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Please review and distribute as appropriate.
Currently, law enforcement or a court must determine ownership of a vehicle in order for the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (TxDMV) to reassign the manufacturer’s vehicle identification number (VIN). This requires an applicant for a reassigned VIN to obtain a court order if law enforcement does not determine ownership upon completion of a Law Enforcement Identification Number Inspection (Form VTR-68-A). The court order must be provided at the time the applicant applies for a reassigned VIN.
Senate Bill 2076, effective September 1, 2017, created new Transportation Code, Section 501.0321. Within this section, Subsection (c) authorizes an inspection on Form VTR-68-A by a person who has successfully completed an appropriate training program as determined by department rule and is:
• an auto theft investigator who is a law enforcement officer of this state or a political subdivision of this state or a person working under their direct supervision or
• an employee of the National Insurance Crime Bureau authorized by the department to perform an inspection under this section.
Senate Bill 2076, effective September 1, 2017, also amends Transportation Code, Section 501.033, removing the requirement for law enforcement or a court to determine ownership.
Law enforcement will continue to perform identification number inspections and complete Form VTR-68-A. With these changes, if law enforcement is able to determine the original manufacturer’s identification number, an applicant for a reassigned number must submit the completed Form VTR-68-A along with ownership evidence to a TxDMV Regional Service Center. However, if law enforcement is unable to determine the original manufacturer’s identification number, an applicant will continue to be required to obtain a court order from a county or district court awarding the applicant ownership of the motor vehicle.
The TxDMV will only provide Form VTR-68-A to one of the individuals listed above. The revised version is now available at TxDMV Regional Service Centers.
Use of the revised Form VTR-68-A will begin on September 1, 2017.
Thank you,
Jeremiah Kuntz, Director
Vehicle Titles and Registration Division
Texas Department of Motor Vehicles
JK:TT:EG
If you have any comments or suggestions concerning this VTR communication process, please contact your local TxDMV Regional Service Center.
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