News
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Fry Title Celebrates 50 Years of Business in Austin, TX
Fry Auto Title Service proudly serves Austin as a family owned business that is licensed by the Travis County Tax Assessors Collectors office to perform all functions that the tax office performs as it relates to title transfers and registrations.
When Loretta Fry first started Fry Auto Title in 1960 she had already established herself as an expert in the field and a pioneer of the industry. Working for an insurance agency that loaned money on vehicles, Loretta had to learn the process of automobile title transfers and lien recording. Throughout her time with the insurance agency she became renown at the Travis County Tax Assessor Collectors Office and within the Austin community for her mastery of auto title laws. As the demand for her expertise grew, she had the vision that an independent title service was needed. Travis County also saw the value of the service she provided and licensed her as the first independent automobile title service in the state of Texas.
She opened her first office in downtown Austin on 6th Street and Nueces, but as the business continued to grow and she hired additional employees, she realized that a larger office was needed. In 1981 Loretta Fry moved to an office at Lamar and Treadwell, and in 1998, she transferred ownership of the business to her son, Webb and his wife, Sharon. Fry Auto Title remained at their location at Lamar and Treadwell until August 2006 when a fire in the building destroyed the entire office. Undeterred by the loss, Sharon maintained the pioneering spirit of Fry Auto Title that Loretta had instilled in their business and continued operating from the garage of their computer systems consultant until a new location could be found. In November 2006 Fry Auto Title moved into their current location in the Corners II Shopping Center.
Stepping into the office of Fry Auto Title is a bit of a history lesson in itself. As a lover of antiques and vintage items, Sharon visualized the new office décor to incorporate the old and the new. Sharon and the staff have decorated the “new” office with all things car related, from vintage advertisements, antique photos, and auto memorabilia. The previous location featured a display of every Texas plate issued since the inception of plates in 1917; most of these priceless plates were destroyed in the fire and Sharon is still actively replacing the plates in order to restore the collection. Many of Fry’s customers have contributed to the cause, and they love telling fellow customers, “That was my plate!”
The key to Fry’s longevity is our service. Fry Auto Title prides itself in its ability to accommodate the needs of our entire community, from the public, to new and used auto dealers. Fifty years in the business means we have encountered almost every situation. Our knowledge, not only of current laws and practices, but also of the history of titles and registration in Texas gives us unique insight, and understanding the why, the when, and the purpose of these laws enables us to provide people with the best and most trusted service. Our commitment to serve our customers and build relationships within our community is what sets us apart from most businesses. It is the reason we’ve been here for fifty years and why we are now helping 2nd and 3rd generations of Austinites!
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My Plates available for online ordering beginning November 19, 2009
Plates issued by My Plates, a license plate marketing vendor recently contracted by TxDMV, offers a wider array of colors and designs for license plates. A portion of the revenue from My Plates’ sales will be deposited into the state’s General Revenue Fund, which provides services for all Texans.
My Plates is offering five categories of plates:
- Background (Non Personalized)
- Custom- (Personalized with 3 letters plus 2 or 3 numbers in a set pattern. Example: AAA11 or AAA111 or personalized with up to 6 letters and numbers on the generic plate design)
- T-Plates (Premium) -(Personalized up to 7 letters and numbers. First character is a T)
- Luxury (Personalized with up to 6 letters and numbers)
- Freedom (Personalized with up to 7 letters and numbers)
Plate prices range from $55 to $795 and price depends on the plate category, the number of characters offered for personalization and whether the plate is purchased for use for one, five or ten years.
The vendor also will sell $40 souvenir plates, which are not street legal, but can be personalized.
Online ordering of My Plates can be done at MyPlates
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Mechanic's Lien Law Change Effective September 1, 2009
House Senate Bill 543, enacted by the 81st Legislature, Regular Session, amended Section 70.006 of the Property Code and becomes effective on September 1, 2009. This legislation adds new responsibilities, for both the holders of a mechanic*s lien and the county tax assessor-collectors, to provide information to the owner(s) and lienholder(s) of a motor vehicle subject to a mechanic*s lien.
HOLDER OF A MECHANIC*S LIEN RESPONSIBILITIES:
The person filing the mechanic*s lien is required to notify the owner(s) and lienholder(s) of record by certified mail, return receipt requested, no later than 30 days after the charges accrue. The notice must also be sent to the address that appears on the work order authorizing possession, if the address on the work order is different than the address on the motor vehicle record. The notification must include the address where the repairs were made, the legal name of the person that holds
the possessory lien, the taxpayer or employer identification number of the person that holds the possessory lien, and a signed copy of the work order authorizing repairs.
The person filing the lien is now required to submit to the county tax assessor-collector*s office, in the county in which the repairs were made, an administrative fee of $25, a copy of their notification, and a signed copy of the work order.
Providing false or misleading information in the notice can result in a Class B misdemeanor.
Not later then the 30th day after charges accrue, the holder of the mechanic*s lien shall make the motor vehicle available for inspection by the owner(s) or lienholder(s) of record to verify the repairs made.
COUNTY TAX ASSESSOR-COLLECTOR RESPONSIBILITIES:
Not later than the 10th day after receiving notification from the holder of the mechanic*s lien, the county tax assessor-collector is required to send by certified mail with return receipt requested, copies of work order and notification to the owner(s) and lienholder(s) of record.
To assist you in preparing the required county notification letter, we drafted the attached template that includes all required information and was reviewed and approved by several tax assessor collectors that you may choose to use.
Form VTR-265-M, Mechanic*s Lien Foreclosure will be updated in the near future to reflect these changes.__________________________________________________________________
Gift Tax Law for Motor Vehicles Changed Effective September 1, 2009
House Bill 2654 Effective September 1, 2009 establishes new criteria for determining when a transaction qualifies as a gift for motor vehicle tax purposes.
See the Sales Tax, Gift Tax and SPV section on our Q&A page for details.
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Department of Motor Vehicles Created (TxDMV)
The Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) will exist as a "stand-alone" state agency on November 1, 2009. The Texas DMV was created by the Texas Legislature in House Bill 3097, passed during the 81st Legislative Session and signed into law by the Governor on June 19, 2009.
Areas of TXDOT being transferred to TxDMV include Motor Vehicles, Auto Burglary and Theft Prevention, Vehicle Titles and Registration, and Motor Carrier operations.
You can learn more about the new TxDMV at TxDMV
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You may now renew your boat registration online!
You may now renew your boat registration online using your credit card through this link at Texas Parks and Wildlife: Online Boat Registration Renewal
You can also update your address and order additional ID cards when you renew your registration.
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