Texas Codes

Tex. Transp. Code § 502.040 (2026)

Registration Required; General Rule

✓ current as of May 2026
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Sec. 502.040. REGISTRATION REQUIRED; GENERAL RULE. (a) Not more than 30 days after purchasing a vehicle or becoming a resident of this state, the owner of a motor vehicle, trailer, or semitrailer shall apply for the registration of the vehicle for:

(1) each registration year in which the vehicle is used or to be used on a public highway; and

(2) if the vehicle is unregistered for a registration year that has begun and that applies to the vehicle and if the vehicle is used or to be used on a public highway, the remaining portion of that registration year.

(b) The application must be accompanied by personal identification as determined by department rule and made in a manner prescribed by the department through:

(1) the county assessor-collector of the county in which the owner resides; or

(2) any county assessor-collector who is willing to accept the application.

(c) A provision of this chapter that conflicts with this section prevails over this section to the extent of the conflict.

(d) A county assessor-collector, a deputy county assessor-collector, or a person acting on behalf of a county assessor-collector is not liable to any person for:

(1) refusing to register a vehicle because of the person's failure to submit evidence of residency that complies with the department's rules; or

(2) registering a vehicle under this section.

Transferred, redesignated and amended from Transportation Code, Section 502.002 by Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1296 (H.B. 2357), Sec. 78, eff. January 1, 2012.

Amended by:

Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1135 (H.B. 2741), Sec. 63, eff. September 1, 2013.

Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 968 (S.B. 2075), Sec. 4, eff. September 1, 2017.

Acts 2021, 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 592 (S.B. 876), Sec. 5, eff. March 1, 2022.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 18 cases (5 in the last 5 years), 2012–2024 · leading case: Lawrence S. Oleksy v. Farmers Ins. Exch., 410 S.W.3d 378 (Tex. App. 2013).
Lawrence S. Oleksy v. Farmers Ins. Exch., 410 S.W.3d 378 (Tex. App. 2013). · cites it 3× “Compare TEX. TRANSP. CODE ANN. § 502.040 (West 2012) (requiring registration of motor vehicle that “is used or to be used on a public highway”) with id.”
William Adrian Roberts v. State, 444 S.W.3d 770 (Tex. App. 2014). “See Tex. Transp. Code Ann. §§ 502.040 -.041, .”
RLI Ins. Co. v. Costello, 230 F. Supp. 3d 737 (S.D. Tex. 2017). “TEX. TRANSP. CODE ANN. § 502.040 (West 2013).”
Christopher Leverson v. State (Tex. App. 2016). · cites it 2× “25(a). After a jury trial in the municipal court of record, the jury found appellant guilty of all three offenses and assessed his punishment at fines totaling $750.”
Wesley Eugene Perkins v. State (Tex. App. 2015). · cites it 2× “See Tex. Transp. Code §§ 502.040, 548.602, 601.”
Untitled Texas Attorney Gen. Opinion (Tex. Att'y Gen. 2017). “TEX. TRANSP. CODE § 502.040(a). Chapters 502 and 520 of the Transportation Code' establish procedures for the registration of vehicles in Texas, assigning various responsibilities to the Department and to county assessor-collectors.”
Wesley Eugene Perkins v. State (Tex. App. 2017). “1 See Tex. Transp. Code §§ 502.040, 521.021, 521.”
Alexander Howell Turner v. State (Tex. App. 2018). “943 (Operation of Vehicle Without License Plate) (West Supp.”
State v. Christian Sortovillatoro (Tex. App. 2020). “See also TEX. TRANSP. CODE §§ 502.040, .471–.473 (listing various requirements and offenses relating to improper vehicle registration).”
Clarence Howard v. the State of Texas (Tex. App. 2021). “See Tex. Transp. Code Ann. §§ 502.040 (a) (Registration Required; General Rule); 502.”
Andrew Shirley Jr. v. the State of Texas (Tex. App. 2022). “Shirley also did not argue in the trial court that he did not evade arrest or detention, nor has he made this argument on appeal.”
City of Wichita v. Williamson, 430 P.3d 68 (Kan. Ct. App. 2018). “The City further admitted into evidence a record from the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles that indicated Williamson's registration had expired prior to the time Officer Donohue stopped it in Wichita.”
— Tex. Transp. Code § 502.040(a) — 6 cases
Christopher Leverson v. State (Tex. App. 2016). “25(a). After a jury trial in the municipal court of record, the jury found appellant guilty of all three offenses and assessed his punishment at fines totaling $750.”
Untitled Texas Attorney Gen. Opinion (Tex. Att'y Gen. 2017). “TEX. TRANSP. CODE § 502.040(a). Chapters 502 and 520 of the Transportation Code' establish procedures for the registration of vehicles in Texas, assigning various responsibilities to the Department and to county assessor-collectors.”
Alexander Howell Turner v. State (Tex. App. 2018). “943 (Operation of Vehicle Without License Plate) (West Supp.”
City of Wichita v. Williamson, 430 P.3d 68 (Kan. Ct. App. 2018). “The City further admitted into evidence a record from the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles that indicated Williamson's registration had expired prior to the time Officer Donohue stopped it in Wichita.”
— Tex. Transp. Code § 502.040(b)(2) — 1 case
Untitled Texas Attorney Gen. Opinion (Tex. Att'y Gen. 2012).
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