Tex. Transp. Code § 648.101 · Subchapter C. REGULATION OF OPERATION OF FOREIGN COMMERCIAL MOTOR VEHICLES
REGISTRATION EXEMPTION IN BORDER COMMERCIAL ZONE.
Text — Current through the 89th 2nd Called Legislative Session, 2025
(a) A foreign commercial motor vehicle is exempt from Chapter 502 and any other law of this state requiring the vehicle to be registered in this state, including a law providing for a temporary registration permit, if:
(1) the vehicle is engaged solely in transportation of cargo across the border into or from a border commercial zone;
(2) for each load of cargo transported the vehicle remains in this state:
(A) not more than 24 hours; or
(B) not more than 48 hours, if:
(i) the vehicle is unable to leave this state within 24 hours because of circumstances beyond the control of the motor carrier operating the vehicle; and
(ii) all financial responsibility requirements applying to the vehicle are satisfied;
(3) the vehicle is registered and licensed as required by the country in which the person that owns the vehicle is domiciled or is a citizen as evidenced by a valid metal license plate attached to the front or rear of the exterior of the vehicle; and
(4) the country in which the person that owns the vehicle is domiciled or is a citizen provides a reciprocal exemption for commercial motor vehicles owned by residents of this state.
(b) A foreign commercial motor vehicle operating under the exemption provided by this section and the vehicle's driver may be considered unregistered if the vehicle is operated in this state outside a border commercial zone or in violation of United States law.
(c) A valid reciprocity agreement between this state and another state of the United States or a Canadian province that exempts currently registered vehicles owned by nonresidents is effective in a border commercial zone.
(d) A foreign commercial motor vehicle that engages primarily in transportation of cargo across the border into or from a border commercial zone must be:
(1) registered in this state; or
(2) operated under the exemption provided by this section.
(e) A vehicle located in a border commercial zone must display a valid Texas registration if the vehicle is owned by a person who:
(1) owns a leasing facility or a leasing terminal located in this state; and
(2) leases the vehicle to a foreign motor carrier.
Notes and commentary — not statutory text
History
Added by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 62, Sec. 17.35(a), eff. Sept. 1, 1999.
Amended by:
Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 72 (H.B. 313), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2007.
Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 39 (H.B. 782), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2009.
Source of truth
- Edition
- Current through the 89th 2nd Called Legislative Session, 2025
- Official file
- https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/TN/htm/TN.648.htm
- Text hash
- sha256 a137aee2d3caed8ea8dd8d642832e3769a2fbafd0fdd6217f5e517f682bb07a9
- 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
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Transportation Code
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.