Texas
Vehicle Resource Center
Texas is famous for its cowboys, barbecue, bull-riding, and its freedom. The state is known and loved by most Americans, but it comes with many of the same challenges and requirements that vehicle owners in other US states have to face. Buying and owning vehicles in Texas can feel overwhelming because there is so much to know.
Ownership and Maintenance
Maintaining a Texas vehicle over time requires regularly getting the vehicle inspected and renewing the registration. These legal tasks are simple to complete but essential for keeping the vehicle legal and ready for resale. Every Texas vehicle owner should understand how to handle registration and inspection demands, as well as how to use a history lookup to learn the exact condition of the vehicle and how to best care for it. All this information is available, as well as more, in the Ownership and Maintenance section of this hub.
Texas requires an annual safety inspection for any vehicle registered within the state, though new vehicles receive a 2-year safety inspection. Maintaining a current inspection sticker is an essential part of maintaining a vehicle in Texas. An inspection can be performed at an approved inspection station. Use this inspection station locator to find one near you. During the safety inspection, the following items are examined closely:
Emissions Testing is Required in 17 Counties on vehicles newer than 1967.
The following counties require emissions testing:
Texas is an at-fault state, which means the individual deemed responsible for an accident is responsible for paying for any injuries and damages caused. As a vehicle owner in Texas, drivers must show that they have enough money to cover damages from an auto accident. The state requires individuals to have $30,000 in coverage for individual injuries, $60,000 for the whole accident, and $25,000 in protection against property damage. This is known as 30/60/25 by insurance companies. For more details about Texas vehicle insurance laws, see this link.
Each year, Texas vehicles require a registration renewal. The whole renewal process can be completed online via the renewal platform or in person at a Regional Service Center. Without a valid registration, it's illegal to drive the vehicle, and a driver taking this risk may receive a ticket if caught. Fortunately, the process is simple and affordable and can be completed in just a few minutes online or at a Texas Regional Service Center.
Knowing about what happened to a vehicle in the past is the key to understanding how to care for it. With help from the GoodCar Vehicle VIN Check and License Plate Lookup tools, it's easy to see the recorded history of a vehicle quickly. The tools show past owners, accidents, title brands, and more.
A basic one-year safety inspection without an emissions test comes with a price tag of $7.00 at a state-approved garage. When getting both safety and emissions testing, the costs increase to $25.50. Commercial vehicles come with a cost of $40.00 per inspection.
For the costs associated with more unique vehicles such as mopeds, trailers, and more, see this page for a full cost breakdown.
Buying & Selling
When buying or selling a vehicle, both the title and registration for a vehicle must change to the name of the new owner. This process is simple to go through but requires specific paperwork. Be careful to have the necessary forms and documents available when going to buy or sell.
Every Texan who sells a vehicle to a dealership or an individual can protect themself by filing form VTR-346, which is a Texas Motor Vehicle Transfer Notification. Download VTR-346 from the state's site here. Filing a transfer notification protects the seller from any parking fines or tolls incurred when the vehicle is used in the future. This is especially important when selling to a dealership because the car's title will not change ownership until the vehicle is eventually sold to an interested buyer.
When buying or selling a vehicle, it's essential to transfer over the title and registration into the name of the new buyer. This process is all completed by sending in form 130-U, which is the Application for Texas Title and/or Registration.
The form must have the date of the sale, the odometer reading, the sale price as well as a legally signed title for the vehicle. When this form is submitted with all the proper information, the state will transfer the title and registration to the new owner. The owner must pay any associated fees that come along with the transfer. See a breakdown of the fees below.
In Texas, it's mandatory to renew a vehicle's registration annually. The process can be completed online using the Texas by Texas (TxT) mobile app or by visiting a Texas Regional Service Center. Each title and registration service comes with fees detailed below:
Title Fees
Registration Fees
Along with these standard registration fees, there will be small local fees, processing and handling, special plates, and taxes. Get more specifics about registration fees here.
Before purchasing a vehicle, buyers should look at a history report to verify a vehicle doesn't have any harmful title brands, hasn't been in serious accidents, and that it has the features they care about. Consider using the GoodCar Vehicle History Search or License Plate Lookup to get all this information and more on a specific vehicle. Learning this valuable information can help buyers avoid making costly mistakes.
Laws and Regulations
There are many laws that govern vehicle ownership, holding a Texas driver's license, and more in the state. Learning some of the most important vehicle-related laws can help protect drivers from common mistakes, fines, and serious issues with the law.
Texans must all go through the process of acquiring a driver's license if they want to drive on the roadways throughout the state. This is a confusing and long process, but it's an essential one that should be completed as soon as possible.
