SB857

SB857 expands when an authorized officer may remove a vehicle from a highway, adding specified driver-license and financial-responsibility violations as grounds. It authorizes removal; it does not require every affected vehicle to be towed. Signed June 20, 2025, it took effect September 1, 2025. Final act; History.

The new grounds are operation in violation of the license-required rule, driving-while-license-invalid rule, financial-responsibility offense, or the rule against driving without a license by a person younger than 17. They are added to the existing ground involving a driver arrested for an offense requiring custody. Thus the new authority is not conditioned on that custodial arrest. The other existing removal grounds—such as specified abandoned, stolen, disabled or hazardous vehicles—remain. Section 2; Prior removal authority.

The incorporated offenses still define the limits. Section 521.021 expressly preserves licensing exemptions; for example, existing law permits qualifying new residents to use a previous state or country’s license for up to 90 days. Financial responsibility is not limited to an ordinary insurance policy: approved bonds, deposits and self-insurance can also satisfy the underlying law. The bill does not make every non-Texas license, forgotten license card or lack of a conventional policy an automatic towing ground. License requirement; New-resident rule; Invalid-license offense; Financial-responsibility methods; Financial-responsibility offense; Under-17 offense.

The authorized actor is a listed peace officer or a Department of Public Safety license-and-weight inspector. The existing provision allows removal or requiring the operator/person in charge to move the vehicle. Existing rules on permitted destinations and the owner’s liability for reasonable towing and storage fees are not repealed. SB857 changes removal authority, not ownership of the vehicle or the penalties for the incorporated driving offenses. Scope of new authority; Retained destination and fee rules.