TDLR rules, explained
The rules your office manager should have on the wall.
Exact Texas numbers, the citation, a worked date and the common mistake. Each page links to the specific TDLR source.
First notice
Day 5 for Texas plates, day 14 for out-of-state, never before 24 hours. The deadline that controls billable storage.
02 · 16 TAC §85.704(b)-(c); Occ. Code §2303.154(d)-(e)Second notice window
Three official sources describe the window three ways. Here is each one, and the narrow practice we propose.
03 · Occ. Code §§2303.152, 2303.1521 (HB 3928)Publication and approved websites
Newspaper or, since September 1, 2025, a TDLR-approved website. When publication applies, and when it does not.
04 · 16 TAC §85.704(a); Transp. Code §683.031(c)Abandonment and law-enforcement reports
The 10th-day abandonment status, the $10 agency fee, and the separate two-hour report on private-property tows.
05 · Occ. Code §§2303.1545, 2303.157(c); 16 TAC §85.703(h)Nuisance vehicles
Ten years or older, fit only for demolition. One notice, disposal 30 days after the first notice, plus agency paperwork.
06 · 16 TAC §85.703(e), (j); §85.722Fees and the 5-day cap
$22.85 or $39.99 a day, the one-time $50 notification fee, and what happens to storage when the first notice is late.
07 · 16 TAC Chapter 85; Occ. Code §2303.154(f)Records retention
Two years, with proof of mailing for every letter. What a clean file looks like on inspection day.
08 · 16 TAC §85.703; TDLR notification checklistsRequired notice elements
TDLR's 17 items for a first-notice letter, what the second notice adds, and the shorter list for published notices.
Are you software?
No. ClearLot is a clerk service. We work inside the tools you already use: ADD, TowLien, Towbook, TOPS, Dispatch Anywhere or paper.
Do you use AI?
Yes, software helps sort records and draft dates. A person checks every letter against the vehicle record and the rule before it is mailed. Software never decides a date, a fee or whether a letter may go.
Do you handle out-of-state plates?
Yes. The first notice is due by day 14, and the registration-record request should go out within 5 days so the 5-day storage cap does not apply on that basis.
Can notices go by electronic certified mail?
Yes. 16 TAC §85.703(b)(1) allows certified mail with return receipt, registered mail, or electronic certified mail. The USPS postmark is the date of notice.
Can we publish on CarLocate instead of the newspaper?
Since September 1, 2025, Occupations Code §2303.152 allows publication on a TDLR-approved website. TDLR currently lists CarLocate.com/Texas as approved. Publication itself still has to be allowed for that vehicle.
What is a nuisance vehicle?
A vehicle fit only for demolition or dismantling, at least 10 years old. Only the first notice is needed, and disposal is allowed on the 30th day after that first notice, with the agency paperwork the statute requires.
Do I need proof of delivery to get a title?
No. Occupations Code §2303.154(f) says proof of delivery is not required if proof of mailing is provided.
Are you a law firm?
No. Our rule pages are educational summaries with sources. Talk to your attorney about your situation.
Can I send my intake list through this site?
No. Send contact details and volume only. Do not type VINs, plates or owner information into any form. A transfer method is agreed after we talk.
Do you answer the phone or text?
Not yet. No phone line is published and we do not text. We reply by email, or by phone if you ask for a call.