Tex. Transp. Code Section 504.501
Classic Motor Vehicles and Travel Trailers; Custom Vehicles; Street Rods


(a)

The department shall issue specialty license plates for a motor vehicle that is at least 25 years old or is a custom vehicle or street rod. The license plates must include the word or words “Classic,” “Custom Vehicle,” or “Street Rod,” or a similar designation, as appropriate.

(b)

A person eligible for the license plates may instead use license plates that are:

(1)

embossed with an alphanumeric pattern;

(2)

of a plate design that was issued by this state in the same year as the model year of the vehicle; and

(3)

approved for use by the department.

(b-1)

The department may require the attachment of a registration insignia to a license plate described by Subsection (b) in a manner that does not affect the display of information originally on the license plate.

(c)

There is no fee for issuance or approval of license plates under this section.

(d)

Notwithstanding Chapter 547 (Vehicle Equipment), a custom vehicle or street rod eligible to receive license plates under this section is not required to be equipped with a specific piece of equipment unless the specific piece of equipment was required by statute as a condition of sale during the year listed as the model year on the certificate of title.

(e)

On initial registration of a custom vehicle or street rod, the owner must provide proof, acceptable to the department, that the custom vehicle or street rod passed a safety inspection that has been approved by the department. The department shall create a safety inspection process for inspecting custom vehicles and street rods.

(f)

In this section:

(1)

“Custom vehicle” means a vehicle:

(A)

that is:
(i)
at least 25 years old and of a model year after 1948; or
(ii)
manufactured to resemble a vehicle that is at least 25 years old and of a model year after 1948; and

(B)

that:
(i)
has been altered from the manufacturer’s original design; or
(ii)
has a body constructed from materials not original to the vehicle.

(2)

“Street rod” means a vehicle:

(A)

that was manufactured:
(i)
before 1949; or
(ii)
after 1948 to resemble a vehicle manufactured before 1949; and

(B)

that:
(i)
has been altered from the manufacturer’s original design; or
(ii)
has a body constructed from materials not original to the vehicle.
Added by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1320, Sec. 6, eff. Sept. 1, 2003.
Amended by:
Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 1136 (H.B. 2553), Sec. 32, eff. September 1, 2011.
Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 729 (H.B. 890), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2011.
Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 729 (H.B. 890), Sec. 3, eff. September 1, 2011.
Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1296 (H.B. 2357), Sec. 195(a), eff. September 1, 2011.
Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 876 (H.B. 3068), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2019.

Source: Section 504.501 — Classic Motor Vehicles and Travel Trailers; Custom Vehicles; Street Rods, https://statutes.­capitol.­texas.­gov/Docs/TN/htm/TN.­504.­htm#504.­501 (accessed Mar. 23, 2024).

