How to Register Your Vehicle and Get Texas Plates
You have 30 days from moving here to register your vehicle. Take your vehicle to a certified Vehicle Inspection station and obtain a passing Texas inspection. Bring your insurance card with you because the inspection station will ask to see proof of insurance.
(In Texas, you must 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.)
To get your Texas license plates and registration sticker, visit your local county tax-assessor collector office. You will need your insurance card, the Vehicle Inspection Report issued by the inspection station, and proof that you own the vehicle such as the registration or title from your previous state. You may also show a current foreign/military ownership document or foreign evidence of ownership.
How To Renew Your Registration
Online
Renew Your Registration Online and Receive a $1.00 Discount!
Your vehicle registration may be renewed online 90 days prior to the expiration date or up to 12 months after the expiration date if you have not received a citation for an expired registration. Your expiration month will not change.
There is a two business day payment processing hold before your sticker is printed. Please allow up to three weeks for processing and mailing.
You can track the status of your registration sticker by visiting Where's My Sticker?
NOTE: You must get your vehicle inspected AND have it pass a state inspection before you can renew your vehicle registration.
Your vehicle registration sticker displays your license plate number, county of registration and partial vehicle identification number. This customization helps protect you against theft and fraud. Registration expires on the last day of the month shown on your sticker. For example, if your sticker shows a date of 12/23, your registration is valid through the last day of December 2023.
Vehicles registered in Texas are required to pass an annual inspection to ensure compliance with state law.
Texas by Texas Mobile Application
Texas by Texas (TxT) is a digital assistant that allows Texans to create an online account, manage their government-issued licenses and registrations, receive proactive reminders when it’s time to take action, and complete transactions quickly and securely. Annual vehicle registration renewal is available through the Texas by Texas mobile application, which is available in the App Store and in Google Play. In the first six months of operation, Texans have processed nearly 700,000 vehicle transactions through Texas by Texas and linked more than one million vehicles for future transactions and registration renewal notices.
You may renew your vehicle registration electronically using Texas by Texas through the following links:
By Mail
Registration renewal notices are mailed to registered vehicle owners unless they opt to go paperless. To renew by mail, send the following to your county tax office:
- Renewal notice (keep the vehicle owner's section for your records)
- A copy of your Vehicle Inspection Report (VIR) – (a copy can be obtained at www.mytxcar.org)
- Proof of current liability insurance
- All fees listed on your renewal notice (see Fees area below for more information)
In Person
To register your vehicle in person, take your registration renewal notice and proof of current liability insurance to your county tax office or an approved substation.
If you do not have a renewal notice, you can renew your registration using one of the following:
- License Plate Number
- Vehicle Identification Number
- Registration Receipt from the previous year
Most inspection records are available in near real time, but there may be instances when the record is not immediately available. If your vehicle passed inspection but the system is unable to electronically verify it, you may present the Vehicle Inspection Record (VIR) you received from the inspection station to the county at the time of renewal. If you need proof of inspection to complete your vehicle’s registration renewal, visit www.mytxcar.org to download, display electronically, or print a copy of the document. Your inspection will be verified manually, and you will be permitted to renew your vehicle registration.
Alternative Options
Some counties offer renewals at substations and subcontractors, such as a participating grocery store. If you are renewing your registration at a county subcontractor location, such as your local grocery store, they may not accept your VIR as proof of inspection. Each county determines whether their subcontractors can verify inspection manually with a VIR. If a subcontractor is not permitted to verify by VIR, you will be directed to the county tax office to complete your renewal.
Acceptable forms of payment vary by county. Contact your county tax office for details.
Cars and Light Trucks
The standard fee for cars and lighter pickup trucks is a base registration fee of $50.75.
Pickup Trucks
Motor vehicles 6,001 to 10,000 pounds, which includes heavier pickup trucks, pay a $54 base registration fee.
Heavy Vehicles
Heavy vehicles, including heavy-duty pickups, motor homes and commercial trucks, will find their registration fees fall into seven weight classifications between 6,001 pounds and 80,000 pounds.
Trailers
Trailer and travel trailer fees are $45 to register a trailer up to 6,000 pounds.
Mopeds and Motorcycles
The standard fee for mopeds and motorcycles is a base registration fee of $30.
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.
Registration Fees
All registration renewal notices will include line items for the following fees and donation opportunities. The fee amounts displayed here are for demonstration purposes only. Fee amounts will vary based on your vehicle type, county of registration, and county of inspection.
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Registration Fee | $51.75 |
| Local Fee | $10.00 |
| Special Plates Fee(s) | $0.00 |
| Inspection Fee | $7.50 |
| Electric Vehicle Fee | $200.00 |
| Processing and Handling Fee | $4.75 |
| Donate to Support TX Veterans | Amount of your choosing |
| Donate $5 (or more) to State Parks | Amount of your choosing |
| Donate $1 (or more) to Donate Life | Amount of your choosing |
Registration Fee: The Texas registration fee is comprised of the base registration fee for your vehicle type and $1 for the maintenance and operations of the Insurance Verification Project (TexasSure). 100 percent of your base registration fee goes directly to the State Highway Fund for the construction and maintenance of the state’s transportation system. For more information, please see our current registration fee chart at the bottom of this page.
Local Fee: The local fee is comprised of one or more fees assessed by your county of registration. Local fees vary from county to county and are established by county Commissioner’s Courts. The amount listed under local fees may range from $0 to $31.50 depending on your county of registration.
