40 years old, 25 horsepower or less. No title needed.
This bill exempts outboard motors that are at least 40 years old and have no more than 25 horsepower from the state's certificate-of-title rules for boats and motors. It touches owners of small, old outboard motors and the parks and wildlife titling system. Starting September 1, 2025, those owners no longer need a title for such a motor, while vessels with a valid federal Coast Guard document stay exempt as before.
Labels
Labels: BACK FROM THE DEAD. Same text as a bill filed before that died: 88R HB 554 (Died in committee). Filed in 2 sessions, counting this one. Checked against 88R only.TRY NO. 2. Filed in 2 sessions: 88R and 89R. Checked against 88R only.CROSS-PARTY HANDOFF. Lead author Cody Vasut (R) in the House. Lead sponsor Judith Zaffirini (D) in the Senate. Party as the Legislative Reference Library lists it for the 89th Legislature.QUICK READ: 126 WORDS. The bill as filed runs 126 words, counting the existing law it amends and the text it strikes. The median 89R bill as filed runs 441 words (derived, 8,702 graded bills, snapshot Oct 19, 2026).
relating to certificates of title for certain outboard motors.
WHAT IT DOES
40 years old, 25 horsepower or less. No title needed.
This bill exempts outboard motors that are at least 40 years old and have no more than 25 horsepower from the state's certificate-of-title rules for boats and motors. It touches owners of small, old outboard motors and the parks and wildlife titling system. Starting September 1, 2025, those owners no longer need a title for such a motor, while vessels with a valid federal Coast Guard document stay exempt as before.
CHARGES
[ ] NONE FOUND
TOTAL
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
Names were not printed. No individual positions are inferred.
Sources
Senator Zaffirini moved that Senate Rule 7.18 and the Constitutional Rule requiring bills to be read on three several days be suspended and that HB 630 be placed on its third reading and final passage. The motion prevailed by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0. The bill was read third time and was passed by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.
Published stock of positions for this vote, except where marked derived.
Yea: 31 (published)
Nay: 0 (published)
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: Not printed
Excused: Not printed
Senate journal. Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.
Names were not printed. No individual positions are inferred.
Sources
Senator Zaffirini moved that Senate Rule 7.18 and the Constitutional Rule requiring bills to be read on three several days be suspended and that HB 630 be placed on its third reading and final passage. The motion prevailed by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.
Published stock of positions for this vote, except where marked derived.
Yea: 31 (published)
Nay: 0 (published)
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: Not printed
Excused: Not printed
Senate journal. Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.
The following bills which were considered on second reading on the previous legislative day on the local, consent, and resolutions calendar were laid before the house, read third time, and passed by the following record vote (members registering votes and the results of the vote are shown following the bill number). (Record 552): 125 Yeas, 6 Nays, 3 Present, not voting.
Published stock of positions for this vote, except where marked derived.
Yea: 128 (published)
Nay: 3 (published)
Present, not voting: 3 (published)
Absent: 9 (derived from named list)
Excused: 7 (derived from named list)
House journal. Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.
Witnesses5
For
1
Against
1
On
3
Names
For
Self1 registration
Against
Self1 registration
On
Self3 registrations
Sources
5 parsed registrations across the loaded witness lists.
Derived stock of witness registrations. Repeated appearances count separately. Organizations and self-representation appear as printed.
House committee · Culture, Recreation & Tourism · Committee vote 8 aye, 0 nay, 1 absent · Out of committee
Senate committee · Water, Agriculture and Rural Affairs · Committee vote 8 aye, 0 nay, 1 absent · Out of committee
Subjects
Parks & Wildlife--Water Safety
BOATS & BOATING
Text
The text as introduced · 126 words
89R3463 BEE-F
By: Vasut
H.B. No. 630
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to certificates of title for certain outboard motors.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 31.055, Parks and Wildlife Code, is
amended to read as follows:
Sec. 31.055. EXCEPTIONS. This subchapter does not apply
to :
(1) vessels with a valid marine document issued by the
United States Coast Guard's National Vessel Documentation Center or
a federal agency that is a successor to the National Vessel
Documentation Center ; or
(2) an outboard motor that:
(A) is at least 40 years of age; and
(B) has a capacity of not more than 25
horsepower .
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.
Monitoring 
