Section 217.28 - [Effective 11/14/2024] Vehicle Registration Renewal(a) To renew vehicle registration, a vehicle owner must apply to the tax assessor-collector of the county in which the owner resides or a county tax assessor-collector who is willing to accept the application.(b) The department will send a registration renewal notice, indicating the proper registration fee and the month and year the registration expires, to each vehicle owner prior to the expiration of the vehicle's registration.(c) The registration renewal notice should be returned by the vehicle owner to the county tax assessor-collector in the county in which the owner resides or a county tax assessor-collector who is willing to accept the application, or to that tax assessor-collector's deputy, either in person or by mail, unless the vehicle owner renews via the Internet. The renewal notice must be accompanied by the following documents and fees: (1) registration renewal fees prescribed by law;(2) any local fees or other fees prescribed by law and collected in conjunction with registration renewal; and(3) evidence of financial responsibility required by Transportation Code, §502.046, unless otherwise exempted by law.(d) If a registration renewal notice is lost, destroyed, or not received by the vehicle owner, the vehicle may be registered if the owner presents personal identification acceptable to the county tax assessor-collector or via the Internet. Failure to receive the notice does not relieve the owner of the responsibility to renew the vehicle's registration.(e) Renewal of expired vehicle registrations. (1) If the owner has been arrested or cited for operating the vehicle without valid registration then a 20% delinquency penalty is due when registration is renewed, the full annual fee will be collected, and the vehicle registration expiration month will remain the same.(2) If the county tax assessor-collector or the department determines that a registrant has a valid reason for being delinquent in registration, the vehicle owner will be required to pay for 12 months' registration. Renewal will establish a new registration expiration month that will end on the last day of the eleventh month following the month of registration renewal.(3) If the county tax assessor-collector or the department determines that a registrant does not have a valid reason for being delinquent in registration, the full annual fee will be collected and the vehicle registration expiration month will remain the same.(4) Specialty license plates, symbols, tabs, or other devices may be prorated as provided in § 217.45(d)(2) of this title (relating to Specialty License Plates, Symbols, Tabs, and Other Devices).(5) Evidence of a valid reason may include receipts, passport dates, and military orders. Valid reasons may include:(A) extensive repairs on the vehicle;(B) the person was out of the country;(C) the vehicle is used only for seasonal use;(E) storage of the vehicle;(F) a medical condition such as an extended hospital stay; and(G) any other reason submitted with evidence that the county tax assessor-collector or the department determines is valid.(6) The operation of a vehicle with an expired registration that has been stored or otherwise not in operation that is driven only to an inspection station for the purpose of obtaining an inspection, if applicable, required for registration, will not affect the determination of whether the registrant has a valid or invalid reason for being delinquent.(f) For purposes of Transportation Code §502.407(c), the county tax assessor-collector's office of the county in which the owner resides is closed for a protracted period of time if the county tax assessor-collector's office has notified the department that it is closed or will be closed for more than one week.43 Tex. Admin. Code § 217.28
The provisions of former §217.28 adopted to be effective March 4, 2010, 35 TexReg 1761; amended to be effective July 6, 2010, 35 TexReg 5903; amended to be effective September 15, 2010, 35 TexReg 8402; amended to be effective March 31, 2011, 36 TexReg 2007; amended to be effective August 4, 2011, 36 TexReg 4813; amended to be effective August 9, 2012, 37 TexReg 5816; amended to be effective August 19, 2014, 39 TexReg 6234; amended by Texas Register, Volume 39, Number 48, November 28, 2014, TexReg 9371, eff. 12/4/2014; Current version Adopted by Texas Register, Volume 40, Number 10, March 6, 2015, TexReg 1101, eff. 3/12/2015; Amended by Texas Register, Volume 41, Number 48, November 25, 2016, TexReg 9336, eff. 12/4/2016; Amended by Texas Register, Volume 47, Number 08, February 25, 2022, TexReg 0971, eff. 3/1/2022; Amended by Texas Register, Volume 49, Number 45, November 8, 2024, TexReg 8999, eff. 11/14/2024