Texas Administrative Code › Title 43 - TRANSPORTATION › Part 10 - TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES › Chapter 217 - VEHICLE TITLES AND REGISTRATION › Subchapter H - DEPUTIES › Section 217.166 - Dealer Deputies

Current through Reg. 49, No. 28; July 12, 2024
(a) A county tax
				  assessor-collector, with the approval of the commissioners court of the county,
				  may deputize a motor vehicle dealer to act as a dealer deputy to provide motor
				  vehicle titling and registration services in the same manner and with the same
				  authority as though done in the office of the county tax assessor-collector,
				  except as limited by this section.
(b) A dealer deputy must hold a valid general
				  distinguishing number (GDN) under Transportation Code, Chapter 503, Subchapter
				  B, and may act as a dealer deputy only for a type of motor vehicle for which
				  the dealer holds a GDN. A dealer may not continue to act as a dealer deputy if
				  the GDN is cancelled or suspended.
(c) A county tax assessor-collector may
				  impose reasonable obligations or requirements upon a dealer deputy in addition
				  to those set forth in this section. The county tax assessor-collector may, at
				  the time of deputation or upon renewal of deputation, impose specified
				  restrictions or limitations on a dealer deputy's authority to provide certain
				  titling or registration services.
(d) Upon the transfer of ownership of motor
				  vehicles purchased, sold or exchanged by the dealer deputy, the dealer deputy
				  may process titling transactions in the same manner and with the same authority
				  as though done in the office of the county tax assessor-collector. The dealer
				  deputy may not otherwise provide titling services to the general
				  public.
(e) Upon the transfer of
				  ownership of a motor vehicle purchased, sold or exchanged by the dealer deputy,
				  the dealer deputy may process initial registration transactions in the same
				  manner and with the same authority as though done in the office of the county
				  tax assessor-collector. The dealer deputy may not otherwise offer initial
				  registration services to the general public.
(f) The county tax assessor-collector may
				  authorize a dealer deputy to provide motor vehicle registration renewal
				  services. A dealer deputy offering registration renewal services must offer
				  such services to the general public, and must accept and process any proper
				  application for registration renewal that the county tax assessor-collector
				  would accept and process.
(g) To be
				  eligible to serve as a dealer deputy, a person must be trained to perform motor
				  vehicle titling and registration services, as approved by the county tax
				  assessor-collector, or otherwise be deemed competent by the county tax
				  assessor-collector to perform such services.
(h) To be eligible to serve as a dealer
				  deputy, a person must post a bond payable to the county tax assessor-collector
				  consistent with §
										217.167 of
				  this title (relating to Bonding Requirements) with the bond conditioned on the
				  person's proper accounting and remittance of the fees the person
				  collects.
(i) A person applying to
				  be a dealer deputy must complete the application process as specified by the
				  county tax assessor-collector. The application process may include satisfaction
				  of any bonding requirements and completion of any additional required
				  documentation or training of the deputy before the processing of any title or
				  registration transactions may occur.
(j) If a dealer deputy offers registration
				  renewal services to the general public, the deputy must provide the physical
				  address at which services will be offered, the mailing address, the phone
				  number, and the hours of service. This information may be published on the
				  department's website and may be published by the county if the county publishes
				  a list of deputy locations.
(k) A
				  dealer deputy shall keep a separate accounting of the fees collected and
				  remitted to the county, and a record of daily receipts.
(l) A dealer deputy may charge or retain fees
				  consistent with the provisions of §
										217.168 of
				  this title (relating to Deputy Fee Amounts).
(m) This section does not prevent a county
				  tax assessor-collector from deputizing a dealer as a full service deputy under
				  §
										217.163 of
				  this title (relating to Full Service Deputies) or a limited service deputy
				  under §
										217.164
				  of this title (relating to Limited Service Deputies) instead of a dealer deputy
				  under this section.