Sec. 503.0631. BUYER'S TEMPORARY TAG DATABASE. (a) The department shall develop and maintain a secure, real-time database of information on persons to whom temporary buyer's tags are issued that may be used by a law enforcement agency in the same manner that the agency uses vehicle registration information. The database shall be managed by the vehicle titles and registration division of the department.

(b) The database must allow law enforcement agencies to use a vehicle-specific number assigned to and displayed on the tag as required by Section 503.063(e)(2) to obtain information about the person to whom the tag was issued.

(c) Except as provided by Subsection (d), before a buyer's temporary tag may be displayed on a vehicle, a dealer must enter into the database through the Internet information about the buyer of the vehicle for which the tag was issued as prescribed by the department and generate a vehicle-specific number for the tag as required by Section 503.063(e). The department may not deny access to the database to any dealer who holds a general distinguishing number issued under this chapter or who is licensed under Chapter 2301, Occupations Code.

(d) A dealer shall obtain 24-hour Internet access at its place of business, but if the dealer is unable to access the Internet at the time of the sale of a vehicle, the dealer shall complete and sign a form, as prescribed by the department, that states the dealer has Internet access, but was unable to access the Internet at the time of sale. The buyer shall keep the original copy of the form in the vehicle until the vehicle is registered to the buyer. Not later than the next business day after the time of sale, the dealer shall submit the information required under Subsection (c).

(e) The department shall adopt rules and prescribe procedures as necessary to implement this section.

(f) The dealer may charge a reasonable fee not to exceed $20 for costs associated with complying with this section.

Added by Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 258 (S.B. 11), Sec. 8.06, eff. September 1, 2007.

Added by Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1336 (S.B. 1786), Sec. 6, eff. September 1, 2007.

Amended by:

Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 793 (S.B. 1235), Sec. 10, eff. September 1, 2009.