(a) A fee required to be sent to the department under this chapter bears interest for the benefit of the state highway fund or the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles fund, as applicable, at an annual rate of 10 percent beginning on the 60th day after the date the county assessor-collector collects the fee.
(b) The department shall audit the registration and transfer fees collected and disbursed by each county assessor-collector and shall determine the exact amount of interest due on any fee not sent to the department.

(c) The state has a claim against a county assessor-collector and the sureties on the assessor-collector’s official bond for the amount of interest due on a fee.