Tex. Transportation Code § 521.241
This is the official text of Tex. Transportation Code § 521.241, 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.
§ 521.241. DEFINITIONS.
Official statutory text
In this subchapter:
(1) "Essential need" means a need of a person to operate a motor vehicle:
(A) in the performance of an occupation or trade or for transportation to and from the place at which the person practices the person's occupation or trade;
(B) in the pursuit of an occupation or trade;
(C) for transportation to and from an educational facility in which the person is enrolled; or
(D) in the performance of essential household duties.
(2) "Ignition interlock device" means a device that uses a deep-lung breath analysis mechanism to make impractical the operation of a motor vehicle if ethyl alcohol is detected in the breath of the operator of the vehicle.
(3) "Offense relating to the operating of a motor vehicle while intoxicated" has the meaning assigned by Section 49.09, Penal Code.
(1) "Essential need" means a need of a person to operate a motor vehicle:
(A) in the performance of an occupation or trade or for transportation to and from the place at which the person practices the person's occupation or trade;
(B) in the pursuit of an occupation or trade;
(C) for transportation to and from an educational facility in which the person is enrolled; or
(D) in the performance of essential household duties.
(2) "Ignition interlock device" means a device that uses a deep-lung breath analysis mechanism to make impractical the operation of a motor vehicle if ethyl alcohol is detected in the breath of the operator of the vehicle.
(3) "Offense relating to the operating of a motor vehicle while intoxicated" has the meaning assigned by Section 49.09, Penal Code.
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.