Processing Violations

Registration
HB 1623 - Expired Registration, Sec. 502.407(b) Transportation Code.

Judge can dismiss expired registration cases if:
  • The registration is renewed
  • Proof is provided to the Court on or before the Defendant's ticket due date (bottom right of ticket)
  • Receipt of registration must reflect the 20% penalty fee assessed by the County Tax Assessor
  • $20 administrative fee is paid

Or you may pay the fine of $166.
Driver's License
  • HB 1623 - Failed to display driver's license, Sec. 521.025Transportation Code. If Defendant shows proof of valid DL Prosecutor can make motion to dismiss and Judge must dismiss. Judge can impose administrative fee not to exceed $10.
  • HB 1623 - Expired driver's license, Sec. 521.026 Transportation Code. If Defendant renews DL before Defendant's first court appearance or within 20 days after ticket date (whichever is later) Judge may dismiss and may impose administrative fee not to exceed $20.
  • HB84 - Renewal of driver's license of elderly persons, Sec 521.2711 and 522.054 Transportation Code. Persons who are 85 years old or older must renew their DL every two years rather than every six years.

License Plate
  • HB1623 - Display altered, unclean, or obscured license plate, Sec. 502.409 Transportation Code. If Defendant remedies before Defendant's first court appearance or within 20 days after ticket date (whichever is later) Judge may dismiss. Judge can impose administrative of $10.
  • SB369 - Obscured license plates, Sec. 502.409 Transportation Code. This amendment was passed to remove confusion over what constituted an offense of obscured LP. Now the law defines obscured as blurring or impairing “readability” of the name of the state or letters / numbers of the LP. This makes it a prima facie offense if more than one half of the letters / numbers or name of the state of the license plates are obscured.
  • HB310 - Removal of license plates upon sale or transfer of used vehicle. Sec. 502.451 Transportation Code. Authorizes the seller to remove license plates and registration insignia. Seller must dispose of plates and insignia in a manner specified by TxDOT or they can be transferred to another vehicle owned by seller. This law was passed to combat the pervasive problems across the state when buyers failed to register the vehicle they purchased leaving the seller's name on the registration (license plates) of the vehicle sold to buyer.

Insurance Violation(FMFR)
Failure to Maintain Financial Responsibility. 

Note: Sending in a copy of your insurance card or police is not sufficient for a dismissal.

Verification must be sent directly to the Court from the insurance company can be fax to (512) 314-7561 or email at

Equipment Violations
  • HB 1623 - Equipment violations, Sec. 547.004 Transportation Code.
    If Defendant remedies defect before Defendant's first court appearance or within 20 days after ticket date (whichever is later) Judge can dismiss case and may impose administrative of $20. This bill does not apply to commercial motor vehicles.

Other Useful Information
  • HB1584 -Tow company must accept credit card payments. Storage facilities for tow truck companies must accept credit card payments to pay for towing and storage fees. Additionally, they must allow owner of car access to the vehicle glove compartment and console storage areas to locate information necessary to establish ownership of said vehicle.
  • HB1481 - Disobeying barricades. A person commits a Class “B” misdemeanor(jail time) offense if they drive around a barricade, such as barricades to prevent or warn motorists of roadway flooding. 
  • SB193 - Vacate lanes to protect emergency responders. All drivers must vacate the lane closest to emergency vehicles stopped with emergency lights activated or must slow to 20 mph less than posted speed limit if driver unable to move over and vacate lane.
  • HB586 - Driver Safety Course for Military spouses and children without TX DL, Sec. 45.0511(b)Texas Code of Criminal Procedure. In addition to military personnel, spouses and children of out-of- state military personnel are also authorized to take Driver Safety Course to dismiss a ticket. Normally, a motorist must have a Texas DL to be entitled to have a ticket dismissed under the Driver Safety Course statute.

New DPS Point System for Surcharge
Many motorists are unaware that in 2003 the Texas Department of Public Safety implemented a “point” surcharge system in Texas similar to those in effect for years in other states. This program, although passed in September 2003, was just implemented by municipal and justice courts throughout Texas in 2006 and 2007. This program is known as the “Driver Responsibility Law.” A conviction of specific offenses will cause points to be accrued toward the driver's license, which can trigger the imposition of annual fees for a period of three years. DPS will impose an annual surcharge when a driver has accumulated a total of six points or more in a three-year period. The surcharge will be $100 for the first six points and an additional $25 for each additional point. All moving violations (speeding, ran stop sign, failure to signal lane change...) will be assessed two points. A moving violation that results in a collision will be assessed three points. A violation of Child Safety Seat laws will cause two points to be assessed against a driver.