Welcome to the Lone Star State
You have 30 days from the time you move here to register your vehicle in the state. To learn how, follow the steps below. In no time at all, we will be proud to call you a Registered Texan!
Here are the steps to becoming a Registered Texan:
1. Vehicle Inspection and Insurance
Have your vehicle inspected. Simply take your vehicle to a certified Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) inspection station. Many mechanic shops, oil change locations and service stations are certified by DPS as inspection stations. Bring your insurance card.
In Texas, you must show you have insurance coverage for a minimum of $30,000 per injured person, up to a total of $60,000 for everyone injured in an accident, and $25,000 for property damage.
2. Registration
Next, it's time to get your vehicle registration sticker and license plates. To do this, you must visit your local county tax-assessor collector office. You will need your insurance card, proof of vehicle inspection (the Vehicle Inspection Report from the inspection station), and proof you own the vehicle, such as the registration or title from your previous state. You can also show a current foreign/military ownership document or foreign evidence of ownership. Please note that if your insurance policy was issued in another state, you will need to bring your policy in its entirety so that insurance coverage minimums may be verified.
Visit your local county tax office. You are not required to title your vehicle in Texas, but first-time registrants must fill out and complete Application for Texas Title and/or Registration (Form 130-U).
The base registration fee in Texas is $50.75 plus $1 for TexasSure, the electronic insurance verification program and other Department of Public Safety initiatives. So, total state registration is $51.75 but counties may add other fees to this cost. The state portion of your vehicle's inspection fee will be due at this time. As a new resident, you also will pay sales tax-related fees required by the state's Comptroller of Public Accounts. Sales tax fees on a vehicle can be $90 or the difference between your previous state's sales tax and the Texas sales tax.
While at the county tax assessor-collector's office be sure to ask your customer service representative to sign you up for eReminder. We'll email you when it's time to renew, and you will have the opportunity to renew your registration online.
Note: Active duty members of the U.S. Armed Forces and non-resident, full-time students attending a Texas college or university are not required to register or title their vehicles in Texas.
3. Electric Vehicles
Fully electric cars and trucks, with a gross vehicle weight of 10,000 lbs. or less, will be assessed an annual $200 fee at the time of registration renewal starting September 1, 2023. In addition, new electric vehicles issued two years of registration to match a two-year inspection will be assessed a $400 fee. All standard vehicle registration and related fees still apply.
The Electric Vehicle (EV) fee will not apply to hybrids or vehicles with combination fuel types or motorcycles, mopeds, autocycles, and neighborhood electric vehicles. Additionally, governmental vehicles with exempt registration and other vehicles for which no registration fee is due, including those with Disabled Veteran and other meritorious military license plates, will not be assessed the fee.
4. Driver License
The Texas Department of Public Safety is the agency that issues driver licenses and IDs in Texas. See https://www.dps.texas.gov/section/driver-license/moving-texas for driver license information for new Texans, and https://www.dps.texas.gov/section/driver-license for complete information on driver license and ID services. New residents are required to obtain a Texas driver license from the Texas Department of Public Safety within 90 days of moving to the state.
More Information About Vehicle and Driver Services in Texas
Although many states combine motor vehicle services and driver license services under the authority of one agency, the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (TxDMV) provides only vehicle-related services. Below is a summary of TxDMV services and how they are accessed:
Offices of County Tax Assessor-Collectors
Most motorists will conduct TxDMV-related business at county offices, which are staffed and operated independently of TxDMV. County Tax Assessor-Collectors are statutorily authorized to process certain transactions on behalf of TxDMV at their locations:
- Initial registration for those relocating to Texas.
- Registration renewals (license plates and registration stickers).
- Vehicle title transfers.
- Change of address on motor vehicle records.
- Non-fee license plates such as Purple Heart and Disabled Veterans license plates.
- Disabled parking placards.
- Copies of registration receipts.
- Temporary registration.
Find your local county tax office: https://www.txdmv.gov/tax-assessor-collectors/county-tax-offices. Please note that some county tax offices require appointments.
Texas Department of Motor Vehicles Regional Service Centers
Statewide, TxDMV operates 16 Regional Service Centers, each of which serve specific counties, where motorists can complete certain transactions:
- Replacement Titles.
- Bonded Title Rejection Letters.
- Apportioned Registration (IRP Credentials and Temporary Operating Authority for Established Accounts).
- Investigating and Resolving Texas Title Errors.
- Vehicle Transfer Notifications.
- Title History Inquiries.
Find your TxDMV Regional Service Center: https://www.txdmv.gov/regional-service-centers.