A Texas motor vehicle bill of sale is a legal document that provides evidence for transferring a vehicle from one person to another. This form includes essential information you’ll need to register a vehicle, such as buyer and seller details, the mileage information, the vehicle identification number (VIN), and the buyer’s and seller’s signatures.
Registering a Motor Vehicle
Buyers are advised to show up with the seller when they plan to sign over the vehicle’s title at a county tax office. For good measure, they can check the title with a tax office representative or use the Title Check to confirm the absence of legal issues.
From there, they can complete the registration process. The buyer should register their vehicle within 30 days of completing the purchase. [1] They must renew their vehicle registration each year.
Gather Required Documents
Here are the forms you must submit to your local county tax office to complete vehicle registration:
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Proof of Ownership:
- Bill of Sale: Documents the transaction’s details; should include an odometer disclosure.
- Certificate of Title: The title proves the true owner, so the seller should sign it over to the buyer.
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Vehicle Inspection Report (VIR): Provides a safety report of the vehicle.
- Seek a safety inspection at one of Texas’s official vehicle inspection stations licensed by the Department of Public Safety.
- Valid Driver’s License or State ID: Proves the buyer’s identity.
- Application for Texas Title and/or Registration (Form 130-U): Lets you seek a title and registration.
- Proof of Insurance: Ensures the new owner has the state-mandated insurance requirements. [2] The minimum coverage is 30/60/25, meaning that a driver must have $30,000 in liability coverage for each injured individual, $60,000 in liability coverage for each accident, and $25,000 for property damage for each accident.
Additional Documents (If Applicable)
- Motor Vehicle Power of Attorney: Only necessary if an agent will act on your behalf as the vehicle owner.
- Vehicle Transfer Notification (Form VTR-346): The seller can alert the
- Emissions Inspection: While safety inspections are required throughout the state, emissions testing is required of vehicles inspected in 17 Texas counties to comply with federally mandated clean air requirements.
- Renewal Notice: If you’re renewing your registration, you can submit the renewal notice. If you don’t have the renewal notice, you can submit the VIN or license plate number instead.
- Application for a Certified Copy of Title (Form VTR-34): Only necessary if you lost your title or the current one is destroyed.
- Additional Liens Statement: Only use if there is more than one lien on the vehicle.
- Affidavit of Motor Vehicle Gift Transfer: Only use for gifted vehicles to prove that the vehicle was given as a gift.
Submit Your Documents
Visit your local county tax assessor-collector’s office to submit your documents. You can also submit them by mail or online. Follow your office’s guidance for submission procedures.
While you may get a faster response when submitting documents to your local county tax office, you can also submit your documents to the TxDMV Regional Service Center:
TxDMV Regional Service Center
1601-A Southwest Parkway
Wichita Falls, TX 76302
Pay Registration Fees
Submit all applicable registration fees to your local county tax assessor-collector’s office. Any fees that you see on your registration renewal notice include applicable local fees.
Texas Motor Vehicle Bill of Sale Sample
Below, you can download a Texas motor vehicle bill of sale template in PDF or Word format:
