Sec. 501.117. ELECTRONIC LIEN SYSTEM. (a) The department by rule shall develop a system under which a security interest in a motor vehicle may be perfected, assigned, discharged, and canceled electronically instead of by record maintained on a certificate of title. The department may establish categories of lienholders that may participate in the system and, except as provided by this section, may require a lienholder to participate in the system.

(b) The department shall publish and distribute procedures for using the system to county assessor-collectors and to financial institutions and other potential motor vehicle lienholders.

(c) The provisions of this chapter relating to perfecting, assigning, discharging, and canceling a security interest in a motor vehicle by record maintained on a certificate of title do not apply to the extent the security interest is governed by rules adopted under this section.

(d) The department may not require a depository institution, as defined by Section 180.002, Finance Code, to participate in the system if the department has issued fewer than 100 notifications of security interests in motor vehicles to the depository institution during a calendar year.

(e) The department by rule shall establish a reasonable schedule for compliance with the requirements of Subsection (a) for each category of lienholder that the department requires to participate in the system.

(f) The department may not:

(1) prohibit a lienholder from using an intermediary to access the system; or

(2) require a lienholder to use an intermediary to access the system.

Added by Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 505, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 2001.

Amended by:

Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 813 (H.B. 2575), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2011.