Let’s talk now about what goes on your dealership wall. We’ll break that down into three areas: first, your licenses and permits, then the required postings for the public and finally your required postings as an employer.
Generally speaking, any license or permit you obtain is supposed to be posted in a place where it’s visible to the general public. This is certainly the case with your Dealer’s License. Adjacent to, and in the same manner as the Dealer’s License, you must post a notice of surety bond and the procedure by which a claimant can recover from the bond. A sample of this language is available under Resources.
You must also post your Motor Vehicle Sales Finance License (MVSF) which is obtained from the Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner. This is a required license if you plan to provide or arrange financing for your customers. We’ll talk at great length about the OCCC Motor Vehicle Sales Finance License in Section 4.
If you sell anything OTHER than motor vehicles – fuzzy dice, driving gloves, etc – then you’ll need a General Sales and Use Tax Permit, obtained from the Comptroller.
If you are a buy-here pay-here dealer, intending to utilize deferred sales tax, you need to acquire a Seller Finance Sales Tax Permit, also from the Comptroller.
Now your city or county may also require you to post an Occupancy Permit or something similar. This is dependent on your local municipality, so you’ll want to check with your local resources on that.
Do keep in mind that you don’t need a license or permit to collect and remit motor vehicle sales tax to the Texas Comptroller.
Now turning to the required postings for the public. You must display a specific emissions notice in a public area with a minimum size of 8 inches by 10 inches. A sample of this notice is provided under Resources. If you charge a documentary fee to your customers, then the Documentary Fee Disclosure language must be posted in any area of your office where sales are finalized. A sample of this language is also available under Resources.
The state of Texas has some requirements for postings for you as an employer. The Texas Workforce Commission provides many resources for small businesses including information on posters for the workplace.
If you need additional help, you may want to work with a third-party provider who can help you with the required postings.
If you have a criminal history and are concerned about your eligibility for a license, you MAY request a criminal history evaluation before applying for a new dealer’s license. This can be done by setting up a user account through the TxDMV website and requesting a criminal history evaluation in the eLICENSING portal. (Note: This step is NOT a requirement but it might be helpful IF you have a criminal history).
By entering this site, you verify you’ve been notified of your rights outlined in the Texas Occupations Code Chapter 53, Subchapter D, as well as the current criminal history guidelines found in the Texas Administrative Code §211.3.