18 and Older From Out of State
As a fully licensed driver from another state, there is a 90-day grace period provided after moving to Texas. Once the grace period is over, the driver must obtain an in-state license. Fortunately, changing to a Texas license is a simple process. Drivers surrender their out-of-state license and receive an in-state Texas license without having to go through any knowledge tests. The drivers must provide documentation verifying they are in-state residents, legal citizens, and a bit more.
Required Documentation:
18 and Older First-Time License
As an adult looking to get a driver's license for the first time in Texas, there are many steps to go through. The first is to provide documentation establishing U.S. Citizenship, residency in Texas, and a legal identity. Getting through this process requires having access to a list of documents detailed in the links above.
After providing all the documents, learners must go through the Impact Texas Driver course as well as a six-hour adult driver education course. Once finished with those courses, it's possible to complete the driver's license application to start the final process.
Visit a local driver's license office with the correct documentation, get your picture and thumbprint taken, take a vision test, pay a fee, pass the knowledge test, and get a learning license. Drivers can practice driving using their learning licenses until they are capable of passing the driving test and obtaining a full Texas driver's license. More specifics about the process are available at the following link.
Under 18 First Time License
As a teen under 18 attempting to get a Texas Driver's license, the process is similar to what adults face when trying to get a license for the first time. Teens can begin the process of getting a license at 15 years old, and there are many steps to go through.
The process is nearly the same for teens as the adult process above, but teens must go through 32 hours of classroom instruction instead of a 6-hour driving course like adults. There is also a 6-month minimum term attached to the restricted license that teens receive after passing the knowledge test. Adults can graduate to a full license sooner if they meet all the requirements. Visit this TX teen driver's page for more information about the steps involved in this process.
Obtaining a Texas driver's license is an extensive process that both teens and adults can get through when they understand the steps involved.
Any rider in a vehicle in Texas must be buckled while a car is moving, or they risk a $200 ticket.
Car Seat Guidelines:
Texans must adhere to specific window tint laws that prohibit the windshield as well as front driver's and passenger's windows from having a tint that lowers the light transmittance value below 25%. There aren't regulations concerning windows behind the driver's seat. Get more details about Texas window tinting regulations.
Texas protects car buyers from damaged vehicles that are relatively new by way of its Lemon laws. These laws offer protection on vehicles still covered by the original manufacturer's warranty. It's important to note that extended warranty protection does not qualify for Lemon law protection.
Car dealerships are given a reasonable chance to repair vehicle issues covered under warranty before having to buy the vehicle back. The following conditions are used to determine if the Lemon law kicks in or not.
Lemon Law Conditions:
If any of the conditions are met, the dealership hasn't effectively repaired the vehicle and must buy it back if the warranty was still good when the problem first occurred.
Useful Things to Know
Along with all the valuable information about vehicle maintenance, buying and selling a car in Texas, and essential road laws, there are other useful links residents should know as well. Learn how to get access to the state's mobile DMV app, find local car inspection stations, locate charge stations, and much more.
Texas By Texas Mobile App
Texas offers a mobile app to its residents to help with vehicle registration, title transfers, driver's license renewal, license plate issues, and more. Get access to mobile download links, an FAQ, and more information about the app from the state in the link below: Texas by Texas Mobile App
Car Inspection Station Locator
Texans must have their vehicles inspected annually. Find a nearby safety station location using the locator link below: Inspection Safety Station Locator
Texas Regional Service Center Locations
Registration and title services are accessible in person via regional service centers in Texas. The centers are simple to locate by using the state's service locator tool linked below: Texas Regional Service Center Locator
Know the Texas State Crash Trends
Every state suffers from car crash fatalities, but Texas is one of the most dangerous states to drive in, according to 2021 statistics from the IIHS. Texas is in the top 15 most dangerous states, with 1.58 fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles traveled, and 4,498 people died in 4,068 accidents in 2021. Get a full understanding of what's going on using GoodCar car crash statistics.
Texas Charge Station Locations
According to the Texas government, there are more than 2,000 charging stations available throughout the state, making it very driveable for EV owners. The trick to getting around the large state of Texas successfully is knowing how to find the charging stations when they're needed. Texas officials suggest using the route planner listed below. The planner is not just for the state of Texas and can be used to plan routes throughout the country: Texas EV Charging Station Route Planner
Texas Driver Handbook
When taking the test to apply for a driver's license, Texas residents must understand the laws of the road. The Texas Driver Handbook is an essential tool for building that understanding. Visit the link below to see a complete digital copy of the handbook: Texas Driver Handbook
Get the Latest Texas Vehicle Information with GoodCar
Texas vehicle owners owe it to themselves to have the most up-to-date information about state laws, maintenance requirements, recalls, and more. Refer to this useful resource for residents looking for help and GoodCar's VIN and license plate lookup tools for help getting additional information about specific vehicles.