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Most Frequently Asked Questions
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Q: |
I lost my registration
sticker. How do I get a new one? |
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A: |
You receive a replacement sticker from your
county
tax
office for a $5.30 fee ($6.30 in counties with a
population of 50,000 or more).
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Q: |
My license plate was
mangled in an accident. How do I get a new one? |
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A: |
You obtain these from your county tax office
for a $5.30 fee ($6.30 in counties with a
population of 50,000 or more). Complete and submit a
Form VTR-60 [pdf, 1 page, 27kb] to your
county tax office.
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Q: |
I paid my registration
renewal, but haven't received my sticker. What's wrong? |
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A: |
Registration stickers are provided and mailed by your local
county
tax
office. Please contact your office, and provide them the
vehicle identification number (VIN) and license plate
number.
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Q: |
I received a violation
notice (parking or toll-road) for a vehicle I sold. What do I do? |
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A: |
It is
very important that you notify us of the sale of your
former vehicle so we can update the vehicle record.
Complete a
Texas Motor Vehicle Transfer Notification [pdf, 2 pages,
174kb], and mail it to the address on the form. When
received, we will place a notation on the vehicle
record indicating the vehicle was transferred and the date
the transfer occurred. Our record will
continue to show the seller's name until the new owner
transfers the Texas Certificate of
Title into their name.
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Q: |
I need a copy of my title.
How do I get it? |
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Q: |
My renewal notice tells me
to get new license plates. Why? How do I get them? |
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A: |
Plates are replaced every seven years due to the gradual
loss of reflective material. If the renewal receipt
indicates your plates are seven-years old, the county tax
assessor-collector should automatically issue a new set of
plates with the new windshield validation sticker at no
additional charge when your registration is renewed. The old
set of plates should be destroyed to prevent the possibility
of fraudulent use.
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Q: |
Will you release my
personal information? |
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A: |
State and federal laws restrict TxDOT from releasing
personal information. Personal information will be released
only if:
- There is written consent from the individual
- It can be certified that the information will be
used for a lawful, legitimate purpose
Personal information will not be released for any other
reason. To request information, fill out a
request form [pdf, 2 pages, 142kb] and certify the
information will be used for a lawful, permitted purpose. |
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Vehicle Registration
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Q: |
How do I register my vehicle? |
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Q: |
Is the vehicle registration process different for new Texans? |
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Q: |
I am a Texan currently living out of state. How do I register my vehicle in Texas? |
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A: |
You must register your vehicle in the state where you currently live, unless
you are a full-time student or active military member. If you are a student or
active military member, contact the
county tax office in the Texas county where
you last resided for a registration packet.
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Q: |
I have not received my registration renewal notice. What should I do? |
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A: |
You can renew your vehicle
without the renewal notice if you provide the following to
your
county tax office:-
license receipt from the previous year,
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license plate number, or
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vehicle identification number (VIN).
Ask the county tax office to verify your correct mailing address.
If the correct address is not on file, please
change your
address. We can also mail you another renewal notice if there is enough time left before
your registration expires. For assistance, please call the
county tax office or our
customer help desk at (512) 465-7611.
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Q: |
I moved to another location in Texas. How can I ensure that I will receive my registration renewal notice? |
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A: |
When you move, it is important to
change 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.
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Q: |
I sold my car, so why did I
receive a registration renewal notice in the mail? |
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A: |
At the time of printing, our record still showed you as the recorded owner. If
you believe the buyer of your vehicle did not transfer the vehicle title to
his/her name, you may consider submitting a
vehicle transfer notification form [pdf, 2 pages, 272kb]. This
form lets us know that you no longer own the vehicle.
You may also call our call center at (512) 465-7611 with the vehicle
identification number of the car you sold for more information.
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Q: |
Can I legally drive my car after the registration expires? |
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Yes. A vehicle may be operated
up to five working days after the registration expires
without penalty. After those five days, you can receive a
ticket of up to $200.
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Q: |
Why are registration fees
for cars and trucks different? |
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A: |
Registration fees [pdf, 1 page, 155kb] are set by state law. Car registration fees are determined
by the age of the car – the newer the car, the higher the fee. Truck fees are
$25 plus an amount based on the weight of the truck.
