Texas License Plates: A Complete Guide to Types, Fees, and Registration
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Every car that operates on Texas roads requires a license plate. The license plate helps government officials identify you as the vehicle’s owner, which is important if you’re ever in a car accident or someone steals your car.
If you recently purchased a vehicle, you need to register it and get a Texas license plate. Here’s how to do that, plus additional tips on transferring and replacing plates.
Understanding the Importance of Your Texas License Plate
Texas laws require you to keep valid front and rear plates on your car before taking it out onto the road. Police officers use license plate information to track vehicle identification, vehicle ownership, and transfers.
How To Register a New Vehicle and Get Your Texas License Plate
When you register a vehicle in Texas, you’ll receive a set of license plates. If you’re a new resident, you have 30 days to go through the registration process from the time you move.
Some Texas counties and cities, such as Houston and Dallas, require a vehicle emissions test before registration. If your address is in an area that requires emissions testing, visit a certified Texas Department of Public Safety. You may find the service available at mechanic shops and gas stations. Keep a copy of the vehicle inspection report so you can present it during registration.
Once your car passes the emissions testing, you can register your vehicle at a local Texas county tax collection office. Bring proof of ownership, such as a vehicle title from another state or a Manufacturer’s Certificate of Origin. You must also show you have Texas car insurance that meets the state’s minimum requirements.
The basic Texas car registration fee is $50.75 for passenger vehicles. Some counties charge an additional fee for the service. You may also owe sales tax. New Texas residents pay a flat $90 tax with their registration fees.
If you drive a fully electric vehicle, you may owe an additional $200 fee at registration.
Transferring Your Texas License Plates to a New Vehicle
If you plan to sell or dispose of a vehicle you own, you can keep the plates and transfer them to a new car. To do so, complete the License Plate Transfer Form (VTR-904) and include it with your registration form. The county tax assessor will record the transfer in the state DMV system, and you can attach your existing tags to the car.
Replacing Lost or Damaged Texas License Plates
Texas no longer issues a new set of license plates every seven years. It’s your responsibility to look at your plates and get a new set if they become unreadable. You may also request a different set if you want to upgrade to specialty tags. There is a $6.50 fee for the service. You may pay additional fees for specialty plates.
Visit your county tax assessor’s office to replace a damaged set of tags. Bring a copy of your current registration to facilitate the transaction.
Renewing Your Texas License Plates: What You Need To Know
While license plates don’t expire, your vehicle’s registration does. You must renew your registration annually to stay compliant with Texas laws.
Texas supports online registration renewals through its Department of Motor Vehicles website. You may also renew using the Texas by Texas mobile app, via mail, or in person at a county tax office. The base fee of $50.75 plus any relevant local fees.
Renewal opens 90 days before your registration expires. If you miss the deadline, you have up to 12 months to renew.
Exploring Specialty and Personalized Texas License Plates
You can upgrade to one of the 500+ Texas license plate designs available. There are also different Texas color schemes to select from. Some of the options include:
- Disabled license plates for Texas
- University and college custom plates
- Disabled veteran license plates for Texas
- Charity organizations
- Conservation license plates
- Antique plates
A custom license plate in Texas comes at an extra cost. You can buy specialty license plates in one to five-year increments and pay the fee upfront. You can also personalized plates with a phrase or letter/number combination.
Use DMV Resources and Tools for a Seamless Process
The Texas Department of Motor Vehicles website provides more details concerning license plates, new registrations, vehicle titling, and driver’s licenses. Here, you’ll also find forms for different transactions, like the Application for Texas Title and/or Registration (Form-130-U).
Get the Right Car Insurance for Your Texas Vehicle
Before you can register a Texas vehicle and get current plates, you need car insurance with at least 30/60/25 coverage. Why not take a few minutes to find an affordable policy that meets your needs? EverQuote offers free, custom comparisons for Texas drivers. Try it today — it just takes a few minutes!