July 2020 Motor Vehicle Title Manual Update

Please review and distribute as appropriate.

The latest update to the Motor Vehicle Title Manual (attached) is now available via Registration and Title System (RTS) workstations and at www.txdmv.gov.

The department welcomes your feedback and encourages you to email any comments or suggestions to VTR_Title_Reg-Manual-Update@txdmv.gov (please note the underscores between VTR and Title and between Title and Reg).

Updates for this release are marked with red change bars next to the text.

Chapter 4 – Definitions
Section 4.1, “Definitions,” was updated to include changes to statutory definitions under Transportation Code, Section 501.002, due to House Bill (HB) 1755.

Section 4.2, “Remarks/Brands,” was updated to add the NOT FOR DEALER RESALE remark to the Remarks/Brands chart, which is applied to certain newly assembled vehicles as outlined in Registration and Title Bulletin (RTB) #010-20.

Chapter 13 – Vehicle Identification Numbers
Section 13.1, “Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) Overview,” was updated to include the vehicle identification number assigned by the maker of a kit is acceptable for titling and registering an assembled vehicle. 

Section 13.6, “Assigned and Reassigned Identification Numbers,” was updated based on revisions to the Law Enforcement Identification Number Inspection (Form VTR-68-A) to accommodate changes with assembled vehicles due to HB 1755.  Changes include a note that the owner of an assembled vehicle may apply for a bonded title in lieu of having ownership evidence to obtain an assigned or reassigned number from the department.  In addition, issuance of an assigned number is required for newly assembled trailers since they must be titled as outlined in RTB #010-20.

Chapter 14 – Vehicle Types
Section 14.5, “Homemade/Shopmade Trailers or Semitrailers,” was removed and replaced with “Optional Title for Trailers and Semitrailers under 4,000 Pounds.”  Information regarding assembled trailers has been removed from the manual and will be covered in the Assembled and Rebuilt Vehicle Manual once revised. 

Chapter 25 – Motor Vehicle Dealers
Section 25.3, “Requirement for Motor Vehicle Dealers,” was updated to include a new subsection that outlines the requirements of a licensed motor vehicle dealer when a purchaser’s county of residence is closed as outlined in RTB #009-20.

In addition, this section was updated to include a new subsection that informs licensed motor vehicle dealers that any newly assembled vehicle that contains the NOT FOR DEALER RESALE remark may not be purchased or sold by a licensed motor vehicle dealer as outlined in RTB #010-20.

Thank you,

Jeremiah Kuntz, Director
Vehicle Titles and Registration Division
Texas Department of Motor Vehicles

Attachment

If you have any questions concerning this communication, please contact your local TxDMV Regional Service Center.