HSB 262

Under current law, only certain county treasurers are allowed to do certain actions relating to motor vehicle registration and titling. This bill provides that any county treasurer can do any of the following: accept applications for and issue registrations and certificates of title to owners of vehicles, owners of commercial vehicles, owners of certain foreign vehicles, owners of transferred vehicles, owners of vehicles with a lost or damaged certificate of title, owners of vehicles transferred by law, and nonresident purchasers of vehicles; receive forwarded plates from the owner of a registered vehicle who has transferred or assigned ownership of the vehicle to another person; accept the return of an original certificate of title from a lienholder; issue an original certificate of title to a new purchaser or transferee who presents an assigned replacement copy; receive affidavits certifying the sale or transfer of ownership of a vehicle; receive registration plates from a vehicle that has been transferred by operation of law; issue certificates of title to dealers in possession of foreign registered vehicles; receive applications for the transfer of registration and certificates of title; perfect security interests; accept certificates of title, or other forms, noting that a security interest has been discharged; receive certificates of title of vehicles that have been sold for scrap or junk; accept applications for salvage certificates of title; receive certificates of title of a wrecked or salvage vehicle; and accept applications and issue temporary permits for vehicles that are unregistered or have delinquent registration. _____ The bill increases the following fees from $20 to $25: applications for registration and issuance of a certificate of title for a vehicle, applications for registration and issuance of a certificate of title for a commercial vehicle, applications for registration of a vehicle failing to meet the equipment requirements of Code chapter 321, applications for a replacement copy of an original certificate of title, applications for a new registration and a new title upon transfer, applications for registration and issuance of a certificate of title for a vehicle transferred by operation of law, and applications for certificate of title to a nonresident purchaser.12, applications to perfect a security interest in a vehicle by delivery to a county treasurer, and applications for the issuance of a salvage certificate of title. The bill increases the fee for applications for certificates of title by a dealer for a foreign registered vehicle from $5 to $10. An application for renewal of registration for a vehicle shall be submitted to the county treasurer of the county of the owner’s residence, or if a nonresident or a firm association or corporation with vehicles in multiple counties, to the county treasurer of the county where the primary users of the vehicle are located, or if a lessor of the vehicle, to the county treasurer of the county of the lessee’s residence.166 that every registration plate issued by a county treasurer must display the name of the county where the plate is issued. Under the bill, a person may register a vehicle other than by renewal in any county. _____ is required to develop and implement a program to allow for electronic applications, titling, registering, and funds transfers for vehicles subject to registration. The bill also provides that where a transaction occurs under any program ultimately developed by the DOT, any required documentation is to be electronically submitted to the county treasurer of the county of the owner’s residence, or if a nonresident or a firm, association, or corporation with vehicles in multiple counties, to the county treasurer of the county where the primary users of the vehicles are located, or if a lessor of the vehicle, to the county treasurer of the county of the lessee’s residence. Current law provides that, in addition to the annual registration fee, a fee for new registration is imposed in the amount of percent of the purchase price for each vehicle subject to registration. The bill increases the fee by providing that the fee for new registration is $5 plus percent of the purchase price of each vehicle subject to registration. Furthermore, the bill increases the fee for new registration of leased vehicles by imposing a $5 fee in addition to percent of the leased price. Lastly, the bill changes the amounts of certain fees a county treasurer may retain for deposit in the county general fund.50 from each fee collected for certificates of title, $11 from each fee collected for perfection of security interests, and $6 from each fee for new registration.