How to Transfer Texas License Plates
by Tiffany Raiford
Texas residents who purchase a new or used vehicle have the option of transferring their current license plate from their old car to their new car. License plates serve as a form of identification for a vehicle and when investigated can provide everything about a particular vehicle, such as the owner, insurance information, registration information and make and model of the vehicle. Police offers use license plate information when pulling over a vehicle to determine who owns the vehicle and if there are any outstanding warrants for the owner or if the vehicle has been stolen.
Step 1
Visit your local Texas Department of Motor Vehicles. Locate yours via the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles County Tax Offices locator. License plate transfers must be done in person at the appropriate office.
Step 2
Talk to a Department of Motor Vehicles employee about transferring your license plate from one car to another. He or she will ask to see your driver's license, vehicle registration and title and will issue you a new registration sticker to place on your tag. There is a fee to transfer your tag, which is determined by the DMV.
Step 3
Place your new registration sticker onto your tag and remove the tag from your old car and place it on your new car.
References
Tips
- If you purchased a new car from a dealership they will handle your tag transfer for you. Fees will be added to the price of your new car and your new tag/registration will be mailed to you within 30 days of purchase.
Things You'll Need
- Vehicle registration
- Driver's license
- Cash, credit card or check
Warnings
- Texas license plates are only transferable between the same type of vehicle, from one car to another car or one truck to another truck.
- Texas license plates cannot be transferred if more than seven years old. Due to safety concerns they must be replaced.
Writer Bio
Tiffany Raiford has several years of experience writing freelance. Her writing focuses primarily on articles relating to parenting, pregnancy and travel. Raiford is a graduate of Saint Petersburg College in Florida.
