‘. ’ 

The Attorney General of Texas 

JIM MATTOX 

Attorney General 

Supreme Cwtl Bulldln9 

P. 0. BOX 12548 

*ustIn. TX. 78711.254B 

51214752501 

Telex 9101874-1357 

Telacapler 51214750255 

714 J4cklon. Suite 700 

Daliks. TX. 75M24505 

2141742-5944 

4B24 Alberh Ave.. Suite 180 

El Paro. TX. 79905-2793 

91545XXW4 

Eonotable Lowell C, Holt 

Criminal District Attorney 

P. 0. Box 730 

Cilmer. Texas 75644 

Opinion Ao. JM-372 

Re: Whether a vehicle vith a valid 

Dealer's Temporary Cardboard Tags 

must have properly operating tall 

and brake lights 

Dear Mr. Holt: 

Pou request ow opinion regarding the folloving: 18 a vehicle 

with a valid DecAer's Temporary Cardboard Tag, as authorized by 

article 6686(a)(4). V.T.C.S., required to have properly operating tail 

lights and brake lights aa required by sections 111 and 118 of article 

6701d. V.T.C.S. 

1091 Texas, SW4 700 

HOUSTON. TX. 77002-3111 

7132255886 

808 Broadway. Suite 312 

Lubbock. TX. 79401.3479 

BOW’47-5238 

Article 6686(a)(4) provides: 

(4) Dealer's Temporary Cardboard Tags. Each 

dealer tolding a current distinguishing &nber may 

issue ttmporary cardboard tags, vhich may only be 

used by such dealer or his employees for the 

following purposes: 

4309 N. Tenth. Suie B 

McAllm. TX. 75501.15B5 

5l2m52-4547 

204 M&l Plaza. suits 444 

Ban Anionlo. TX. 70295.2797 

512l225-419l 

(a) to demonarrate or cause to be demonstrated 

his unregistered vehiclee to prospective buyers 

only for the purpose of sale; provided, however, 

that no provision of this Act shall be construed 

to prohlbit a dealer from permitting a prospective 

buyer to operate such vehicles in the course of 

demonstration. 

An Equal Opportunllyl 

Afflrmatlve Actlon Employrr 

(b) 'to convey or cause to be conveyed his 

unragist~ared vehicles from the dealer's place of 

busincas in one part of the State to his place of 

business in another part of the State. or from his 

place cf business to a place to be repaired, reconditioned, or serviced. or from the point in 

this State vhere such vehicles are unloaded to his 

place of business. including the moving of such 

vehicles from the State line to his place of 

business. or to convey such vehicles from one 

p. 1704 
Eonorable Lawell C. Bolt - Page 2 (m-372) 

dealer's place s:f business to another dasler's 

place of business; or from the point of purchase of 

such vehicles by ,the dealer to the dealer's place 

of business, or for the purpose of road testing, 

and ouch vehicles displaying such tags while being 

so conveyed shal? be exempt from the mechanical 

inspection requlr%ments of Sections 140 and 141 of 

the Uniform Act I$ulating Traffic on Aighvays. 

Such tags sha:.l. not be used to operate vehicles 

for the personal use of a dealer or his employees. 

Whenever a dealer sells an unregistered vehicle to 

a retail purchasaer. it shall be such dealer's 

responsibility to display the Buyer's Temporary 

Cardboard Tag thereon pursuant to Subsection (3) 

of this Act. The specifications, form, and color 

of such dealer's cardboard tags shall be prescribed by the D#!partment. (Emphasis added). 

This provision speciflcally exempts any motor vehicle bearing a 

dealer's temporary cardbcard tags from the compulsory inspection 

requirements of the Uniform, Act regulating traffic on highways. See 

V.T.C.S. art. 6701d, 51140. 141. Thus, these vehicles are IlOt 

required to display a vaU.d certificate of inspection. See V.T.C.S. 

art. 6701d. 4140. Ewever, ve do not believe that threxamption 

vould allow the owner of the vehicle displaying the Dealer Temporary 

Cardboard Tag to circumver,t the requirements of sections 111 and 118 

of article 6701d. V.T.C.S. 

The provision exempts vehicles having such temporary tags from 

the requirements of art1c:l.a 6701d. sections 140-141. Its does not 

exempt them from the requirements of sections 111 and 118. Thus, such 

vehicles must comply with ,the requirements of sections 111 and 118. 

SUMMARY 

A vehicle aperated with a valid Dealer's 

Temporary Cardboard Tag, as authorized by article 

6686(a)(4), V.T.s:.S., Is required to have properly 

operating tail lights and brake lights as required 

by sections 111 and 118 of article 6701d. V.T.C.S. 

JIM WATTOX 

Attorney General of Texas 

p. 1705 
Honorable Love11 C. Rolt - Page 3 (a-372) 

MARY KELLER 

Sxecutive Assistant Attorney General 

ROBERT CRAP / 

Special Assistant Attorney Ganeral 

RICX GILPIN 

Chairman, Opinion Comittee 

Prepared by Tony Guillo9 

Assistant Attorney General 

APPROVED: 

OPINION COMMITTEE 

Rick Gilpin. Chairman 

Colin Carl 

Susan Garrison 

Tony Gull109 

Jim Moellinger 

Jennifer Riggs 

Nancy Sutton 

Sarah Woelk 

p. 1706