How to Transfer a Car Title in Texas: The Complete Step-by-Step Guide

Selling your car or just bought one in Texas? The title transfer process can feel like a maze if you don’t know the rules. Miss a deadline or skip a step, and you’re looking at fines, legal headaches, or worse. This guide walks you through exactly how to transfer a car title in Texas — from private sales to inherited vehicles — so you get it right the first time.

The 30-Day Rule You Can’t Ignore

Texas law gives you 30 calendar days from the sale date to file your title transfer paperwork. Miss that window, and you’re paying late penalties.

This rule applies to buyers. You must visit your County Tax Assessor-Collector (CTAC) office within 30 days with all required documents.

Don’t wait until day 29.

What Sellers Must Do First

Sellers have real responsibilities here — and ignoring them creates serious liability.

Complete the Title Assignment

On the back of your Texas Certificate of Title, you must:

• Print the buyer’s name exactly as it appears on their government-issued ID
• Record the buyer’s current address
• Write the accurate odometer reading at the time of sale
• Sign and print your name

If the vehicle is less than 10 model years old, you must certify the exact mileage. The odometer number on the title must match what you write on Form 130-U — no exceptions.

File a Vehicle Transfer Notification

Here’s a step most sellers skip — and regret. File a Texas Motor Vehicle Transfer Notification (Form VTR-346) with TxDMV right after the sale.

This doesn’t transfer ownership legally. What it does do is put a note on the state database saying the vehicle has been sold. If the buyer racks up toll violations or commits a crime using your old vehicle before the new title is issued, this form protects you.

File it within 30 days of the sale.

Handle the License Plates

You have two options here:

1. Remove your plates before handing over the vehicle
2. Deface them permanently (use black ink or physically damage them) if you leave them on

Texas law says the plates stay with the seller, not the car. Don’t leave your registered plates on a vehicle you no longer own — it’s your name on any violations that follow.

What Buyers Must Bring to the Tax Office

When you show up at your CTAC office, come prepared. Missing one item means a wasted trip.

Here’s what you need to transfer a car title in Texas as a buyer:

• The original Texas Certificate of Title (signed by the seller)
• Completed Form 130-U
• Valid government-issued photo ID
• Proof of Texas liability insurance
• Payment for fees and taxes

Accepted ID Types

Insurance Requirements

Texas requires minimum liability coverage before you can register any vehicle:

• $30,000 per person for bodily injury
• $60,000 per accident for bodily injury
• $25,000 for property damage

If more than 30 days have passed since the sale date, your insurance policy must explicitly list your name and the specific vehicle being transferred.

Form 130-U: The Core Document

Form 130-U is the engine of every Texas title transfer. It combines the title application and registration request into one form.

You’ll need to fill in:

• Entity type (individual, business, trust, etc.)
• Your driver’s license or passport number
• Vehicle make, model, year, color, and 17-character VIN
• Purchase price and sale details

Important: Falsifying information on Form 130-U is a third-degree felony under Texas law. Fill it out honestly and accurately.

How Texas Calculates the Tax You Owe

Texas charges 6.25% motor vehicle sales tax on used vehicle transfers. But here’s the catch — the state doesn’t always trust the price you report.

Standard Presumptive Value (SPV)

Texas uses Standard Presumptive Value to prevent tax fraud. The SPV is based on regional wholesale market data and updates weekly.

The rule works like this:

• If you paid 80% or more of the SPV → tax is based on your actual purchase price
• If you paid less than 80% of the SPV → tax is based on 80% of the SPV automatically

You can check the SPV for any vehicle before you buy.

Can You Fight the SPV?

Yes — if the vehicle has serious damage or high mileage that pushes its real value below the SPV. You can get a certified appraisal from a licensed dealer or insurance adjuster, documented on Form 14-128. Submit it to your CTAC office within 20 county working days of the purchase date.

Special Tax Rates

Transferring a Car as a Gift in Texas

Gifting a vehicle to a family member unlocks a flat $10 gift tax — but only if you do it correctly.

Writing “$0” on the sale price field of Form 130-U doesn’t make it a gift. Texas is strict about this.

To qualify, you must:

1. Have an eligible relationship (immediate family, guardian, qualifying non-profit)
2. Complete Form 14-317 (Affidavit of Motor Vehicle Gift Transfer)
3. Have both donor and recipient sign — and get those signatures notarized
4. Submit the affidavit in person at the tax office (no third-party runners allowed)

Transferring a Title After Someone Dies

A deceased owner’s vehicle can’t transfer with a standard signature. Signing on behalf of a dead person is a felony in Texas.

