1. (a) Upon the sale or transfer of a motor vehicle to a dealer, the dealer shall remove and retain the assigned general issue license plates for disposition at the time of a subsequent purchase in accordance with §215.151(d) (relating to License Plate General Use Requirements), and the dealer shall remove and dispose of the registration insignia as provided in Transportation Code, §502.491.
2. (b) Upon the sale or transfer of a motor vehicle in which neither party is a dealer, the general issue license plates remain with the motor vehicle as provided in Transportation Code, §504.901.
3. (c) A license plate other than a general issue license plate shall be removed by the owner of a motor vehicle that is sold or transferred. Removed license plates may be transferred if eligible; otherwise, must be disposed of in a manner that renders the license plates unusable or that ensures the license plates will not be available for fraudulent use on a motor vehicle.
4. (d) If the purchaser at a retail sale chooses to obtain replacement general issue license plates, the replaced license plates must be disposed of in a manner that renders the license plates unusable or that ensures the license plates will not be available for fraudulent use on a motor vehicle.

Source Note:The provisions of this §217.53 adopted to be effective March 12, 2015, 40 TexReg 1096; amended to be effective August 8, 2016, 41 TexReg 5777; amended to be effective July 1, 2025, 49 TexReg 8980.