IDENTIFYING MARKINGS ON CERTAIN VEHICLES REQUIRED; OFFENSE; PENALTY.

(a) A person commits an offense if:

(1) the person operates on a public street, road, or highway:

(A) a commercial motor vehicle that has three or more axles;

(B) a truck-tractor;

(C) a road-tractor; or

(D) a tow truck; and

(2) the vehicle does not have on each side of the power unit identifying markings that comply with the identifying marking requirements specified by 49 C.F.R. Section 390.21 or that:

(A) show the name of the owner or operator of the vehicle;

(B) have clearly legible letters and numbers of a height of at least two inches; and

(C) show the motor carrier registration number in clearly legible letters and numbers, if the vehicle is required to be registered under this chapter or Chapter 643.

(b) A person commits an offense if the person operates on a public street, road, or highway a tow truck that does not show on each side of the power unit, in addition to the markings required by Subsection (a)(2), the city in which the owner or operator maintains its place of business and the telephone number, including area code, at that place of business in clearly legible letters and numbers.

(c) The owner of a vehicle commits an offense if the owner or operator permits another to operate a vehicle in violation of Subsection (a) or (b).

(d) The Texas Department of Motor Vehicles by rule may prescribe additional requirements regarding the form of the markings required by Subsection (a)(2) that are not inconsistent with that subsection.

(e) An offense under this section is a Class C misdemeanor.