Tex. Transp. Code § 522.081 · Subchapter H. DISQUALIFICATION FROM DRIVING COMMERCIAL MOTOR VEHICLE
DISQUALIFICATION.
Text — Current through the 89th 2nd Called Legislative Session, 2025
(a) This subsection applies to a violation committed while operating any motor vehicle, including a commercial motor vehicle. A person who holds a commercial driver's license or commercial learner's permit is disqualified from driving a commercial motor vehicle for:
(1) 60 days if convicted of:
(A) two serious traffic violations that occur within a three-year period; or
(B) one violation of a law that regulates the operation of a motor vehicle at a railroad grade crossing; or
(2) 120 days if convicted of:
(A) three serious traffic violations arising from separate incidents occurring within a three-year period; or
(B) two violations of a law that regulates the operation of a motor vehicle at a railroad grade crossing that occur within a three-year period.
(b) Except as provided by this subsection, this subsection applies to a violation committed while operating any type of motor vehicle, including a commercial motor vehicle. A person who holds a commercial driver's license or commercial learner's permit is disqualified from driving a commercial motor vehicle for one year:
(1) if convicted of three violations of a law that regulates the operation of a motor vehicle at a railroad grade crossing that occur within a three-year period;
(2) on first conviction of:
(A) driving a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol or a controlled substance, including a violation of Section 49.04, 49.045, or 49.07, Penal Code;
(B) leaving the scene of a collision involving a motor vehicle driven by the person;
(C) using a motor vehicle in the commission of a felony, other than a felony described by Subsection (d)(2);
(D) causing the death of another person through the negligent or criminal operation of a motor vehicle; or
(E) driving a commercial motor vehicle while the person's commercial driver's license or commercial learner's permit is revoked, suspended, or canceled, or while the person is disqualified from driving a commercial motor vehicle, for an action or conduct that occurred while operating a commercial motor vehicle;
(3) for refusing to submit to a test under Chapter 724 to determine the person's alcohol concentration or the presence in the person's body of a controlled substance or drug while operating a motor vehicle in a public place; or
(4) if an analysis of the person's blood, breath, or urine under Chapter 522, 524, or 724 determines that the person:
(A) had an alcohol concentration of 0.04 or more, or that a controlled substance or drug was present in the person's body, while operating a commercial motor vehicle in a public place; or
(B) had an alcohol concentration of 0.08 or more while operating a motor vehicle, other than a commercial motor vehicle, in a public place.
(c) A person who holds a commercial driver's license is disqualified from operating a commercial motor vehicle for three years if:
(1) the person:
(A) is convicted of an offense listed in Subsection (b)(2) and the vehicle being operated by the person was transporting a hazardous material required to be placarded; or
(B) refuses to submit to a test under Chapter 724 to determine the person's alcohol concentration or the presence in the person's body of a controlled substance or drug while operating a motor vehicle in a public place and the vehicle being operated by the person was transporting a hazardous material required to be placarded; or
(2) an analysis of the person's blood, breath, or urine under Chapter 522, 524, or 724 determines that while transporting a hazardous material required to be placarded the person:
(A) while operating a commercial motor vehicle in a public place had an alcohol concentration of 0.04 or more, or a controlled substance or drug present in the person's body; or
(B) while operating a motor vehicle, other than a commercial motor vehicle, in a public place had an alcohol concentration of 0.08 or more.
(d) A person is disqualified from driving a commercial motor vehicle for life:
(1) if the person is convicted two or more times of an offense specified by Subsection (b)(2), or a combination of those offenses, arising from two or more separate incidents;
(2) if the person uses a motor vehicle in the commission of a felony involving:
(A) the manufacture, distribution, or dispensing of a controlled substance; or
(B) possession with intent to manufacture, distribute, or dispense a controlled substance;
(3) for any combination of two or more of the following, arising from two or more separate incidents:
(A) a conviction of the person for an offense described by Subsection (b)(2);
(B) a refusal by the person described by Subsection (b)(3); and
(C) an analysis of the person's blood, breath, or urine described by Subsection (b)(4); or
(4) if the person uses a motor vehicle in the commission of an offense under 8 U.S.C. Section 1324 that involves the transportation, concealment, or harboring of an alien.
