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My SO sold a vehicle sometime in 2005 (unsure of date). Around that same time the vehicle was cited for a number of parking violations in downtown Fort Worth. I am sure these were incurred after she sold the vehicle, but prior to the new owner taking of the plates and registering it in her name.

I have already admonished her (well as much as she would let me) for letting the vehicle leave with plates, but my question is this.

Can the City really do anything except boot or tow the vehicle that was ticketed? Isn't a parking ticket just like a red light ticket (ie it is against the vehicle, not the owner)?

The reason I ask is that if we have to indeed prove that title changed hands prior to the tickets it will involve a half day of work, a trip to TAD offices, etc. If the reality is that all they can do is act against the vehicle and not report it to a credit bureau it is not worth my time to jump through a bunch of hoops to prove the vehicle had changed hands.

Did you write a bill of sale documenting the date and to whom you sold the vehicle? There's also official form that can be completed memorializing the sale. The new owner has to apply to transfer title. I've never removed plates when I sold a vehicle. I know some states require it but as far as I know plates stay with the vehicle and the title transfer assigns the plates to the new owner. If the title was never switched you're probably on the hook until you prove otherwise.

Did you file the online form with DMV that the vehicle was sold?
https://vision21.txdmv.gov/Vehicle/Main ... ation.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I had a similar experience with a car that I traded to a dealer. A few months later I get a huge bill for tolls on the George Bush, plus violations/fines. etc. All the toll dates were after the car was traded. I called up the toll authority (NTTA?) and they located my form that I filed the day the car was traded. They wiped my name off the bill on the spot. Not sure why they could not have done that before sending me the bill, but, I was grateful to have fixed it with one phone call and let the question slide.

Second time, I sold a motorcycle. I filled out the form the same day the bike left my possession. When the new owner went the next day to register the bike, they told him he had to wait 48(?) hours because I had filed the online form and it took some time for that to process (?) and for the title to become re-registerable.

So.... The online form works if you filed it in a timely manner.

steveincowtown wrote:I have already admonished her (well as much as she would let me) for letting the vehicle leave with plates, but my question is this.

In Texas, the plates are "part of the vehicle". They transfer to the new owner together with the registration sticker on the window.
The only time a plate does not transfer is if it's a custom plate that you've paid for XX years of use in advance.

I find this strange too, coming from a place where the plate belongs to the registrant, but, that's the way it is here AFAIK.

RoyGBiv wrote:Did you file the online form with DMV that the vehicle was sold?
https://vision21.txdmv.gov/Vehicle/Main ... ation.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;



So.... The online form works if you filed it in a timely manner.

I have always used that form. She however did not. Unfortunately this was prior to her being blessed with my presence and guidance.

I suggest you get ahead of this ASAP. Federal consumer protection rarely apply to government debts!

Their government bosses can give them [private debt collection companies] the power to threaten debtors with the suspension of their driver’s license, garnishment of their wages, foreclosure and arrest to get them to pay up.

State lawmakers have even passed laws allowing private collectors to charge debtors steep fees. In Florida, for example, fees can be as high as 40% on top of the total bill, which includes not only what they already owe, but interest and government penalties as well. In Texas, they can reach 30%. And in cases of unpaid toll violations, flat fees can effectively amount to more than 100%. As a result, small unpaid tolls can easily balloon into hundreds of dollars, once government penalties and collection fees are tacked on.

For one out-of-town driver who mistakenly failed to pay $7.50 in tolls on a Texas highway, these fees became a $157.50 bill in a matter of months. The toll road was due the original toll amount, plus $66 in administrative fees. Linebarger added $84 for itself.

http://money.cnn.com/interactive/pf/deb ... -agencies/

steveincowtown wrote:

RoyGBiv wrote:Did you file the online form with DMV that the vehicle was sold?
https://vision21.txdmv.gov/Vehicle/Main ... ation.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;



So.... The online form works if you filed it in a timely manner.

I have always used that form. She however did not. Unfortunately this was prior to her being blessed with my presence and guidance.

Bummer! Any chance she got a dated, signed Bill of Sale? Did the buyer pay by check or cash? A check (even a money order or even better, a cashiers check) would have been deposited and the bank records would show the date, although, it might be several days after the sale. If cash was deposited into a bank, you might be able to convince the DMV that the deposit date represented the sale date...

All great replies, thanks for the help. Much to my surprise the City Attorney also answered my question:

A vehicle with at least 3 delinquent parking citations in the City of Fort Worth is subject to being impounded or immobilized (booted). Additionally, the owner of the vehicle may not be able to register the vehicle under the State’s Scofflaw program. You are correct that these options typically follow the vehicle and not the person.

Done and done.

