Tex. Transportation Code § 502.040
This is the official text of Tex. Transportation Code § 502.040, 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.
§ 502.040. REGISTRATION REQUIRED; GENERAL RULE.
Official statutory text
(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.
(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.
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.