(e) A person may not be issued a commercial driver's license or a commercial learner's permit and is disqualified from operating a commercial motor vehicle if, in connection with the person's operation of a commercial motor vehicle, the person commits an offense or engages in conduct that would disqualify the holder of a commercial driver's license from operating a commercial motor vehicle, or is determined to have had an alcohol concentration of 0.04 or more or to have had a controlled substance or drug present in the person's body. The period of prohibition under this subsection is equal to the appropriate period of disqualification required by Subsections (a)-(d).
(f) In this section, "felony" means an offense under state or federal law that is punishable by death or imprisonment for a term of more than one year.
(g) A person who holds a commercial driver's license or commercial learner's permit is disqualified from operating a commercial motor vehicle if the person's driving is determined to constitute an imminent hazard under 49 C.F.R. Section 383.52. The disqualification is for the disqualification period imposed under that section and shall be noted on the person's driving record.
(h) A disqualification imposed under Subsection (g) must run concurrently with any imminent hazard disqualification that is then currently in effect.
Notes and commentary — not statutory text
History
Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995. Amended by Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 941, Sec. 10, eff. Sept. 1, 2001; Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 991, Sec. 7, eff. June 1, 2005; Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1325, Sec. 8.02, eff. June 1, 2005.
Amended by:
Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 357 (S.B. 1257), Sec. 3, eff. September 1, 2005.
Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 424 (S.B. 1372), Sec. 10, eff. January 1, 2008.
Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 1146 (H.B. 2730), Sec. 18.01, eff. September 1, 2009.
Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 752 (H.B. 1888), Sec. 31, eff. January 1, 2016.
Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 709 (H.B. 2190), Sec. 27, eff. September 1, 2023.
Source of truth
- Edition
- Current through the 89th 2nd Called Legislative Session, 2025
- Official file
- https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/TN/htm/TN.522.htm
- Text hash
- sha256 16023e0c6970a5cd41cf017cccfb1293a1aa6e749329b046615a8a658655a236
- Composed by
- compose_tx.py 2026-10-05: the Legislative Council's chapter files read in document order; verify_tx.py's independent reading (lxml DOM walk) agrees character for character
This section cites
Provisions in this library that the text above cites, as it prints each citation. A range cited as “ss. 61.13-61.16” links its first and last provisions.
Penal Code
- Tex. Penal Code § 49.04DRIVING WHILE INTOXICATED.Printed as Section 49.04, 49.045, or 49.07, Penal Code
- Tex. Penal Code § 49.045DRIVING WHILE INTOXICATED WITH CHILD PASSENGER.Printed as Section 49.04, 49.045, or 49.07, Penal Code
- Tex. Penal Code § 49.07INTOXICATION ASSAULT.Printed as Section 49.04, 49.045, or 49.07, Penal Code
Cited by 4 provisions
Provisions in this library whose text cites Tex. Transp. Code § 522.081. Each shows the citation as that text prints it.
Transportation Code
- Tex. Transp. Code § 522.082REINSTATEMENT FOLLOWING DISQUALIFICATION FOR LIFE.Printed as Section 522.081(b) | Section 522.081(d)(1)
- Tex. Transp. Code § 522.087PROCEDURES APPLICABLE TO DISQUALIFICATION.Printed as Section 522.081(a) | Section 522.081(a)(1)(B) | Section 522.081(a)(1)(B) or 522.081(b)(2) | Section 522.081(b)(2) | Section 522.081(d)(2)
- Tex. Transp. Code § 522.103WARNING BY PEACE OFFICER.Printed as Section 522.081
- Tex. Transp. Code § 522.105DISQUALIFICATION OF DRIVER.Printed as Section 522.081
Procedural information only. Not legal advice and not a substitute for the advice of an attorney. Confirm the current text with the official publisher before relying on it.