(a) Except as provided by Section 502.140(c), the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles may not register an off-highway vehicle for operation on a highway regardless of whether any alteration has been made to the vehicle.
(b) An operator may operate an unregistered off-highway vehicle on a highway in a manner authorized by this subchapter only if the vehicle displays a license plate issued under this section.
(c) The Texas Department of Motor Vehicles:
(1) shall by rule establish a procedure to issue license plates for unregistered off-highway vehicles; and
(2) may charge a fee not to exceed $10 for the cost of the license plate, to be deposited to the credit of the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles fund.
(d) An off-highway vehicle license plate issued under Subsection (c) does not expire. A person who becomes the owner of an off-highway vehicle for which the previous owner obtained a license plate may not use the previous owner's license plate.