1. (a) If a buyer purchases a vehicle to be registered in Texas, a dealer must secure, or a government agency may secure, a license plate to the vehicle in accordance with §217.27 of this title (relating to Vehicle Registration Insignia) and update the license plate system accordingly.

   1. (1) A dealer must secure, or a governmental agency may secure, a buyer-provided license plate on the purchased vehicle if a buyer provides a general issue, or specialty, personalized, or other qualifying license plate that is eligible to be assigned to the vehicle with approval of the department and update the license plate system accordingly.
   2. (2) A dealer must issue a buyer's license plate to the buyer if a buyer purchases a new vehicle from a dealer and the buyer does not have a general issue, specialty, personalized, or other qualifying license plate to transfer to the vehicle.
   3. (3) A dealer must issue, or a governmental agency may issue, a buyer's license plate to a buyer purchasing a used vehicle if the buyer does not have a general issue, specialty, personalized, or other qualifying license plate to transfer to the vehicle.
2. (b) If a non-resident buyer purchases a vehicle to be titled and registered in accordance with the laws of the buyer's state of residence, a dealer must issue, or a governmental agency may issue, a buyer's temporary license plate and secure the temporary license plate to the rear of a vehicle in accordance with §217.27 of this title and update the license plate system accordingly.
3. (c) If the buyer provides a general issue, specialty, personalized, or other qualifying license plate to transfer to the vehicle, a dealer must update the license plate status in the license plate system, remove any previously assigned general issue license plate and reassign that license plate to a vehicle of the same class within ten days, before marking as void and destroy, recycle, or return the license plate as required in §215.158 of the title (relating to General Requirements for Buyer's License Plates).

4. (d) A dealer, including a wholesale dealer, must remove a buyer's license plate from a purchased vehicle and store the license plate in a secure location in accordance with §215.150(f) of this title (relating to Dealer Authorization to Issue License Plates). The dealer must update the license plate database and may:

   1. (1) reassign the license plate to a vehicle of the same class within 10 days if purchased by a Texas retail buyer; or
   2. (2) mark the license plate as void and destroy, recycle, or return the license plate as required in §215.158 of this title.

5. (e) Notwithstanding subsection (a) or subsection (b) of this section, a dealer is not required to secure an assigned buyer's license plate to a lawfully purchased vehicle in the following circumstances:

   1. (1) when a retail buyer purchases a vehicle for direct delivery to the buyer and the buyer authorizes the dealer in writing to mail or securely deliver the assigned license plate to the buyer; or
   2. (2) when a retail buyer purchases a vehicle to be converted and authorizes the dealer in writing to mail or securely deliver the assigned license plate to a licensed converter who will affix the license plate to the completed vehicle prior to delivery to the buyer.

Source Note:The provisions of this §215.151 adopted to be effective July 1, 2025, 49 TexReg 8953; amended to be effective October 9, 2025, 50 TexReg 6506.