Texas Vehicle Registration and Titling Process For Military Personnel

It can be difficult to obtain a driver's license and register a car if you are on active military duty outside Texas. Fortunately, Texas allows you to complete some routine transactions via mail or online while serving your country.

Requirements For Military Personnel

If you are applying for a Texas title and registration, you will need the following documents:
  • The most recent title or registration receipt from the non-titled state where the vehicle was most recently titled/registered (Or MCO if a new unregistered vehicle). If the ownership and description of a vehicle cannot be determined, or if the information on a foreign document is in doubt, a translation into English is required. The translation must include a notarized or acknowledged affidavit from the translator, including the translator's name and address.
  • Furthermore, if applicable:
    • If imported from another country, the vehicle must pass U.S. inspection. D.O.T. safety and E.P.A. emissions standards, as well as clearing the U.S.A. Customs must obtain USDOT Form HS-7 or a U.S. Customs Form 7501.
  • If you are only applying for registration (no title will be issued), you will need:
    • Proof of ownership in a foreign country (Foreign Registration Receipt, Tarjeta de Circulacion; Fahrzeugbrief, etc.)
    • Form for Application for Registration Purposes Only (Form VTR-272)
  • Fill out a Texas Title Application (Form 130-U).
  • Before applying for Texas title and registration, all vehicles must pass a Texas Safety Inspection and have their vehicle identification number verified by a TxDPS authorized safety inspection station. As a result, you must obtain and submit a Vehicle Inspection Report (V.I.R.) issued by a Texas State vehicle inspection station, OR you must fill out and submit a V.I.N. Self-Certification form (Form VTR-272-B).
  • Vehicle Identification Inspection (Form 68A) is required and can be obtained by scheduling an appointment with the Enforcement Division at 771-2332.
  • Military service documentation or a Leave and Earnings Statement (L.E.S.).
  • Obtain vehicle insurance that meets the state's minimum requirements (30/60/25). In Texas, "no-fault" insurance is not accepted as proof of financial responsibility. However, proof of financial responsibility from outside the state or country is acceptable if the insurance company is licensed to do business in Texas and reflects the aforementioned minimum amounts. For registration purposes, you must provide the declarations page.
  • A weight certificate from a certified weight station is required if the vehicle is a commercial vehicle weighing more than one (1) ton, trailer, or semitrailer. (If appropriate)
    • A driver's license or state identification card issued by a U.S. state or territory.
    • A passport from the United States or another country
    • A military identification card from the United States

Fees

  • $50.75 registration fee for a passenger car or truck weighing less than 6,000 pounds.
  • $33.00 title application fee
  • $20.00 in local and county taxes
  • $1.00 Automation Fee
  • $1.00 DPS Insurance Fee
  • Texas State Inspection Fee ($8.25)

Taxes

Military personnel who relocate to Texas must pay the motor vehicle use tax or the new resident tax.

Motor Vehicle Use Tax: (6.25%)

If a military person with Texas as their home state of record purchases a motor vehicle in Texas or is a Texas military person stationed outside Texas but chooses to register a vehicle in Texas, 6.25 percent motor vehicle sales tax is due; the value of the vehicle is determined at the county and is based on the vehicle's Standard Presumptive Value (SPV). To determine the value of a vehicle, use the SPV calculator. To determine the proper sales tax due and credit, you may also provide a copy of your PAID Tax Receipt IN YOUR NAME of sales tax paid in another state. Foreign military personnel from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), their dependents, and military-employed civilians affiliated with NATO are exempt from the motor vehicle sales and use tax.

New Resident Fee ($ 90.00)

A new Texas resident is someone who moves to Texas intending to live or work there. The new resident must register a motor vehicle purchased outside Texas and brought into Texas within 30 days of becoming a Texas resident and establishing gainful employment. This is in addition to the 6.25 percent use tax levied on Texas residents. To avoid late penalty fees, an application must be filed within 60 working days of the date of Texas purchase or first use in Texas to transfer title and pay registration fees on the purchase of a used motor vehicle.

Vehicle Registration For Military Members

Suppose you are not from Texas and are stationed here on active duty in the United States. You do not need to register your vehicle in Texas if you are an armed forces member. However, you may need to keep your vehicle registered in your home state while you're here. If you are a Texas resident stationed out of state on active military duty, contact the county tax assessor-collector of your home county in Texas to renew your Texas vehicle registration. A registration packet will be mailed to you so that you can renew by mail. While you must keep liability insurance on the vehicle while away, the state may exempt you from safety inspection requirements until you return.

License Renewal

If you are on active duty in the military outside of Texas, your Texas driver's license will remain valid unless it has been suspended, canceled, or revoked. If you are honorably discharged, you will be given a 90-day extension from the date of your discharge or return to the state. After the extension, your driver's license will expire. You can renew your driver's license by mail if you don't want to renew it when you return. When you renew (or get a duplicate) your Texas driver's license from out of state, the Driver License Division will mail the new document to your out-of-state mailing address (which you will specify when you apply). You must begin this process by submitting a completed Out-of-State or Out-of-Country Packet (Form DL-16P) along with the required fees to: Department of Public Safety `P.O. Box 149008 Austin, TX 78714 If your driver's license has been expired for more than two years, you must also submit the following documents:
  • A copy of your expired driver's license
  • A copy of your military identification.
  • A completed Texas Driver License or Identification Card Application (Form DL-14A).

Soldiers' and Sailors' Civil Relief Act

Military drivers should also be aware of the Soldiers' and Sailors' Civil Relief Act, which provides special protections for military drivers who purchased motor vehicles before entering active duty. The Act may call for lower interest rates on term payment loans and even some repossession protections for active-duty personnel, including those in the National Guard. Because not all Texas car dealers or lenders know the implications of the Soldiers' and Sailors' Civil Relief Act, make sure you receive the benefits and protections you are entitled to. Make sure your spouse is aware of this benefit as well.