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Q: |
Can I register or title my
“pocket bike” or “toy motorcycle” (gasoline or battery-powered scooter),
and drive it on the street? |
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A: |
Most of these vehicles do not pass a
vehicle safety inspection and, therefore, 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.
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Q: |
What about my moped, which
can pass a state safety inspection? |
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A: |
Your moped must be on the approved list of mopeds maintained by
The Texas Department of Public Safety. The list is
updated quarterly.
A secure Manufacturer’s Certificate of Origin is required to title any motorized
vehicle.
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Q: |
What is the registration
cost of a motor home in Texas? |
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A: |
Passenger vehicle registration is based on the model year except when the
weight of the vehicle exceeds 6,000 pounds. In these cases, the registration fee
is based on weight. For more information, contact your
county tax
office. Proof of auto insurance is required when you register your vehicle.
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Q: |
Must I register/title my
ATV or my off-highway use vehicle? |
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A: |
All-terrain vehicles (three or more wheels, equipped with a saddle or
bench seat, and not designed by the manufacturer for farm or lawn use) are
required to be titled, but not registered. Off-highway motorcycles (two or three
wheels) are required to be titled, but not registered.
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Q: |
How do I register/title my
boat? |
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Transferring Your Plates
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Q: |
Is it true I can keep my
license plates when I sell my vehicle? |
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A: |
Yes. For a $5 fee, you can also transfer your plates to a
new vehicle and receive a new registration sticker. Be sure
to remove and destroy the registration sticker on your old
vehicle when you take off the plates.
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Q: |
Which plates cannot be
transferred to another vehicle? |
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A: |
Any general issue license plate that is not a
passenger car or light truck plate.Plates may only be transferred to the same vehicle
classification, car-to-car or truck-to-truck.
Plates that are seven years old or older (these
plates must be replaced due to loss of reflectivity).
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Q: |
Can I transfer my
motorcycle plate? What about my trailer plate? |
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A: |
No, you may only transfer plates to an eligible car or
truck.
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Q: |
Can I transfer my plates to
a leased vehicle? |
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Q: |
Can I transfer my plates
from a vehicle titled jointly to a vehicle titled in my name alone? |
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A: |
Yes, if your name has not changed.
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Q: |
How do I provide proof of
ownership of the plates that I would like to transfer? |
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A motor vehicle inquiry at the county.
A registration receipt in your name that shows the plate number.
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Q: |
Can I drive the vehicle if
I'm buying from an individual (non-dealer) on a Saturday or Sunday and
the seller wants to keep his/her plates? |
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A: |
- No. You and the seller should go to the county
tax office during regular business hours to transfer the
vehicle title. The county will provide new plates
(unless you are supplying your own plates) and a
registration sticker.
- You may also move the un-plated vehicle on a trailer
(no permit required) if you need to move it prior to
contacting the county.
Note: Operating a vehicle on public roadways without
valid license plates and a registration sticker is against
the law, and the driver is subject to fines by law
enforcement.
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Q: |
I traded my car into a
dealer, and the dealership took off the plates and sticker even though I
did not want to transfer the plates to my new vehicle. Why? |
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A: |
That’s because dealers are required to remove the plates and registration
stickers from any vehicles they buy or take in trade. Dealers usually offer to
give you the plates (even if you don’t plan to transfer). If you don’t want to
use the plates again you may deface them with indelible black ink or some other
method that will prevent someone else using them. Some dealers will dispose of
the plates for you.
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Vehicle Titles
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Q: |
I am new to Texas. Do I need a Texas title for my vehicle? |
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Q: |
Why does the state show a lien on my vehicle title even though I paid it off? |
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A: |
We don't know your car is paid off until you submit an updated
title
application [pdf, 2 pages, 157kb] and title fee ($28 or $33 depending on your county) to your
county
tax office.
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Q: |
I lost my title. How do I get a replacement? |
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Q: |
How do I sell a vehicle that is titled in my ex-spouse's name
but awarded to me in the divorce decree? |
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A: |
If the divorce decree awards
the vehicle to you, give a certified copy to your
county tax office and apply for a title. If the decree
does not award the vehicle to you, a properly assigned title
(a title where your ex-spouse signed the document over to
you) will be required.
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Q: |
I have not received a title for the vehicle I recently bought. What should I do? |
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A: |
Allow two weeks for processing. After two weeks, if you have not received your
title, call us at
(512) 465-7611 or send us an
e-mail.
