Q
What does Texas SB2141 do?
SB2141 mandates a privacy option for judicial specialty license plates, permitting state and federal judges to omit their official title (e. g. , "State Judge") from the physical plate.
SB2141
Regular Session
Relating to the issuance of specialty license plates to state and federal judges.
LowStandard timeline
Low Cost
Effective:2025-09-01
Enforcing Agencies
Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (TxDMV)
01
Compliance Analysis
Key implementation requirements and action items for compliance with this legislation
Implementation Timeline
- Effective Date: September 1, 2025
- Compliance Deadline: September 1, 2025. All applications processed on or after this date must accommodate the privacy option.
- Agency Rulemaking: The Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (TxDMV) must redesign the physical plates and update application forms (likely Form VTR-421) prior to the effective date. Expect administrative guidance and design proofs between July and August 2025.
Immediate Action Plan
- 1. July 1, 2025: Audit internal vehicle registration checklists used by F&I and title departments to include the new privacy election step.
- 2. August 15, 2025: Download and distribute the updated TxDMV application form (likely VTR-421) to all processing staff; destroy old stock.
- 3. September 1, 2025: Enforce the new intake protocol. Ensure no judicial plate applications are submitted without a documented "Text/No-Text" election from the client.
Operational Changes Required
Contracts
- Standard Agreements: No changes required for Master Service Agreements (MSAs).
- Service Level Agreements (SLAs): Third-party title runners and fleet management companies should review SLAs regarding delivery timelines. Anticipate potential fulfillment delays from county tax assessor-collectors during the initial rollout of the "text-free" inventory.
Hiring/Training
- F&I and Title Clerks: Train staff to stop defaulting to standard judicial plates. Personnel must now affirmatively ask qualifying clients if they wish to exercise the Section 504.403(b) option to omit their title.
- Client Advisory: Staff must be prepared to explain that selecting the privacy option removes the visual indicator often used for "professional courtesy," though the registration record remains flagged for law enforcement.
Reporting & Record-Keeping
- Intake Forms: Update internal "VIP" or "Specialty Plate" request forms to include a checkbox for "Omit Judicial Title."
- Liability Mitigation: Retain written confirmation of the client’s election. If a judge receives a plate displaying their title after requesting anonymity—or vice versa—the processing entity will be held liable for the error and the cost of replacement.
- Form VTR-421: Monitor TxDMV for the release of the revised Judicial Plate application. Old versions of the form may be rejected by county offices after September 1.
Fees & Costs
- Statutory Fees: No changes to the underlying statutory fees for specialty plates.
- Operational Costs: Negligible. Limited to administrative updates and staff training time.
Strategic Ambiguities & Considerations
- Plate Design: The statute is silent on the visual design of the plate when the text is omitted. It is currently unclear if the plate will retain the judicial seal/logo without the text, or revert to a standard "Texas Classic" design.
- *Business Risk:* If the plate becomes visually indistinguishable from a standard plate, clients may contest the value of the specialty plate fee. Watch for TxDMV design proofs in Summer 2025.
- Inventory Availability: It is unclear if county tax offices will stock the "no-text" blanks immediately. This may force these specific registrations into a "mail-order" workflow, extending lead times for client delivery.
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Legislative Timeline
This bill's path through the Texas Legislature
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Official Analysis
BILL ANALYSIS
| Senate Research Center | S.B. 2141 |
| By: Zaffirini | |
| Transportation | |
| 4/3/2025 | |
| As Filed |
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
Current law requires specialty license plates issued to state and federal judges to display "State Judge" or "U.S. Judge," providing clear identification. This requirement, however, creates security risks by making judges easily identifiable. Judicial security officials, particularly the United States Marshals Service, have raised concerns that this visibility could make judges more vulnerable to targeting.
S.B. 2141 would allow judges to choose a "State Official" plate without a judicial designation. This would give judges three options for their license plates: "State Official" plates issued under this bill without any additional designation, "State Official" plates displaying "State Judge" or "U.S. Judge," or standard Texas license plates. Regardless of the chosen plate, law enforcement would still be able to identify the vehicle as belonging to a state official when run through the Texas Law Enforcement Telecommunication System (TLETS). This bill would provide judges with more choices while improving judicial security and maintaining law enforcement's ability to identify official vehicles.
As proposed, S.B. 2141 amends current law relating to issuance of specialty license plates for state and federal judges.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Section 504.403(a), Transportation Code, to authorize specialty license plates to include, rather than requiring that the license plates include, for a current or visiting state or federal judge, the words "State Judge" or "U.S. Judge," as appropriate.
SECTION 2.� Effective date: September 1, 2025.
Senate Authors
House Sponsor
Bill Text(with markup)
| S.B. No. 2141 | ||
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| relating to the issuance of specialty license plates to state and | ||
| federal judges. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Section 504.403, Transportation Code, as amended | ||
| by Chapter 1296 (H.B. 2357), Acts of the 82nd Legislature, Regular | ||
| Session, 2011, and repealed by Chapter 1290 (H.B. 2017), Acts of the | ||
| 82nd Legislature, Regular Session, 2011, is reenacted and amended | ||
| to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 504.403. STATE AND FEDERAL JUDGES. (a) The department | ||
| shall issue specialty license plates for a current or visiting | ||
| state or federal judge. Except as provided by Subsection (b), the | ||
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| Judge," as appropriate. | ||
| (b) A person entitled to license plates under this section | ||
| may elect to receive license plates that do not include the words | ||
| "State Judge" or "U.S. Judge." | ||
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(2) [ |
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| judicial district; or | ||
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| SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. | ||
| TO: | Honorable Robert Nichols, Chair, Senate Committee on Transportation |
| FROM: | Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board |
| IN RE: | SB2141 by Zaffirini (Relating to issuance of specialty license plates for state and federal judges.), As Introduced |
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
It is assumed that any costs associated with the bill could be absorbed using existing resources.
Local Government Impact
No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
| Source Agencies: | 608 Department of Motor Vehicles |
| LBB Staff: | JMc, AAL, TG |
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Quick Reference
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about SB2141
Q
Who authored SB2141?
SB2141 was authored by Texas Senator Judith Zaffirini during the Regular Session.
Q
When was SB2141 signed into law?
SB2141 was signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott on May 29, 2025.
Q
Which agencies enforce SB2141?
SB2141 is enforced by Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (TxDMV).
Q
How urgent is compliance with SB2141?
The compliance urgency for SB2141 is rated as "low". Businesses and organizations should review the requirements and timeline to ensure timely compliance.
Q
What is the cost impact of SB2141?
The cost impact of SB2141 is estimated as "low". This may vary based on industry and implementation requirements.
Q
What topics does SB2141 address?
SB2141 addresses topics including courts, courts--judges, vehicles & traffic, vehicles & traffic--vehicle registration and license plates.
Legislative data provided by LegiScanLast updated: November 25, 2025
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