1. (a) A person commits an offense if, after the fifth working day after the date the registration for the vehicle expires:

   1. (1) the person operates on a public highway during a registration period a motor vehicle, trailer, or semitrailer that has attached to it a license plate for the preceding period; and
   2. (2) the license plate has not been validated by the attachment of a registration insignia for the registration period in effect.

2. (b) A justice of the peace or municipal court judge having jurisdiction of the offense may:

   1. (1) dismiss a charge of driving with an expired motor vehicle registration if the defendant:

      1. (A) remedies the defect not later than the 20th working day after the date of the offense or before the defendant's first court appearance date, whichever is later; and
      2. (B) establishes that the fee prescribed by Section 502.045 has been paid; and
   2. (2) assess a reimbursement fee not to exceed $20 when the charge is dismissed.
3. (b-1) For purposes of dismissing a charge under Subsection (b), "day" does not include Saturday, Sunday, or a legal holiday.

4. (c) It is a defense to prosecution under this section that at the time of the offense:

   1. (1) the office of the county assessor-collector for the county in which the owner of the vehicle resided was closed for a protracted period of time in accordance with department rules; and
   2. (2) the vehicle's registration was expired for 30 working days or less.

Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995.

Amended by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 207, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1999.

Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1027 (H.B. 1623), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2007.

Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1296 (H.B. 2357), Sec. 247(6), eff. January 1, 2012.

Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 161 (S.B. 1093), Sec. 20.012, eff. September 1, 2013.

Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1292 (H.B. 2835), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2019.

Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1352 (S.B. 346), Sec. 2.62, eff. January 1, 2020.

Acts 2021, 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 592 (S.B. 876), Sec. 7, eff. March 1, 2022.

Acts 2021, 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 919 (S.B. 1923), Sec. 10, eff. September 1, 2021.

Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 765 (H.B. 4504), Sec. 1.003, eff. January 1, 2025.