Assigned and Reassigned Vehicle Identification Numbers
If a permanent identification number was never assigned to a vehicle, or the original manufacturer’s number cannot be determined by law enforcement, the department can assign an identification number. If the original manufacturer's identification number can be determined by law enforcement, but it has been removed, altered, or obliterated, the department can reassign an original manufacturer’s identification number.
A completed law enforcement inspection and acceptable evidence of ownership are required to obtain a number assignment or reassignment. Both documents must be submitted to a Texas Department of Motor Vehicle (TxDMV) Regional Service Center (RSC).
If a vehicle is manufactured and ownership evidence is not available or acceptable, ownership must be established by a court order. If a vehicle is assembled or homemade and ownership evidence is not available or acceptable, a bonded title can be used to establish ownership.
Steps to Obtaining an Assigned or Reassigned Number and Titling a Vehicle, Including a Trailer and Semitrailer
Step 1: Owner obtains a completed Law Enforcement Identification Number Inspection (Form VTR-68-A) from an authorized inspector. Authorized inspectors can be found by contacting an MVCPA grantee organization or by contacting a TxDMV Regional Service Center.
- For manufactured vehicles, the completed Form VTR-68-A must include the vehicle's year and make identified by the authorized inspector. If a year and make cannot be determined, TxDMV cannot issue an assigned or reassigned number or title the vehicle.
- For assembled or homemade vehicles, the authorized inspector must identify that the vehicle was assembled from parts on the completed Form VTR-68-A.
Step 2: Owner confirms they have sufficient ownership evidence. Depending on the type of vehicle, ownership evidence may include:
- title in the name of or properly assigned to the applicant, which may be used when the original VIN is identified by an authorized inspector.
- bill of sale or receipt, which may be used in limited situations.
- bonded title application, which may be used for assembled or homemade vehicles.
Step 3: If the owner does not have and cannot get sufficient ownership evidence, the owner can get a court order awarding ownership to serve as acceptable evidence.
- TxDMV should not be named as a party to a suit to establish ownership. TxDMV does not have any ownership interest in the vehicle and is not a proper or necessary party.
- The court order must clearly declare that the applicant is the owner of the vehicle and list the year and make of the vehicle identified in the Form VTR-68-A, so TxDMV can tell both documents apply to the same vehicle. If the Form VTR-68-A identifies a different year, make, or VIN than what is listed in the court order, the court order will not be accepted as ownership evidence.
Step 4: Owner applies for an assigned or reassigned vehicle identification number at a TxDMV Regional Service Center by providing the following documentation:
- a completed Form VTR-68-A,
- acceptable ownership evidence,
- the $2.00 fee, and
- a photo of the vehicle, or the physical vehicle if seeking a reassigned manufacturer's VIN.
Step 5: Upon review and approval of the documentation presented, TxDMV will assign or reassign a number and issue the owner a Notice of Assigned or Reassigned Identification Number (Form VTR-68-N).
Step 6: Owner applies for title at a county tax assessor-collector’s office with the following:
- copy of the Law Enforcement Identification Number Inspection (Form VTR-68-A)
- the Notice of Assigned or Reassigned Identification Number (Form VTR-68-N),
- an Application for Texas Title and/or Registration (Form 130-U),
- evidence of ownership, and
- any additional supporting documents necessary for titling the vehicle.