(a) A person commits an offense if, after the fifth working day after the date the registration for the vehicle expires:
(1) the person operates on a public highway during a registration period a motor vehicle, trailer, or semitrailer that has attached to it a license plate for the preceding period; and
(2) the license plate has not been validated by the attachment of a registration insignia for the registration period in effect.
(b) A justice of the peace or municipal court judge having jurisdiction of the offense may:
(1) dismiss a charge of driving with an expired motor vehicle registration if the defendant:
(A) remedies the defect not later than the 20th working day after the date of the offense or before the defendant's first court appearance date, whichever is later; and
(B) establishes that the fee prescribed by Section 502.045 has been paid; and
(2) assess a reimbursement fee not to exceed $20 when the charge is dismissed.
(b-1) For purposes of dismissing a charge under Subsection (b), "day" does not include Saturday, Sunday, or a legal holiday.
(c) It is a defense to prosecution under this section that at the time of the offense:
(1) the office of the county assessor-collector for the county in which the owner of the vehicle resided was closed for a protracted period of time in accordance with department rules; and
(2) the vehicle's registration was expired for 30 working days or less.