https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/TN/htm/TN.504.htmSUBCHAPTER F. SPECIALTY LICENSE PLATES WITH RESTRICTED DISTRIBUTION AND REGULAR LICENSE PLATE FEESSec. 504.501. CLASSIC MOTOR VEHICLES AND TRAVEL TRAILERS; CUSTOM VEHICLES; STREET RODS. (a) The department shall issue specialty license plates for a motor vehicle that is at least 25 years old or is a custom vehicle or street rod. The license plates must include the word or words "Classic," "Custom Vehicle," or "Street Rod," or a similar designation, as appropriate.
(b) A person eligible for the license plates may instead use license plates that were issued by this state in the same year as the model year of the vehicle and are approved by the department. The department may require the attachment of a registration insignia to the license plate in a manner that does not affect the display of information originally on the license plate.
(c) There is no fee for issuance or approval of license plates under this section.
(d) Notwithstanding Chapter 547, a custom vehicle or street rod eligible to receive license plates under this section is not required to be equipped with a specific piece of equipment unless the specific piece of equipment was required by statute as a condition of sale during the year listed as the model year on the certificate of title.
(e) On initial registration of a custom vehicle or street rod, the owner must provide proof, acceptable to the department, that the custom vehicle or street rod passed a safety inspection that has been approved by the department. The department shall create a safety inspection process for inspecting custom vehicles and street rods.
(f) In this section:
(1) "Custom vehicle" means a vehicle:
(A) that is:
(i) at least 25 years old and of a model year after 1948; or
(ii) manufactured to resemble a vehicle that is at least 25 years old and of a model year after 1948; and
(B) that:
(i) has been altered from the manufacturer's original design; or
(ii) has a body constructed from materials not original to the vehicle.
(2) "Street rod" means a vehicle:
(A) that was manufactured:
(i) before 1949; or
(ii) after 1948 to resemble a vehicle manufactured before 1949; and
(B) that:
(i) has been altered from the manufacturer's original design; or
(ii) has a body constructed from materials not original to the vehicle.
Added by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1320, Sec. 6, eff. Sept. 1, 2003.
Amended by:
Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 1136 (H.B. 2553), Sec. 32, eff. September 1, 2011.
Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 729 (H.B. 890), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2011.
Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 729 (H.B. 890), Sec. 3, eff. September 1, 2011.
Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1296 (H.B. 2357), Sec. 195(a), eff. September 1, 2011.
Sec. 504.502. CERTAIN EXHIBITION VEHICLES. (a) The department shall issue specialty license plates for a passenger car, truck, motorcycle, bus, or former military vehicle that:
(1) is at least 25 years old, if the vehicle is a passenger car, truck, motorcycle, or bus;
(2) is a collector's item;
(3) is used exclusively for exhibitions, club activities, parades, and other functions of public interest and is not used for regular transportation; and
(4) does not carry advertising.
(b) The license plates must include the words "Antique Auto," "Antique Truck," "Antique Motorcycle," "Antique Bus," or "Military Vehicle," as appropriate.
(c) A person eligible for the license plates may instead use license plates issued by this state in the same year as the model year of the vehicle and approved by the department, provided that a passenger car must bear passenger car or truck license plates and a truck must bear passenger car or truck license plates. The department may require attachment of a registration insignia to the license plate in a manner that does not affect the display of information originally on the license plate.
(d) License plates issued or approved under this section expire on the fifth anniversary of the date of issuance or approval.
(e) The fee for issuance or approval of license plates under this section is:
(1) $10 for each year or portion of a year remaining in the five-year registration period if the vehicle was manufactured in 1921 or later; or
(2) $8 for each year or portion of a year remaining in the five-year registration period if the vehicle was manufactured before 1921.
(f) The department may exempt a former military vehicle from the requirement to display a license plate or registration insignia if the exemption is necessary to maintain the vehicle's accurate military markings. The department may approve an alternative registration insignia that is compatible with the vehicle's original markings.
(g) A person entitled to specialty license plates or to department approval under this section may register the vehicle without payment of any fees paid for or at the time of registration except the fee for the license plate.
(h) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a vehicle issued license plates under Subsection (a) shall be required to attach and display only one license plate on the rear of the vehicle.
(i) In this section, "former military vehicle" means a vehicle, including a trailer, regardless of the vehicle's size, weight, or year of manufacture, that:
(1) was manufactured for use in any country's military forces; and
(2) is maintained to represent its military design and markings accurately.
(j) Repealed by Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1296, Sec. 247(16), eff. January 1, 2012.
Added by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1320, Sec. 6, eff. Sept. 1, 2003.
Amended by:
Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 1318 (H.B. 3425), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2005.
Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1296 (H.B. 2357), Sec. 196, eff. January 1, 2012.
Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1296 (H.B. 2357), Sec. 247(16), eff. January 1, 2012.
Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 508 (H.B. 792), Sec. 1, eff. January 1, 2016.
Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 324 (S.B. 1488), Sec. 18.002, eff. September 1, 2017.