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Q: |
What steps should I follow to give a vehicle as a gift to a friend or relative? |
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A: |
Please give the recipient your (signed) negotiable
title and request that the recipient complete a
title application [pdf, 2 pages,
157kb],
which must be provided to their
county
tax office.On the title application,
the recipient should check the "$10 Gift Tax" box found in Section 21. The
recipient will have to provide proof of auto insurance at the county tax
office to register the vehicle. |
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Vehicle Title Transfers
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Q: |
What steps should I take
when I sell my vehicle? |
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A: |
Keep your license plates and transfer them to your new
vehicle.
When you keep your license plates, the buyer has to
transfer the vehicle title and this helps to protect you.
When you take off the plates, the buyer will need a
Vehicle Transit Permit to drive the vehicle to the
county tax office to re-title the car or truck.
Provide the buyer with all the documents needed to transfer the title:
- A signed title
- A signed
vehicle title application [pdf, 2 pages,
157kb]
- The vehicle's latest registration receipt
- Any other supporting documents, such as a release of lien, power of attorney, etc.
Then, accompany the buyer to the
county tax office
to verify the buyer files a new vehicle title application
under his/her name. If you sell or trade in your vehicle to
a dealer, or if the buyer can't go to the tax office, you
need to:
- Notify us of the sale by submitting a
vehicle transfer notification form [pdf, 2 pages, 272kb] within 30 days of
selling the vehicle.
- keep copies of all documents provided to the buyer as evidence of the sale.
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Q: |
How do I notify TxDOT that I have sold my vehicle? |
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Submit a
vehicle transfer notification form or send us Form VTR-346 [pdf, 2 pages, 272kb].
You only have 30 days from the vehicle's sale date to submit
the vehicle transfer notification to protect yourself.
After we receive your transfer notification request, we
will update the record to show the vehicle as sold. When you
file the notification within 30 days, you cannot be held
responsible for such things as parking tickets and toll
violations that may be committed by the person who bought
your vehicle.
Another way to protect yourself, is to always keep your
license plates whenever you sell a vehicle. You can transfer
the plates to another vehicle.
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Q: |
How does a vehicle transfer notification help me? |
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In order to protect yourself, it is
very important that you notify us when you sell a
vehicle.After we receive and process your vehicle transfer notification, the buyer is
presumed to be the new owner and may be subject to criminal and civil liability
for the vehicle. For this reason, make sure to request the buyer's contact
information before the sale is complete, and include this contact information on
your vehicle transfer notification.
The vehicle transfer notification does not remove your name
from the state’s record, but the record is marked to show that you have
notified us that you no longer own the vehicle. Your name will not be
removed from the record until a new title is applied for and issued
to the new owner.
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Q: |
How long does it take to process a vehicle transfer notification and update the motor vehicle record? |
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About two weeks from the day we receive it.
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I
filed the vehicle transfer notification with TxDOT, but I am still getting parking tickets/toll violations, etc. What can I do? |
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Provide documentation, which shows you sold the vehicle, to the ticketing agency.
Documents that agencies typically accept include the following.
- A confirmation letter (no fee) from TxDOT indicating that the vehicle is
sold. Call us at (512) 465-7611 to request a letter.
- A copy of the vehicle transfer notification form you submitted to us (no fee), which you can get by completing a
request for vehicle information form [pdf, 2 pages, 142kb].
In the
“Information Requested” section,
check the third box (other) and then write "Vehicle Transfer Notification" and the
month and year you sold the vehicle.
- A "title and registration verification" ($2.30 fee) that shows the month
and year the vehicle title was transferred, which you can order by
completing a
request for vehicle information form
[pdf, 2 pages, 142kb].
Some agencies may not accept all of the
documents mentioned above, so please contact
the agency that issued your citation
before you request any of these
documents.
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Q: |
I sold my car to an individual or sold/traded it in to a dealer. Why am I still shown as the owner in the state’s record? |
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A: |
The state’s record will continue to show you as the last recorded owner until a
new title is applied for and recorded in the buyer’s name.A licensed motor vehicle dealer is not required to apply for a new title
until the vehicle is sold to a retail purchaser.