RoyGBiv wrote:In Texas, the plates are "part of the vehicle". They transfer to the new owner together with the registration sticker on the window.
The only time a plate does not transfer is if it's a custom plate that you've paid for XX years of use in advance.

I find this strange too, coming from a place where the plate belongs to the registrant, but, that's the way it is here AFAIK.

I used to think that too, but in reality you can do it either way.
I've bought at least one vehicle (I flew to Ohio to get it) - in Ohio where they keep the plate. Texas can issue a paper tag that is good for a date range and largely from point A to point B. You can do the same thing in Texas, you just need to tell the person that you're selling to that they need to get a temporary tag.

Google search for this document: " 3072-protect-your-title-texas " - it'll talk about keeping the plate.

I sold a car about 2 years ago that was immediately driven on the tollways. All my paperwork was correct and I filed 3 separate affidavits stating "not my car / sold". I still got billed.. It's hard to stop the Texas toll way billing machine. I eventually paid the tolls to prevent the fines from stacking up and wasting more and more hours... The tollway DB eventually refreshed and it was OK after that - but it assumes that the vehicle gets registered on the other end.

Unfortunately if you didn't fill out the document to show sale of the vehicle to the other person, until that person registers the vehicle in their name it is still yours. I ran into the same issue on tolls and a parking ticket when I sold a vehicle. Luckily I was able to contact the person who bought it and they paid me for the tolls and took care of getting the parking ticket paid, then got it registered. However, the city and tollway authority still considered the debt mine until the state had the new info.

I will never sell another car without filling out the form to show it was sold to get it out of my name.

steveincowtown wrote:All great replies, thanks for the help. Much to my surprise the City Attorney also answered my question:

A vehicle with at least 3 delinquent parking citations in the City of Fort Worth is subject to being impounded or immobilized (booted). Additionally, the owner of the vehicle may not be able to register the vehicle under the State’s Scofflaw program. You are correct that these options typically follow the vehicle and not the person.

Done and done.

I'm not as comfortable as you with this being "done".
Until the vehicle is registered in the new owners name and the fines paid, the previous owner's name is on the violations.
I'd wager there are other places in the code where that could be a possible problem.... I can't name them (I'd be guessing), but, I'd wager they're out there.

Have you tried to re-register the new vehicle or any vehicle in the same name as the old owner (your SO) since you received notice from the City??
if you can successfully re-register a current vehicle, that would ease my worry a bit.

RoyGBiv wrote:

steveincowtown wrote:All great replies, thanks for the help. Much to my surprise the City Attorney also answered my question:

A vehicle with at least 3 delinquent parking citations in the City of Fort Worth is subject to being impounded or immobilized (booted). Additionally, the owner of the vehicle may not be able to register the vehicle under the State’s Scofflaw program. You are correct that these options typically follow the vehicle and not the person.

Done and done.

I'm not as comfortable as you with this being "done".
Until the vehicle is registered in the new owners name and the fines paid, the previous owner's name is on the violations.
I'd wager there are other places in the code where that could be a possible problem.... I can't name them (I'd be guessing), but, I'd wager they're out there.

Have you tried to re-register the new vehicle or any vehicle in the same name as the old owner (your SO) since you received notice from the City??
if you can successfully re-register a current vehicle, that would ease my worry a bit.

Yes on both counts. The City Attorney also had the her lead attorney at the municipal court follow up and confirm the same information.

Off topic- but I am always impressed by the level of responsiveness from the City of Fort Worth.

RoyGBiv wrote:Did you file the online form with DMV that the vehicle was sold?
https://vision21.txdmv.gov/Vehicle/Main ... ation.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

So.... The online form works if you filed it in a timely manner.

This will stop not only parking tickets, red light cameras, tolls, etc. . . You are legally responsible for that vehicle and that means automobile accidents are on you. Always go straight to the title office with them to change it and at least follow the form RoyGBiv gave above.

RoyGBiv wrote: In Texas, the plates are "part of the vehicle". They transfer to the new owner together with the registration sticker on the window.

The Texas DMV advises sellers to remove the plates and registration sticker when the car is sold to the buyer.

http://www.txdmv.gov/motorists" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I sold a truck back in California and immediately went home and filled out the CA DMV release of liability form online. Sure enough, that night the buyer of the truck racked up several parking tickets. I had to prove to the city that the form was filed only hours before the first ticket was issued. Documenting not only the date of sale but the actual time on the bill of sale is probably a good idea. Even better is to have it notarized or to file the title application with the buyer at the tax office.

2004: Had the exact thing happen to me when I lived in Dallas.

I called the police department.

Me: not my car. I sold it.
PO: registered in your name. It's your responsibility to pay the fines.
Me: ok, can I file a stolen vechile report?
PO: no, not your car you sold it.
Me: I know and now you know to.

Had to send affidavit that I sold the car. Last I heard of it.