| (a) A county tax assessor-collector, with the approval
of the commissioners court of the county, may deputize a motor vehicle
dealer to act as a dealer deputy to provide motor vehicle titling
and registration services in the same manner and with the same authority
as though done in the office of the county tax assessor-collector,
except as limited by this section.
(b) A dealer deputy must hold a valid general distinguishing
number (GDN) under Transportation Code, Chapter 503, Subchapter B,
and may act as a dealer deputy only for a type of motor vehicle for
which the dealer holds a GDN. A dealer may not continue to act as
a dealer deputy if the GDN is cancelled or suspended.
(c) A county tax assessor-collector may impose reasonable
obligations or requirements upon a dealer deputy in addition to those
set forth in this section. The county tax assessor-collector may,
at the time of deputation or upon renewal of deputation, impose specified
restrictions or limitations on a dealer deputy's authority to provide
certain titling or registration services.
(d) Upon the transfer of ownership of motor vehicles
purchased, sold or exchanged by the dealer deputy, the dealer deputy
may process titling transactions in the same manner and with the same
authority as though done in the office of the county tax assessor-collector.
The dealer deputy may not otherwise provide titling services to the
general public.
(e) Upon the transfer of ownership of a motor vehicle
purchased, sold or exchanged by the dealer deputy, the dealer deputy
may process initial registration transactions in the same manner and
with the same authority as though done in the office of the county
tax assessor-collector. The dealer deputy may not otherwise offer
initial registration services to the general public.
(f) The county tax assessor-collector may authorize
a dealer deputy to provide motor vehicle registration renewal services.
A dealer deputy offering registration renewal services must offer
such services to the general public, and must accept and process any
proper application for registration renewal that the county tax assessor-collector
would accept and process.
(g) To be eligible to serve as a dealer deputy, a person
must be trained to perform motor vehicle titling and registration
services, as approved by the county tax assessor-collector, or otherwise
be deemed competent by the county tax assessor-collector to perform
such services.
(h) To be eligible to serve as a dealer deputy, a person
must post a bond payable to the county tax assessor-collector consistent
with §217.167 of this title (relating to Bonding Requirements)
with the bond conditioned on the person's proper accounting and remittance
of the fees the person collects.
(i) A person applying to be a dealer deputy must complete
the application process as specified by the county tax assessor-collector.
The application process may include satisfaction of any bonding requirements
and completion of any additional required documentation or training
of the deputy before the processing of any title or registration transactions
may occur.
(j) If a dealer deputy offers registration renewal
services to the general public, the deputy must provide the physical
address at which services will be offered, the mailing address, the
phone number, and the hours of service. This information may be published
on the department's website and may be published by the county if
the county publishes a list of deputy locations.
(k) A dealer deputy shall keep a separate accounting
of the fees collected and remitted to the county, and a record of
daily receipts.
(l) A dealer deputy may charge or retain fees consistent
with the provisions of §217.168 of this title (relating to Deputy
Fee Amounts).
(m) This section does not prevent a county tax assessor-collector
from deputizing a dealer as a full service deputy under §217.163
of this title (relating to Full Service Deputies) or a limited service
deputy under §217.164 of this title (relating to Limited Service
Deputies) instead of a dealer deputy under this section.
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