Section 215.144 - [Effective 7/1/2025] Vehicle Records(a) Purchases and sales records. A dealer and wholesale motor vehicle auction shall maintain a complete record of all vehicle purchases and sales for a minimum period of 48 months and make the record available for inspection and copying by the department during business hours.(b) Independent mobility motor vehicle dealers. An independent mobility motor vehicle dealer shall keep a complete written record of each vehicle purchase, vehicle sale, and any adaptive work performed on each vehicle for a minimum period of 36 months after the date the adaptive work is performed on the vehicle. An independent mobility motor vehicle dealer shall also retain and produce for inspection all records relating to license requirements under Occupations Code, §2301.002(17-b) and all information and records required under Transportation Code §503.0295.(c) Location of records. A dealer's record reflecting purchases and sales for the preceding 13 months must be maintained at the dealer's licensed location. Original titles are not required to be kept at the licensed location but must be made available to the agency upon reasonable request. A dealer's record for prior time periods may be kept off-site.(d) Request for records. Within 15 days of receiving a request from a representative of the department, a dealer shall deliver a copy of the specified records to the address listed in the request. If a dealer has a concern about the origin of a records request, the dealer may verify that request with the department prior to submitting its records.(e) Content of records. A dealer's complete record for each vehicle purchase or vehicle sale must contain:(1) the date of the purchase;(2) the date of the sale;(4) the name and address of the person selling the vehicle to the dealer;(5) the name and address of the person purchasing the vehicle from the dealer;(6) the name and address of the consignor if the vehicle is offered for sale by consignment;(7) except for a purchase or sale where the Tax Code does not require payment of motor vehicle sales tax, a county tax assessor-collector receipt marked paid;(8) a copy of all documents, forms, and agreements applicable to a particular sale, including a copy of: (A) the title application;(C) the front and back of the manufacturer's certificate of origin or manufacturer's statement of origin, unless the dealer obtains the title through webDEALER as defined in § 217.71 of this title (relating to Automated and Web-Based Vehicle Registration and Title Systems);(D) the front and back of the title for the purchase and the sale, unless the dealer enters or obtains the title through webDEALER as defined in § 217.71 of this title;(E) the factory invoice, if applicable;(G) the retail installment agreement;(K) any other agreement between the seller and purchaser;(L) the purchaser's photo identification;(M) the odometer disclosure statement signed by the buyer, unless the vehicle is exempt; and(N) the rebuilt salvage disclosure, if applicable.(9) the original manufacturer's certificate of origin, original manufacturer's statement of origin, or original title for a motor vehicle offered for sale by a dealer which must be properly stamped if the title transaction is entered into webDEALER as defined in § 217.71 of this title by the dealer;(10) the dealer's monthly Motor Vehicle Seller Financed Sales Returns, if any; and(11) if the vehicle sold is a motor home or a towable recreational vehicle subject to inspection under Transportation Code, Chapter 548, a copy of the written notice provided to the buyer at the time of the sale, notifying the buyer that the vehicle is subject to inspection requirements.(f) Title assignments. (1) For each vehicle a dealer acquires or offers for sale, the dealer must properly take assignment in the dealer's name of any:(B) manufacturer's statement of origin;(C) manufacturer's certificate of origin; or(D) other evidence of ownership.(2) Unless not required by Transportation Code, §501.0234(b), a dealer must apply in the name of the purchaser of a vehicle for the title and registration, as applicable, of the vehicle with a county tax assessor-collector.(3) To comply with Transportation Code, §501.0234(f), a title or registration is considered filed within a reasonable time if filed within: (A) 30 days of the vehicle sale date; or(B) 45 days of the vehicle sale date for a dealer-financed transaction; or(C) 60 days of the vehicle sale date for a vehicle purchased by a member or reserve member of the United States armed forces, Texas National Guard, or National Guard of another state serving on active duty.(4) The dealer is required to provide to the purchaser the receipt for the title and registration application.(5) The dealer is required to maintain a copy of the receipt for the title and registration application in the dealer's sales file.