TXDMV.GOV - New to Texas

New to Texas?

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!

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Here're the steps to becoming a Registered Texan:

1. Vehicle Inspection

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.

If you inspect after March 1, 2015, the state's portion of the inspection fee will be due at the time of registration.

Find your nearest inspection station

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 or VI30 form 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.

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 Form 130-U. If you do not possess the title because it has a lien, you also must complete Form VTR-272.

Form 130-U Form VTR-272

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, and $1 for improvements to the registration and titling computer system. So, total state registration is $52.75 but counties may add other fees to this cost. The state portion of your vehicle's inspection fee may 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.