If There’s a Will (Probated Estate)

The court appoints an Executor or Administrator. That person brings their Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration to the county tax office and signs the title as the seller.

If a surviving co-owner exists, they must also sign.

No Will? Use the Affidavit of Heirship

When there’s no will — or the court decides full probate isn’t needed — heirs can use Form VTR-262, the Affidavit of Heirship for a Motor Vehicle.

Key rules:

• All heirs must agree and sign the form
• Every signature must be notarized
• If minor children are heirs, a legal guardian must sign and attach Letters of Guardianship
• The form includes the odometer disclosure — no separate document needed

The completed VTR-262 replaces the original title. If you transfer the vehicle directly to an heir, it often qualifies for the $10 gift tax — but you still need a notarized gift affidavit submitted in person.

No Title? Here’s How to Get a Bonded Title

Sometimes a seller can’t provide a clean title. Maybe it’s lost, improperly assigned, or the seller disappeared. Texas has a process for that called a bonded title.

Here’s How It Works

Step 1 — Apply at a TxDMV Regional Service Center

Submit Form VTR-130-SOF with a $15 fee, your ID, and every document you have proving ownership (bills of sale, receipts, invoices). TxDMV will calculate the vehicle’s value and issue a Notice of Determination (VTR-130-ND) telling you the required bond amount.

Step 2 — Buy a Surety Bond

Within one year of receiving the Notice of Determination, purchase a surety bond from a licensed Texas insurance company. The bond must equal 1.5 times the appraised value. So if your vehicle is appraised at $14,000, your bond must be for $21,000.

The bond document must have the correct vehicle details, no typos, no corrections, and must carry the surety company’s embossed seal.

Step 3 — Finalize at the CTAC Office

Within 30 days of purchasing the bond, bring everything to your county tax office:

• Original surety bond
• Notice of Determination (VTR-130-ND)
• Statement of Fact (VTR-130-SOF)
• Completed Form 130-U
• Proof of insurance
• Physical inspection statement

The state issues a title with a “Bonded” notation. That designation stays on the record for three years, then clears if no competing claims arise.

Transferring a Rebuilt Salvage Vehicle

A salvage-branded vehicle can’t be driven on Texas roads. To get it back on the street, you need a Rebuilt Salvage title.

Here’s the process:

1. Complete all repairs on the vehicle
2. Fill out Form VTR-61 (Rebuilt Vehicle Statement) — list every replaced part, part number, and the supplier’s name and address
3. Pass a Texas safety inspection at an authorized DPS station
4. Submit the original salvage title, Form 130-U, VTR-61, the Vehicle Inspection Report, and proof of insurance to your CTAC office
5. Pay the $33 title fee, registration fees, applicable sales tax, and a $65 Rebuilt Salvage fee

The new title will carry a permanent “Rebuilt Salvage” brand — this follows the vehicle forever and alerts future buyers to its history.

Out-of-State Vehicles Coming Into Texas

Bringing a car from another state? You need a few extra steps before you can transfer the title in Texas.

• The out-of-state title must be signed by both buyer and seller
• Complete Form 130-U
• Get a Texas vehicle safety inspection within 90 days before applying
• If you live in one of the 17 designated emissions counties (including Harris, Dallas, Tarrant, Travis, and others), you’ll also need a passing emissions test

For internationally imported vehicles, you’ll need U.S. Customs documentation (HS-7 form) or a bond release letter proving the vehicle meets Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.

Check the Title Before You Buy

Before you hand over any money in a private-party sale, run the VIN through the TxDMV Title Check tool. It shows whether the vehicle has a salvage brand, a nonrepairable status, or any active legal holds.

It takes 60 seconds and could save you thousands.

Quick Recap: Texas Title Transfer Checklist

Sellers must:

• ✅ Complete the title assignment accurately
• ✅ Record the correct odometer reading
• ✅ File Form VTR-346 (Transfer Notification) within 30 days
• ✅ Remove or deface license plates

Buyers must:

• ✅ Submit Form 130-U to the CTAC office within 30 days
• ✅ Bring valid ID, proof of insurance, and the signed title
• ✅ Pay the correct sales tax (SPV rules apply)
• ✅ Sign the back of the title if the vehicle is under 10 years old

Get these steps right, and the process moves fast. Texas CTAC offices process standard in-office transfers in minutes once the paperwork is clean.