Sec. 502.0023. EXTENDED REGISTRATION OF COMMERCIAL FLEET VEHICLES. (a) Notwithstanding Section 502.044(c), the department shall develop and implement a system of registration to allow an owner of a commercial fleet to register the motor vehicles, semitrailers, and trailers in the commercial fleet for an extended registration period of not less than one year or more than eight years. The owner may select the number of years for registration under this section within that range and register the commercial fleet for that period. Payment for all registration fees for the entire registration period selected is due at the time of registration.

(b) A system of extended registration under this section must allow the owner of a commercial fleet to register:

(1) an entire commercial fleet in the county of the owner's residence or principal place of business; or

(2) the motor vehicles in a commercial fleet that are operated most regularly in the same county.

(c) In addition to the registration fees prescribed by this chapter, an owner registering a commercial fleet under this section shall pay:

(1) a one-time fee of $10 per motor vehicle, semitrailer, or trailer in the fleet; and

(2) except as provided by Subsection (e), a one-time license plate manufacturing fee of $1.50 for each fleet motor vehicle, semitrailer, or trailer license plate.

(c-1) A fee collected under Subsection (c) shall be deposited to the credit of the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles fund.

(d) A license plate issued under this section:

(1) may, on request of the owner, include the name or logo of the business entity that owns the vehicle;

(2) except as provided by Subsection (d-1), must include the expiration date of the registration period; and

(3) does not require an annual registration insignia to be valid.

(d-1) The department shall issue a license plate for a token trailer registered under this section that does not expire. The alphanumeric pattern for a license plate issued under this subsection may remain on a token trailer for as long as the registration of the token trailer is renewed or until the token trailer is removed from service or sold. The registration receipt required under Section 621.002 is not required for a vehicle that displays a license plate issued under this subsection.

(e) In addition to all other applicable registration fees, an owner registering a commercial fleet under this section shall pay a one-time license plate manufacturing fee of $8 for each set of plates issued that includes on the legend the name or logo of the business entity that owns the vehicle instead of the fee imposed by Subsection (c)(2). A license plate manufacturing fee collected under this section shall be deposited to the credit of the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles fund.

(f) If a motor vehicle registered under this section has a gross weight in excess of 10,000 pounds, the department shall also issue a registration card for the vehicle that is valid for the selected registration period.

(g) The department shall adopt rules to implement this section, including rules on suspension from the commercial fleet program for failure to comply with this section or rules adopted under this section.

(h) The department and the counties in their budgeting processes shall consider any temporary increases and resulting decreases in revenue that will result from the use of the process provided under this section.

(i) The department may provide for credits for fleet registration.

(j) A motor vehicle, semitrailer, or trailer registered under this section is subject to the inspection requirements of Chapter 548 as if the vehicle, semitrailer, or trailer were registered without extended registration. The department and the Department of Public Safety shall by rule establish a method to enforce the inspection requirements of Chapter 548 for motor vehicles, semitrailers, and trailers registered under this section. The department may assess a fee to cover the department's administrative costs of implementing this subsection.

Added by Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 1173 (H.B. 3433), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2009.

Added by Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 1232 (S.B. 1759), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2009.

Amended by:

Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1296 (H.B. 2357), Sec. 74, eff. January 1, 2012.

Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1296 (H.B. 2357), Sec. 75, eff. January 1, 2012.

Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 252 (H.B. 511), Sec. 1, eff. June 14, 2013.

Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1291 (H.B. 2305), Sec. 11, eff. March 1, 2015.

Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 968 (S.B. 2075), Sec. 3, eff. September 1, 2017.