Toll Tag Fees Used Vehicle

Ok, I have a girl that works in my office, we'll call her Mary, that broke up with her boyfriend of five years back in April or May. With the break up they agreed that she would take his truck. Let it be known she has a bill of sale dated in may for the truck. So she goes to register the vehicle at the tax office a couple of weeks ago and the the lady behind the window says they have a freeze on the vehicle for unpaid tolls. Mary had no idea there were unpaid tolls on this truck since this was his daily driver for years. The problem is that the tolls are $3500 and the ex-boyfriend says he doesn't owe her a dime.

So my question is, what can she legally do to get the truck registered without having to pay his toll charges? I don't think it is fair to her that she has to pay his toll charges because he failed to do so.

I don't know the answer, but it sounds like this could happen to anybody that bought a used vehicle in the state of Texas.

Go to the toll tag place and they will work out a deal where she will only have to pay a slight fraction of the 3500 and then she can register the truck after she pays the bill.

I refer all toll inquiry's too DaveDave... Seeker of Bigfoot...Solider in the anti NTTA Army.

So when did they tie registration to toll tag bills?

First I have heard of this

Is that toll tag stuff tied to the vin number? Seems if it wasn't and she went in there not knowing the previous plate numbers, there'd be no record of it.

I'd call them and state the facts he walked on the tolls.

Meanwhile: https://www.ntta.org/custinfo/Toll_Enfor...ised_071615.pdf

https://www.ntta.org/custinfo/Toll_Enfor...0FAQs.FINAL.pdf

Read down the 2nd URL:

Does my debt transfer if I sell my vehicle before I am cleared to renew my registration?
If you were the registered owner of the vehicle at the time of the violation(s), you are still responsible for
settling all tolls and fees, or until a payment plan has been arranged with the NTTA.


Best of luck!

They tie it via your license plate. It makes you the registered owner of the vehicle and liable for the toll tag fees. Your registration and license plate number does have your VIN number which identifies the vehicle.

This may help explain it

https://www.ntta.org/custinfo/Toll_Enfor...0FAQs.FINAL.pdf

From reading all that, it sounds like the lady at the DMV was wrong (big surprise). It appears the fines stay with the previously registered owner when a car is sold and are not attached to the vehicle itself.

Does she have a signed title or only a bill of sale? I can see them not wanting to register it if there is no title present, but if she has the signed title then the vehicle already legally belongs to her, it just isn't registered to her yet.

I have dealt with this two different ways. The easy one was when I sold the vehicle, and the new owner was running tolls, they tried to bill me. The day I sold it I had filled out the change of ownership form online. It took about an hour to get cleared up, but it worked out fine.

The second was when they tried to bill me about $5K for a vehicle I had never owned. That's a long story that eventually went my way. To say the least, I am not a fan of their billing practices.

Pics of mary would help

Yup. And then she should boat ramp his arse!

In theory she should only owe tolls from on, or after, the date on the bill of sale. NTTA, or whomever, should be able to help her on this.
She may be able to help NTTA, or whomever, by giving them an updated address, phone #, car make/model/VIN on the guy.

Not long ago. Happens now with red light camera tickets as well.

Find a friend in Collin County and register it there. Collin doesn't enforce the holds. However it is a short term solution to a long term problem. The hold must be on the VIN. The plates can be tossed and new plates taken at tie of registration.

I think they closed that loophole, Last time I was in Frisco City Hall to get tags, I think I saw a sign said you must live in Collin county to register there. Not a 100% sure, but pretty sure.

While I agree "Mary" being the new owner and not the habitual offender shouldn't be held responsible for past fees............What a great scam... I mean if your non-married "significant" other runs up a big tab then just come up with a bill of sale showing you as the new owner, sign title over, get it registered and avoid all fees.

Sounds like a form or theft.

I would be more than happy to help apprehend said person if I was stuck in her position.

I agree with you that it would be a great scam, but...It would be nice if $3,500 in fees wasn't mostly not tolls, but absurd fines for not paying. I bet of that $3,500 in fees, a few hundred or less are actual tolls. Talk about a great scam.

I did not read all the responses but why did she wait 5 years to try to register the car?

I think you go to the TxTag office and show proof of ownership. I would think you should not have to pay for fees from before the car was sold. I've run into the opposite. I sold a used car and had tolls sent to me. I filled out a form showing I sold the car and the date and never heard back from them. I don't know if it works in reverse but it should.

+1

If you would sign over your title to a non-spouse, you're way more trusting than I am. The only way that's a smart move is if the car is worth less than the fines and you're never going to register another car in Texas.

This sounds like the best answer so far. I got nuthin to add.

She did not wait five years to register the vehicle. She got from her boyfriend OF five years after they broke up. The bill of sale is dated May of this year.

I would think the registration office would go after him since the bill of sale is May of this year. She may have to pay a small fine since she did not register it in her name in 30 days, but I do not see how they can hang his toll charges on her since she clearly did not own it when the fines were incurred.

The relationship was five years old. The truck was registered when they decided to split up.

UPDATE:

She went down to the tax office with her bill of sale and talked to several people and found one person that was willing to listen to her and knew how to help her. The end result is all of the tolls prior to the date of the bill of sale are his responsibility. So when his new vehicle comes up for registration this year all he will be hit in the face with a $3500 bill. She walked away free and clear.

She wanted me to tell you guys "Thank You!"

That is awesome. Congrats to the young lady