All counties may charge a fee of up to $10 for deposit into their county road and bridge fund. Certain counties are permitted to assess an additional fee for transportation not to exceed $20 to fund long-term transportation projects in the county. All counties may also assess a child safety fee of up to $1.50 to promote child safety programs including health and nutrition education and school crossing guards. For more information, please see our current registration fee chart.
Special Plates Fee(s): A special plates fee will only be assessed if the vehicle being renewed has specialty license plates.
Inspection Fee: The Texas inspection fee is the charge for the state’s portion of the inspection fee. At the time of inspection, motorists pay only the inspection station’s portion of the fee. The state’s portion of the inspection fee is collected at the time of registration or renewal. For more information, please see twostepsonesticker.com/motorists.
Electric Vehicle Fee: 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.
Processing and Handling Fee: The processing and handling fee covers the costs of processing vehicle registration. These costs include state and county services; creation of annual renewal notices; registration stickers; and other related services and materials.
ATVs and Off-Highway Use Vehicles
All-terrain vehicles (three or more wheels, equipped with one or more seats, and not designed by the manufacturer for farm or lawn use) are required to be titled, but may not be registered.
Off-highway motorcycles (two or three wheels) are required to be titled, but not registered.Boats
Boats, boat motors and personal watercraft are registered and titled with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
Mopeds
To be registered, your moped must have a passing inspection.
Motor Homes
The registration fee is based on weight for cars and trucks, including motor homes. For more information, contact your local county tax assessor-collector office. Proof of liability insurance and inspection is required to register your vehicle.
Pocket Bikes and Mini Scooters (Gasoline or Battery-Powered Scooter)
Most of these vehicles do not pass a vehicle safety inspection and cannot be registered or driven on public roads. A secure Manufacturer's Certificate of Origin issued by a manufacturer registered with NHTSA is required to title any motorized vehicle.
You must register your vehicle in the state or jurisdiction where you currently live, unless you are a full-time student or active military. If you are a student or active military, contact your local county tax office in the Texas county where you last resided for more information.
You can renew your vehicle without the renewal notice if you provide the following to your county tax office:
- Registration receipt from the previous year, or
- Texas license plate number, or
- Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
- Government issued photo ID
Ask your local county tax office to verify your correct mailing address. If you would like to be reminded by email when to renew in the future, sign up for our free eReminder service now.
It is important to update your address on your motor vehicle record. Updating your address will help ensure you receive your registration renewal notice. Failure to renew your registration is against the law and may result in a fine.
I sold my vehicle, why did I receive a registration renewal notice in the mail?
Renewal notices are printed in advance, and at the time of printing our record still indicated you as the recorded owner. If you think the buyer of your vehicle did not transfer the vehicle title you should file a vehicle transfer notification. This lets us know that you no longer own the vehicle. You should file the transfer notice within 30 days of selling or trading in your vehicle in order to receive the state protection that no longer makes you responsible for that vehicle.
Note: Filing the transfer notification does not transfer vehicle ownership; it simply removes liability for what the new owner may do with your old vehicle. Contact our customer service at (888) 368-4689 or (512) 465-3000 with the VIN of the vehicle you sold for more information.
Yes, for a limited time. A vehicle may be operated up to five working days after the registration expires without penalty. After those five days, you can receive a citation of up to $200.
You may obtain a replacement sticker from your local county tax assessor-collector’s office for a $6 replacement fee plus the $0.50 automation fee (to upgrade the registration and title computer system). You may be required to complete and submit an Application for Replacement Vehicle Registration Sticker (Form VTR-60) to your local county tax office.
Registration stickers are provided and mailed by your local county tax office. Please contact your county office, and provide the VIN and license plate number.
Registration stickers can be tracked at www.TxDMV.gov/track. You will need the license plate number and the last four digits of the VIN to track your registration sticker.
The Texas Department of Motor Vehicles offers the opportunity to include donations to the following organizations at the time of vehicle registration:
Support Texas Veterans
The Fund for Veterans' Assistance awards grants to local organizations that focus on improving the lives of Veterans in Texas. Learn how these grants benefit Texas Veterans and their families at www.tvc.texas.gov.
Texas State Parks Won't Be The Same Without You
Help keep Texas State Parks open and maintained so that we can enjoy these special places for generations to come. Donate $5 or more when you renew your vehicle registration. You can donate on the front of your registration renewal form or at your county tax assessor-collector’s office. Learn more at www.texasstateparks.org/help.
Give And Let Live with Donate Life Texas
Thousands of Texans await the gift of life. Donate Life Texas provides comfort for families in crisis and provides life-saving and life-enhancing organ and tissue transplants for patients in need, thanks to individuals and families who choose to donate. Find out more and register to Donate Life at www.donatelifetexas.org/promo/dmv.
Support Special Olympics Texas
Your donation helps thousands of Texas children and adults with intellectual disabilities be more prepared to live and work in their communities. Learn more: www.sotx.org.
Ending Homelessness Fund
There are tens of thousands of homeless people in Texas. A small donation to the Ending Homelessness Fund can help counter the adverse effects that homelessness has on families and communities. Please consider a gift in any amount. Your contribution can deliver crucial services and provide necessary aid directly to those most in need. Learn more at www.txhomelessfund.org.
The Evidence Testing Grant Program
The Evidence Testing Grant Program awards funds to help local law enforcement agencies test sexual assault evidence kits at accredited crime laboratories. Testing these kits may bring justice to survivors of sexual assault, hold offenders accountable, and prevent future crime. Learn more at www.gov.texas.gov/cjd/programs.
Stop Human Trafficking
Donations to the trafficked persons program can help by providing treatment services, shelter, and support for youth survivors of human trafficking. Learn more about how your donation can help at www.texas.gov/StopTrafficking.