Travis County Tax OfficeVehicle Registration
Where's my renewal notice?
We don’t know. The Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (TxDMV) is responsible for your renewal notice. Here are two steps you can take:
- If you moved within the past year, go to the TxDMV’s online change of address tool. Make sure you have your license plate number and the last four digits of your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) to update your address.
- · If you did not move since receiving your last renewal notice, then it may be lost in the mail. While you do need your current, original and complete TxDMV renewal notice to get your sticker from a participating H-E-B or AAA store, you do not need it to renew your registration online at Texas.gov.
2. Sign up for eReminder. In addition to the mailed paper renewal notice, the TxDMV will email when your vehicle registration is due so you never miss a renewal deadline.
Why did I receive a renewal notice for a vehicle I sold?
The Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (TxDMV) prints renewal notices three months in advance. It is possible the TxDMV printed the renewal notice before you sold the vehicle or the purchaser did not file for a new title.
Anything special I need to do when I sell a vehicle?
File the TxDMV’s Vehicle Transfer Notification. If you file within 30 days, state law says you are not responsible for anything the new owner may do with the vehicle (parking tickets, toll violations, fines, etc.). If it is after 30 days, you should still file the transfer notification to record the sale in the official state motor vehicle database.
I moved. How do I change my renewal notice address?
Easy. Go to Texas.gov to change your address. You will need your vehicle’s license plate number and the last four digits of your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).
Where's my vehicle registration sticker?
The Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (TxDMV) offers a registration sticker-tracking tool, called “Dude, where’s my sticker?” It will tell you when the agency mailed your sticker. You should receive your sticker within 14 days of renewing online or by mail.
We are sorry, but the TxDMV rules state you must pay $6.50 for a replacement sticker if your sticker was:
- Damaged
- Misplaced
- Stolen
Fill out the Application for Replacement Registration Sticker (VTR-60). Send the form and a check for $6.50 to:
Travis County Tax Office
Motor Vehicle Division
P.O. Box 149326
Austin, TX 78714-9326
How can I get a replacement sticker?
Simply fill out the Application for Replacement Registration Sticker (VTR-60). Send the form and a check for $6.50 to:
Travis County Tax Office
Motor Vehicle Division
P.O. Box 149326
Austin, TX 78714-9326
Can I legally drive my vehicle after the registration expires?
State law gives you a five-day grace period. Renew your registration at Texas.gov and you will receive a receipt that allows you to drive legally for 31 days until your sticker arrives in the mail. Just be sure to carry the receipt in your vehicle.
My registration expires today. How can I renew right away?
If you have current registration and your complete Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (TxDMV) Renewal Notice and your vehicle inspection report, you can receive your sticker on the spot at any participating H-E-B or AAA store in Travis County.
Renew your registration online at Texas.gov and you will receive a receipt that allows you to drive legally for 31 days until your sticker arrives in the mail. Just be sure to carry the receipt in your vehicle.
My sticker expired, how do I renew now?
You can renew online up to six months after your sticker expires. Renew your registration online at Texas.gov and you will receive a receipt that allows you to drive legally for 31 days until your sticker arrives in the mail. Just be sure to carry the receipt in your vehicle.
You also can visit one of our four tax office locations. If you plan to come in person, be sure to make an appointment.
I got a ticket for expired registration. Now what?
You need to renew your vehicle registration immediately at one of our four locations:
- Southwest Austin (our least busy location), 8656 West HWY 71, Building B, 2nd Floor
- Southeast Austin, 4011 McKinney Falls Parkway
- Central Austin, 5501 Airport Blvd.
- Pflugerville, 15822 Foothill Farms Loop
Be aware you will need to tell the customer representative about the ticket and pay an additional 20 percent penalty on what you owe. Be sure to bring your vehicle inspection report and proof of insurance that meets the Texas minimums.
You will receive a receipt showing you renewed and paid the penalty. This receipt is often required to have your ticket reduced or dismissed.
