Tex. Transportation Code § 502.003
This is the official text of Tex. Transportation Code § 502.003, part of Texas’s Transportation Code — governs vehicles, drivers, and roadways.
Not legal advice. This page reproduces the official text of a government statute for reference only. Laws change, and how a statute applies depends on your specific facts. For advice about your situation, consult a licensed attorney in your state.
§ 502.003. REGISTRATION BY POLITICAL SUBDIVISION PROHIBITED.
Official statutory text
(a) Except as provided by Subsection (b), a political subdivision of this state may not require an owner of a motor vehicle to:
(1) register the vehicle;
(2) pay a motor vehicle registration fee; or
(3) pay an occupation tax or license fee in connection with a motor vehicle.
(b) This section does not affect the authority of a municipality to:
(1) license and regulate the use of motor vehicles for compensation within the municipal limits; and
(2) impose a permit fee or street rental charge for the operation of each motor vehicle used to transport passengers for compensation, other than a motor vehicle operating under a registration certificate from the department or a permit from the federal Surface Transportation Board.
(c) A fee or charge under Subsection (b) may not exceed two percent of the annual gross receipts from the vehicle.
(d) This section does not impair the payment provisions of an agreement or franchise between a municipality and the owners or operators of motor vehicles used to transport passengers for compensation.
(1) register the vehicle;
(2) pay a motor vehicle registration fee; or
(3) pay an occupation tax or license fee in connection with a motor vehicle.
(b) This section does not affect the authority of a municipality to:
(1) license and regulate the use of motor vehicles for compensation within the municipal limits; and
(2) impose a permit fee or street rental charge for the operation of each motor vehicle used to transport passengers for compensation, other than a motor vehicle operating under a registration certificate from the department or a permit from the federal Surface Transportation Board.
(c) A fee or charge under Subsection (b) may not exceed two percent of the annual gross receipts from the vehicle.
(d) This section does not impair the payment provisions of an agreement or franchise between a municipality and the owners or operators of motor vehicles used to transport passengers for compensation.
Status: in_force · Read it on the official government site
Need a lawyer in Texas?
Find a Texas lawyer
About this page: Statute text is reproduced from official government publishers via the
Open US Law dataset
(Vaquill AI, snapshot v2026.08, CC BY 4.0). Primary legislative text like this is public domain under the government-edicts doctrine
(Georgia v. Public.Resource.Org, 2020). We link every section back to its official source so you can verify it independently.