April 2020 Motor Vehicle Title Manual Update

Texas Department of Motor Vehicles

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.

The manual was updated in various sections to clarify when a bonded title is available based on the expansion of eligible transactions provided in Registration and Title Bulletin (RTB) #007-20.  Multiple sections were also updated relative to the use of court orders in the title application process pursuant to RTB #008-20.

Chapter 6 – Application and Issuance of Motor Vehicle Title
Section 6.1, “Application for Texas Title and/or Registration (Form 130-U),” was updated to clarify the communication indicator can be added to a motor vehicle record by someone other than the vehicle owner as provided in RTB #003-20.  Additionally, the Certification of a Communication Impediment (Form VTR-216) must be returned to the applicant once the transaction is complete.

Chapter 8 – Refusal/Denial of Title
Section 8.3, “Bonded Title,” was updated to clarify what vehicle scenarios are eligible and ineligible for a bonded title and reference to “TxDMV Rejection Letter” was replaced with the new Notice of Determination for a Bonded Title or Tax Assessor-Collector Hearing (Form VTR-130-ND) as provided in RTB #007-20.  A note was also added stating vehicles 25 years old or older with an appraised value of less than $4,000 have a value set at $4,000 per Administrative Rule, Section 217.9.

Chapter 10 – Evidence of Ownership
Section 10.4, “Form 97, US Government Certificate to Title a Vehicle,” was updated to include travel trailers purchased by, or transferred to, a government agency may use the U.S. Government Certificate to Obtain Title to a Motor Vehicle (Form 97) as evidence of ownership when applying for title.

Chapter 14 – Vehicle Types
Section 14.7, “House, Camper, and Travel Trailers,” was updated to include title requirements for a travel trailer purchased by, or transferred to, a government agency when the travel trailer is being used as temporary housing in response to a natural disaster or other declared emergency as provided in RTB #001-20.

Section 14.13, “Off-Highway Use Vehicles,” was updated to require a customer who purchased a certain model year off-highway vehicle from an out of state dealer to provide proof of use tax paid to the Comptroller of Public Accounts or an exemption from payment of the tax prior to the county processing an application for title as provided in RTB #006-20.

Chapter 25 – Motor Vehicle Dealers
Section 25.6, “Processing Title Transactions Involving Dealer Bankruptcy,” was renamed to “Processing Out of Business Dealer Title Transactions.”  This section was updated to include the titling process and waiving of fees paid when a customer purchases a vehicle from a dealer that has gone out of business and the dealer did not apply for title on the purchaser’s behalf as provided in RTB #005-20.


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.