Disabled Veteran Placards/Plates
Do disabled veteran (DV) license plates allow you to use any marked disabled parking spot?
Yes and no. Texas law allows those with disabled veteran (DV) plates to have the same parking privileges as civilian persons with disabled plates and placards. However, the federal government has different rules and you cannot park in designated disabled parking spots at federal buildings unless your license plates display the International Symbol of Access or you also have a placard with the symbol on it hanging from your rear-view mirror.
Where do I report disabled parking violators?
Go to the Disabled Parking Enforcement Program under Precinct 5 Constable Carlos Lopez.
Can I transfer my disabled license plates to a new vehicle?
Yes. You will need your disabled plate number, the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) of your car or truck, and a valid, government-issued, photo identification (i.e. driver’s license). There is a 50-cent transfer fee.
Can relatives, friends or health workers apply for my disabled placards and/or plates?
Yes, but they must bring a completed Application for Persons with Disabilities Parking Placard and/or License Plate (VTR-214) with your doctor’s prescription.
Can I keep my license plates when I sell my vehicle?
Yes. You can transfer them to another vehicle that is in your name. Be sure to remove and destroy the registration sticker on the vehicle you are selling when you take off the plates. The buyer will need a Vehicle Transit Permit, which gives the buyer five days to drive legally in order to come to the tax office to apply for a new title and vehicle registration.
I traded my car in to a deal and the dealership took off the plates and sticker. Why?
Dealers are required to remove the plates and registration stickers from any vehicles they buy or take in trade. They usually offer to give you the plates. If you don't want to use the plates again, you may deface them with indelible black ink or some other method that would prevent someone else from using them.
What should I do with my old license plates?
License plates are aluminium and can be recycled after they are defaced to make them unusable. You should deface the front of the plates with a permanent marker and place them in your recycle bin.
Vehicle Sales
How do I know the sales tax amount if the vehicle is a gift from a non-family member?
State sales tax is 6.25 percent and based on the Standard Presumptive Value (SPV). This is what the vehicle would sell for, based on similar sales in the Texas region. The value is updated weekly by the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles and that means what you owe can change. Find your vehicle’s Standard Presumptive Value.
I sold my vehicle. What can I do now to make sure the vehicle record shows I sold it?
- If you are selling a vehicle to a private individual, the best way to make sure that the buyer transfers the title out of your name is for the two of you to come to any of our four tax office locations to complete the title transfer.
- · If you are selling the vehicle to a dealer or if the seller is unable to come in-person, complete and file the Vehicle Transfer Notification with the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (TxDMV) within 30 days of the sale. This protects you from anything the buyer might do with the vehicle while it is still in your name, removing your liability. If it is after 30 days, still file the transfer notification as the state will mark the vehicle as sold in the state motor vehicle database.
I keep receiving Texas Toll Tag tickets for a vehicle that I sold. What can I do?
Complete and file the Vehicle Transfer Notification with the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles to note in the state motor vehicle database that the vehicle is sold and no longer in your possession.
Temporary Permits
Is my Texas permit good in another state?
This is up to the state in which you are traveling. Before taking an out-of-state trip, research whether the state(s) you are driving through recognize a Texas permit as valid.
Why would I need a 72-or 144-hour permit?
Non-Texas residents may use these permits to:
- Operate an unregistered commercial truck, trailer or bus in Texas
- Use out-of-state, licensed commercial vehicles (trucks, trailers or buses) for business inside Texas (intrastate operation)
Texas residents may use these permits to operate:
- An unregistered, commercial truck, trailer or bus in Texas
- A registered Texas commercial vehicle with a gross weight that exceeds its current registration
How many temporary permits can I purchase for a vehicle?
- A maximum of three, 30-day or one-trip temporary permits allowed per vehicle.
- No limits on 72- and 144-hour permits for commercial vehicles (trucks, trailers and buses).