The rule
An on-time letter missing a required element is still a defective notice. TDLR publishes the checklist; we compare every letter to it before it is mailed.
The second-notice letter carries all 17 items plus the 30-day disposal, waiver and consent-to-sale statement. Published notices use a shorter list (see the Publication page).
First-notice letter: all 17 items
- 01Full licensed name of the VSF where the vehicle is located
- 02Street address
- 03Telephone number
- 04Hours the vehicle can be released to the owner
- 05Daily storage rate
- 06Type and amount of all other charges assessed
- 07The statement: "Total storage charges cannot be computed until vehicle is claimed. The storage charge will accrue daily until vehicle is released."
- 08First date for which a storage fee is assessed
- 09Date the vehicle will be transferred from the VSF, if it will be
- 10Address it will be transferred to, if moved to a second lot
- 11Date the vehicle was accepted for storage
- 12Location from which it was towed
- 13Date it was towed
- 14Name of the person who towed it
- 15VSF license number preceded by "Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation Vehicle Storage Facility License Number" or "TDLR VSF Lic. No."
- 16Notice of the owner's right under Occupations Code Chapter 2308 to challenge the legality of the tow
- 17TDLR's name, mailing address and toll-free telephone number for questions or complaints
Worked dates
A letter that shows "Lic. 0654321VSF" without the "TDLR VSF Lic. No." prefix fails item 15 even if it was postmarked on day 2.
The common mistake
A template that was right in 2019. Fee amounts, the TDLR contact block and the Chapter 2308 language drift; check the template, not just the dates.
What an inspector asks for
- A sample of mailed letters compared against this list
Sources
Educational summary, not legal advice. Deadlines depend on facts and the current rule text. Confirm against TDLR: VSF Notification Process and TDLR Laws and Rules, and talk to your attorney.