This didn't work out well for me.
I was led astray by the "90-day Temporary Registration" and the documentation provided by Tesla, and paid a penalty of hundreds of dollars. It would have been worse but for this TMC Forum, so I've again been saved by the collective knowledge of all of you. Thanks!
**NOTE TO ALL TEXAS BUYERS: YOU HAVE 20 WORKING DAYS TO REGISTER YOUR NEW TESLA!**
As an aside, however, we're all about to get our registration fees refunded, IF all goes well. (But don't hold your breath.) This little blurb was in one of the links posted previously for the Texas State Motor Vehicle Tax Guidebook:
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Hydrogen-Powered Vehicles
An ultra low-emission motor vehicle that is hydrogen power-capable and has a fuel economy of at least 45 miles per gallon, or that is fully hydrogen-powered, is exempt from Texas motor vehicle tax.
A qualifying hydrogen-powered motor vehicle is a vehicle that meets Phase II standards established by the California Air Resources Board (ARB) as of Sept. 1, 2007, for an ultra low-emission vehicle II or stricter Phase II emission standards established by that board. For information, visit the ARB website at
Air Resources Board - Homepage.
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One would think that if the goal of this legislation was to encourage cleaner air, all Teslas would qualify for this waiver of Motor Vehicle Taxes, no? How can the cleanest car made not receive this treatment as well? My best guess is that there are no Hydrogen-fueled automobiles to be found in Texas (and darn close to zero elsewhere as well) so it's time for the Texas Legislature to get serious. Today is yet another "Ozone Alert Day" here in DFW, thanks to the exhaust of millions of cars and trucks, plus the gases released by the Great Fracking Boom here . . . and we're effectively penalized because we have cleaner cars, but that don't use Hydrogen. Wow.