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Q: |
My spouse died, how do I transfer the vehicle into my name? |
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A: |
If your spouse had a will, the vehicle becomes part of the
probate process.If your spouse did not have a will, you
can fill out an affidavit of heirship (VTR Form-262). |
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License Plates
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Q: |
How do I get personalized license plates? |
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A: |
You may check the availability of a
personalized phrase, letter or number combination through
Texas Online. The fee is $40 annually in
addition to regular
registration fees
[pdf, 1 page, 155kb].
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Q: |
How do I get specialty license plates? |
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Please view our selection of
specialty license plates.
The license plates section of our Web site gives
instructions on how to apply for these plates. For
additional assistance, please contact your
county tax office. Note: Certain
plates, such as military plates, are not available to
everyone.
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Q: |
How long will it take to
receive new specialty plates? |
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Approximately two to three weeks. the plates will be
delivered to your local county
tax-assessor-collector for you to pick up. Once a
personalized plate selection is approved, it is sent to the
Texas
Department of Criminal Justice to be manufactured and
then shipped to the local tax office.
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Q: |
Can an International Symbol
of Access (ISA) for disabled people be placed on a specialty license
plate? |
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A: |
Yes. If your medical condition
meets the legal definition of an eligible disability:
- Submit a completed and notarized copy of Form
VTR-214
[pdf, 2 pages, 156kb] with your specialty plate order in person or by mail to your local
county
tax office. ISA orders are not available online.
- The original Form VTR-214 must be submitted when the new plates are picked
up at the county tax office.
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Q: |
Can I transfer my specialty
plates to another vehicle? |
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Yes.
- Only to the same type of vehicle (ex. car to car,
truck to truck).
- Between vehicles you own. Your local county
tax office will issue a new registration sticker and
assist with the transfer.
- To a vehicle purchased from a dealer. Remove
the specialty plates and request that the dealer
transfer the plates to the new vehicle.
- To a vehicle purchased from a private party.
Register the specialty plates with the county tax office
when you title the vehicle in your name.
Note: Plates seven years old or older cannot be
transferred to another vehicle. New plates must be
manufactured due to safety concerns related to the loss
reflectivity. |
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Q: |
Why are new color and
design schemes being created? |
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A: |
TxDOT recently developed new software that enables
the Department to use unique colors and designs, while also
ensuring that the new plates meet law enforcement legibility
and reflectivity requirements. This new system affords TxDOT
more color and design options while continuing to meet
safety requirements. |
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Q: |
What does "law enforcement
legibility" and "reflectivity" mean? |
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Legibility is the ease in which law enforcement may clearly
read a plate's letters and numbers.Reflectivity allows
the plate to be seen from long distances at night and is
helpful in locating vehicles at night or off roads. |
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Q: |
How much do specialty
plates cost? |
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A: |
Specialty plates are typically $30 annually plus
$40 for a personalized phrase, letter or number combination.
This does not include vehicle registration and local fees.
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Q: |
How do I renew my specialty
plate? |
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A: |
Your specialty plate renewal will be part of your vehicle
registration renewal notice. If your ordered a multi-year
plate from My Plates, the renewal notice will reflect that. For all
other specialty license plates, the registration renewal
notice will include your registration and annual specialty
license plate renewal fee.If you purchase a multi-year
specialty plate, nothing will change, and you will receive
an annual notice for your vehicle registration only. |
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Q: |
Can I have a specialty
plate mailed directly to my home? |
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A: |
Because we must be able to verify you as the vehicle's
owner, any online specialty plate order will be delivered to the
local county
tax office, where they may be picked up.Charity plates may be ordered in person at a tax office and
mailed directly to you. |
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Q: |
How may I request a
refund? |
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A: |
TxDOT does not offer refunds for specialty plates. These
plates are custom manufactured and cannot be reused. |
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Q: |
How do I get a replacement
plate? |
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A: |
Replacement plates are available through local county
tax offices for a $5.30 fee, $6.30 in counties with a
population of 50,000 or more. Complete and submit a Form
VTR-60 [pdf, 1 page, 27kb] to your tax office to receive
a replacement. |
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Q: |
I moved out of state. What
should I do with my Texas plates? |
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A: |
You do not need to return the plates. Our license plates are
recyclable, but we recommend you deface the number before
discarding them. The number on the plate is tied to your
name and could pose a safety risk if not disposed of
properly. |
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If you have additional questions that are not covered in our FAQs, please call
(512) 465-7611 or send us an e-mail.
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