(g) Out-of-state sales. For a sale involving a vehicle to be transferred out of state, the dealer must: (1) within 30 days of the date of sale, either file the application for certificate of title on behalf of the purchaser or deliver the properly assigned evidence of ownership to the purchaser; and(2) maintain in the dealer's record at the dealer's licensed location a photocopy of the completed sales tax exemption form for out of state sales approved by the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts.(h) Consignment sales. A dealer offering a vehicle for sale by consignment must have a written consignment agreement or a power of attorney for the vehicle, and shall, after the sale of the vehicle, take assignment of the vehicle in the dealer's name and, pursuant to subsection (f), apply in the name of the purchaser for transfer of title and registration, if the vehicle is to be registered, with a county tax assessor-collector. The dealer must, for a minimum of 48 months, maintain a record of each vehicle offered for sale by consignment, including the VIN and the name of the owner of the vehicle offered for sale by consignment.(i) Public motor vehicle auctions. (1) A GDN holder that acts as a public motor vehicle auction must comply with subsection (h) of this section.(2) A public motor vehicle auction:(A) is not required to take assignment of title of a vehicle it offers for sale;(B) must take assignment of title of a vehicle from a consignor prior to making application for title on behalf of the buyer; and(C) must make application for title on behalf of the purchaser and remit motor vehicle sales tax within a reasonable time as defined in subsection (f) of this section.(3) A GDN holder may not sell another GDN holder's vehicle at a public motor vehicle auction.(j) Wholesale motor vehicle auction records. A wholesale motor vehicle auction license holder shall maintain, for a minimum of 48 months, a complete record of each vehicle purchase and sale occurring through the wholesale motor vehicle auction. The wholesale motor vehicle auction license holder shall make the record available for inspection and copying by the department during business hours. (1) A wholesale motor vehicle auction license holder shall maintain at the licensed location a record reflecting each purchase and sale for at least the preceding 24 months. Records for prior time periods may be kept off-site.(2) Within 15 days of receiving a department request, a wholesale motor vehicle auction license holder shall deliver a copy of the specified records to the address listed in the request.(3) A wholesale motor vehicle auction license holder's complete record of each vehicle purchase and sale must, at a minimum, contain: (C) the name and address of the person selling the vehicle;(D) the name and address of the person purchasing the vehicle;(E) the dealer's license number of both the selling dealer and the purchasing dealer, unless either is exempt from holding a license;(F) all information necessary to comply with the federal odometer disclosure requirements in 49 CFR Part 580;(G) auction access documents, including the written authorization and revocation of authorization for an agent or employee, in accordance with § 215.148 of this title (relating to Dealer Agents);(H) invoices, bills of sale, checks, drafts, or other documents that identify the vehicle, the parties, or the purchase price;(I) any information regarding the prior status of the vehicle such as the Reacquired Vehicle Disclosure Statement or other lemon law disclosures; and(J) a copy of any written authorization allowing an agent of a dealer to enter the auction.(k) Electronic records. A license holder may maintain a record in an electronic format if the license holder can print the record at the licensed location upon request by the department, except as provided by subsection (l) of this section.(l) Use of department electronic titling and registration systems: (1) webDEALER. A license holder utilizing the department's web-based title application known as webDEALER, as defined in § 217.71 of this title (relating to Automated and Web-Based Vehicle Registration and Title Systems), shall comply with § 217.74 of this title (relating to Access to and Use of webDEALER). Original hard copy titles are not required to be kept at the licensed location but must be made available to the department upon request.(2) License Plate System. A license holder must comply with § 215.151 of this title (relating to Buyer's License Plates General Use Requirements) regarding requirements to enter information into the department-designated electronic system for license plates.43 Tex. Admin. Code § 215.144
The provisions of this §215.144 adopted to be effective February 11, 2010, 35 TexReg 883; Amended by Texas Register, Volume 42, Number 06, February 10, 2017, TexReg 578, eff. 2/13/2017; Amended by Texas Register, Volume 43, Number 08, February 23, 2018, TexReg 1144, eff. 3/1/2018; Amended by Texas Register, Volume 49, Number 17, April 26, 2024, TexReg 2726, eff. 6/1/2024; Amended by Texas Register, Volume 49, Number 45, November 8, 2024, TexReg 8968, eff. 7/1/2025