504.001
Definitions
504.002
General Provisions
504.005
Design and Alphanumeric Pattern
504.006
Cost of Manufacturing
504.007
Replacement License Plates
504.008
Specialty License Plates
504.009
Souvenir License Plates
504.010
Issuance and Placement of License Plate
504.0011
Rules
504.0051
Personalized License Plates
504.101
Personalized License Plates
504.102
Personalization of Specialty License Plate
504.151
Definitions
504.152
Applicability of Other Law
504.153
Rules
504.154
Digital License Plates Authorized
504.155
Digital License Plates Requirements and Permissive Functionality
504.156
Digital License Plate Provider Powers and Duties
504.157
Defense to Prosecution of Certain Offenses
504.201
Persons with Disabilities
504.202
Veterans with Disabilities
504.203
Issuance of Disabled License Plates to Certain Institutions
504.204
Persons Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing
504.205
Information Provided with Plates
504.301
Provisions Generally Applicable to Military Specialty License Plates
504.302
Surviving Spouses of Certain Military Veterans
504.303
Members or Former Members of United States Armed Forces
504.304
Members of United States Armed Forces Auxiliaries
504.305
Members of Texas National Guard, State Guard, or United States Armed Forces Reserves
504.306
Members and Former Members of Merchant Marine of the United States
504.307
United States Paratroopers
504.308
Distinguished Flying Cross Medal Recipients
504.309
Military Academy License Plates
504.310
World War Ii Veterans and Certain Medal Recipients
504.311
Service in Korea
504.312
Vietnam Veterans
504.313
Desert Shield or Desert Storm Veterans
504.314
Enduring Freedom Veterans
504.315
Military Specialty License Plates for Extraordinary Service
504.316
Legion of Merit Medal Recipients
504.317
Surviving Spouses of Disabled Veterans Specialty License Plates
504.318
Women Veterans
504.319
Defense Superior Service Medal Recipients
504.320
Recipients of Certain Combat Badges, Medals, or Ribbons
504.324
Tomb Guard
504.325
Master Army Aviator
504.327
Presidential Service Badge
504.328
United States Navy Seals
504.329
United States Navy Submarine Service
504.330
United States Army Special Forces
504.331
Operation Freedom’s Sentinel
504.332
Texas Superior Service Medal
504.333
Lone Star Distinguished Service Medal
504.334
Texas Outstanding Service Medal
504.335
Texas Medal of Merit
504.400
Fees for Certain Restricted Plates
504.401
State Officials
504.402
Members of Congress
504.403
State and Federal Judges
504.404
Federal Administrative Law Judges
504.405
County Judges
504.406
Texas Constables
504.414
Professional Firefighter Plates
504.415
Vehicles Carrying Mobile Amateur Radio Equipment
504.416
Star of Texas Award Recipients
504.417
Antarctica Service Medal Recipients
504.501
Classic Motor Vehicles and Travel Trailers
504.502
Certain Exhibition Vehicles
504.503
Municipal, Motor, and Private Buses
504.505
Cotton Vehicles
504.506
Log Loader Vehicles
504.507
Forestry Vehicles
504.508
Tow Trucks
504.511
Peace Officers Wounded or Killed in Line of Duty
504.512
Gold Star Mother, Father, Spouse, or Family Member
504.513
Firefighters
504.514
Emergency Medical Services Personnel
504.515
Honorary Consuls
504.516
Rental Trailer or Travel Trailer Fee: Trailer or Semitrailer
504.517
Industrial Firefighters
504.518
Retired Classroom Teachers
504.601
General Provisions Applicable to Specialty License Plates for General Distribution
504.602
Keep Texas Beautiful License Plates
504.603
Texas Capitol License Plates
504.604
Texas Commission on the Arts License Plates
504.605
Animal Friendly License Plates
504.606
Big Bend National Park License Plates
504.607
Read to Succeed
504.608
Mothers Against Drunk Driving License Plates
504.609
United States Olympic Committee License Plates
504.610
Texas Aerospace Commission License Plates
504.611
Volunteer Advocate Program License Plates
504.612
Texas Young Lawyers Association License Plates
504.613
Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo License Plates
504.614
Professional Sports Team License Plates
504.615
Collegiate License Plates
504.616
Texas Reads License Plates
504.617
Texas
504.618
Conservation License Plates
504.619
Texas Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing License Plates
504.620
Texans Conquer Cancer License Plates
504.621
Special Olympics Texas License Plates
504.622
Girl Scout License Plates
504.623
Texas Ymca
504.625
Texas Agricultural Products License Plates
504.626
Texas Citrus Industry
504.627
Waterfowl and Wetland Conservation License Plates
504.628
United We Stand License Plates
504.630
Air Force Association License Plates
504.631
Texas State Rifle Association License Plates
504.632
Urban Forestry License Plates
504.633
Share the Road License Plates
504.635
El Paso Mission Valley License Plates
504.636
Cotton Boll License Plates
504.637
Daughters of the Republic of Texas License Plates
504.638
Knights of Columbus License Plates
504.639
Texas Music License Plates
504.640
Space Shuttle Columbia License Plates
504.641
Be a Blood Donor License Plates
504.642
Texas Council of Child Welfare Boards License Plates
504.644
Marine Mammal Recovery License Plates
504.646
Smile Texas Style License Plates
504.647
Fight Terrorism License Plates
504.648
God Bless Texas and God Bless America License Plates
504.649
Texas Juneteenth License Plates
504.651
March of Dimes License Plates
504.652
Master Gardener License Plates
504.654
Eagle Scout License Plates
504.655
Childhood Cancer Awareness Plates
504.656
Texas Lions Camp License Plates
504.657
Higher Education Coordinating Board License Plates
504.658
Insure Texas Kids License Plates
504.659
Members of American Legion
504.660
Sexual Assault Awareness License Plates
504.661
Marine Conservation License Plates
504.662
Support Adoption License Plates
504.663
Big Brothers Big Sisters License Plates
504.664
Foundation School Program License Plates
504.665
Alamo License Plates
504.667
Texas Medical Center License Plates
504.668
In God We Trust License Plates
504.669
Back the Blue License Plates
504.670
Blessed Are the Peacemakers License Plates
504.672
Register to Vote License Plates
504.673
Sickle Cell Disease Awareness License Plates
504.674
Keep Austin Weird License Plates
504.675
Stop Human Trafficking License Plates
504.676
Autism Awareness License Plates
504.677
Make-a-wish License Plates
504.678
Family First License Plates
504.679
Veterans Exposed to Open Burn Pits
504.680
Sheriffs’ Association of Texas License Plate
504.801
Creation of New Specialty License Plates by the Department
504.802
Marketing and Sale by Private Vendor of Specialty License Plates
504.851
Contract with Private Vendor
504.852
Contract Limitations
504.854
Auction
504.855
Transferability of Certain Patterns
504.901
Transfer and Removal of License Plates
504.941
Antique Vehicles
504.942
Log Loader Vehicles
504.943
Operation of Vehicle Without License Plate
504.944
Operation of Vehicle with Wrong License Plate
504.945
Wrong, Fictitious, Altered, or Obscured License Plate
504.946
Deceptively Similar License Plate
504.948
General Penalty
504.3011
Design of Certain License Plates for the Military
504.3015
Fees for Military Specialty License Plates
504.3135
Operation Iraqi Freedom
504.3161
Military Specialty License Plates for Recipients of Certain Military Campaign and Service Awards
504.4061
Foreign Organization Vehicles
504.5111
Retired Peace Officers
504.5115
Certain Purple Heart Recipients
504.6011
General Provisions Applicable to Specialty License Plates for General Distribution Sold Through Private Vendor
504.6012
Elimination of Dedicated Revenue Accounts
504.6201
Cancer of Unknown Primary Origin Awareness License Plates
504.6275
Save Our Beaches License Plates
504.6545
Boy Scout License Plates
504.6551
Pediatric Cancer Research License Plates
504.9465
License Plate Flipper

Accessed:
Mar. 23, 2024

§ 504.501’s source at texas​.gov