Section 215.151 - [Effective 7/1/2025] License Plate General Use Requirements(a) If a buyer purchases a vehicle to be registered in Texas, a dealer must secure, or a government agency may secure, a license plate to the vehicle in accordance with § 217.27 of this title (relating to Vehicle Registration Insignia) and update the license plate system accordingly. (1) A dealer must secure, or a governmental agency may secure, a buyer-provided license plate on the purchased vehicle if a buyer provides a specialty, personalized, or other qualifying license plate that is eligible to be assigned to the vehicle with approval of the department and update the license plate system accordingly.(2) A dealer must issue a buyer's license plate to the buyer if a buyer purchases a new vehicle from a dealer and the buyer does not have a specialty, personalized, or other qualifying license plate to transfer to the vehicle.(3) A dealer must issue, or a governmental agency may issue, a buyer's license plate to a buyer purchasing a used vehicle if the vehicle does not have an assigned license plate in the license plate system or the assigned license plate is missing or damaged and the buyer does not have a specialty, personalized, or other qualifying license plate to transfer to the vehicle.(b) If a non-resident buyer purchases a vehicle to be titled and registered in accordance with the laws of the buyer's state of residence, a dealer must issue, or a governmental agency may issue, a buyer's temporary license plate and secure the temporary license plate to the rear of a vehicle in accordance with § 217.27 of this title and update the license plate system accordingly.(c) If a vehicle has an assigned license plate and the buyer provides a specialty, personalized, or other qualifying license plate to transfer to the vehicle, a dealer must update the license plate status in the license plate system, mark the license plate as void and destroy, recycle, or return the license plate as required in §215.158 of the title (relating to General Requirements for Buyer's License Plates).(d) A dealer, including a wholesale dealer, must remove a buyer's license plate from a purchased vehicle and store the license plate in a secure location in accordance with § 215.150(f) of this title (relating to Dealer Authorization to Issue License Plates). Upon vehicle sale, the dealer must update the license plate database and: (1) provide the assigned license plate to a Texas retail buyer that purchases the vehicle; or(2) if the vehicle is sold to a Texas dealer, securely transfer the assigned license plate to the purchasing dealer; or(3) if the vehicle is sold to an out-of-state buyer or for export, mark the license plate as void and destroy, recycle, or return the license plate as required in § 215.158 of this title.43 Tex. Admin. Code § 215.151
The provisions of this §215.151 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 45, Number 42, October 16, 2020, TexReg 7441, eff. 10/21/2020; Amended by Texas Register, Volume 47, Number 06, February 11, 2022, TexReg 669, eff. 1/27/2022; Amended by Texas Register, Volume 49, Number 17, April 26, 2024, TexReg 2726, eff. 6/1/2024; Adopted by Texas Register, Volume 49, Number 45, November 8, 2024, TexReg 8968, eff. 7/1/2025