Can I show proof of insurance on my phone in Texas?

Can I show proof of insurance on my phone in Texas?

The Texas Transportation Code lists the evidence of financial responsibility that an operator may show an officer. According to the Texas Legislature, that list includes an image displayed on a wireless communication device that is provided by a liability insurer.¹ An operator who does not exhibit evidence of financial responsibility on request is presumed to have violated the insurance requirement, unless the officer verifies coverage through the state verification program.¹ The Legislature words the phone item in these terms:

(2-a) an image displayed on a wireless communication device that includes the information required by Section 601.081 as provided by a liability insurer

What happens in Texas if proof of insurance is not shown?

Topic	What the sources say
Proof is not shown	The operator is presumed to have violated the insurance requirement, unless the officer verifies coverage through the state verification program.1
The verification program	Texas law directs the Texas Department of Insurance to establish a program to verify whether vehicle owners have established financial responsibility.3
A citation is written	A citation for driving without insurance must state that the officer could not verify financial responsibility through the verification program.2
A first offense	A first offense of operating a vehicle without financial responsibility is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of $175 to $3502.
A defense in court	It is a defense that the person produces to the court a listed proof document that was valid when the offense is alleged to have occurred; once the court verifies it, the court shall dismiss the charge.4

What the sources do not state

The sources used here do not name any app or file format, do not say whether a screenshot counts, and do not list what the image must show beyond a reference to another section of the code. They also do not state penalties beyond a first offense.

Next step

The Texas Legislature publishes the evidence list in the Texas Transportation Code. The filing lookup tool is where to look up filing details for a situation.