Untitled Texas Attorney General Opinion ( 1985 )

‘. ’
The Attorney General of Texas
JIM MATTOX
Attorney General
Supreme Cwtl Bulldln9 EonotableLowell C, Holt OpinionAo. JM-372
P. 0. BOX 12548
*ustIn. TX. 78711.254B
CriminalDistrictAttorney
51214752501 P. 0. Box 730 Re: Whether a vehiclevith a valid
Telex 9101874-1357 Cilmer.Texas 75644 Dealer's Temporary Cardboard Tags
Telacapler 51214750255 must have properly operating tall
and brake lights
714 J4cklon. Suite 700
Daliks. TX. 75M24505 Dear Mr. Holt:
2141742-5944
Pou request ow opinion regarding the folloving: 18 a vehicle
with a valid DecAer's Temporary Cardboard Tag, as authorized by
4B24 Alberh Ave.. Suite 180
El Paro. TX. 79905-2793
article6686(a)(4).V.T.C.S.,requiredto have properlyoperatingtail
91545XXW4 lights and brake lights aa requiredby sections 111 and 118 of article
6701d.V.T.C.S.
1091 Texas, SW4 700 Article 6686(a)(4)provides:
HOUSTON.TX. 77002-3111
7132255886
(4) Dealer's Temporary Cardboard Tags. Each
dealertolding a currentdistinguishing&nber may
808 Broadway. Suite 312 issue ttmporarycardboardtags, vhich may only be
Lubbock. TX. 79401.3479 used by such dealer or his employees for the
BOW’47-5238
followingpurposes:
4309 N. Tenth. Suie B (a) to demonarrateor cause to be demonstrated
McAllm. TX. 75501.15B5 his unregisteredvehiclee to prospectivebuyers
5l2m52-4547 only for the purpose of sale; provided,however,
that no provision of this Act shall be construed
204M&l Plaza.suits 444 to prohlbita dealer from permittinga prospective
Ban Anionlo. TX. 70295.2797 buyer to operate such vehicles in the course of
512l225-419l demonstration.
An Equal Opportunllyl
(b) 'to convey or cause to be conveyed his
Afflrmatlve Actlon Employrr unragist~aredvehicles from the dealer's place of
busincas in one part of the State to his place of
businessin anotherpart of the State. or from his
place cf business to a place to be repaired,re-
conditioned,or serviced. or from the point in
this State vhere such vehiclesare unloadedto his
place of business. including the moving of such
vehicles from the State line to his place of
business. or to convey such vehicles from one
p. 1704
EonorableLawell C. Bolt - Page 2 (m-372)
dealer's place s:fbusiness to another dasler's
or from the point of purchaseof
place of business;
such vehiclesby ,the dealer to the dealer'splace
of business,or for the purpose of road testing,
and ouch vehiclesdisplayingsuch tags while being
so conveyed shal? be exempt from the mechanical
inspectionrequlr%mentsof Sections140 and 141 of
the UniformAct I$ulating Trafficon Aighvays.
Such tags sha:.l.
not be used to operatevehicles
for the personaluse of a dealer or his employees.
Whenever a dealer sells an unregisteredvehicleto
a retail purchasaer.it shall be such dealer's
responsibilityto display the Buyer's Temporary
CardboardTag thereon pursuant to Subsection(3)
of this Act. The specifications, form, and color
of such dealer's cardboard tags shall be pre-
scribedby the D#!partment.(Emphasisadded).
This provision speciflcallyexempts any motor vehicle bearing a
dealer's temporary cardbcard tags from the compulsory inspection
requirementsof the Uniform, Act regulatingtraffic on highways. See
V.T.C.S. art. 6701d, 51140. 141. Thus, these vehicles are IlOt
required to display a vaU.d certificateof inspection. See V.T.C.S.
art. 6701d. 4140. Ewever, ve do not believe that threxamption
vould allow the owner of the vehicle displayingthe Dealer Temporary
CardboardTag to circumver,t the requirementsof sections111 and 118
of article6701d.V.T.C.S.
The provision exempts vehicles having such temporarytags from
the requirementsof art1c:l.a 6701d. sections 140-141. Its does not
exempt them from the requirementsof sections111 and 118. Thus, such
vehiclesmust complywith ,therequirementsof sections111 and 118.
SUMMARY
A vehicle aperated with a valid Dealer's
TemporaryCardboardTag, as authorizedby article
6686(a)(4),V.T.s:.S.,Is requiredto have properly
operatingtail lights and brake lights as required
by sections111 and 118 of article6701d.V.T.C.S.
JIM WATTOX
Attorney Generalof Texas
p. 1705
HonorableLove11 C. Rolt - Page 3 (a-372)
MARY KELLER
SxecutiveAssistantAttorney General
ROBERT CRAP /
SpecialAssistantAttorney Ganeral
RICX GILPIN
Chairman,Opinion Comittee
Preparedby Tony Guillo9
AssistantAttorney General
APPROVED:
OPINIONCOMMITTEE
Rick Gilpin.Chairman
Colin Carl
Susan Garrison
Tony Gull109
Jim Moellinger
JenniferRiggs
Nancy Sutton
Sarah Woelk
p. 1706