of the transaction.

Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995. Amended by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 1423, Sec. 2, eff. Sept. 1, 1999.

Amended by:

Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 919 (H.B. 2985), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2009.

Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1290 (H.B. 2017), Sec. 22, eff. September 1, 2011.

Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1296 (H.B. 2357), Sec. 9, eff. January 1, 2012.

Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1296 (H.B. 2357), Sec. 10, eff. January 1, 2012.

Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1135 (H.B. 2741), Sec. 43, eff. September 1, 2013.

Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 969 (S.B. 2076), Sec. 5, eff. September 1, 2017.