Donate a car or vehicle in Texas - TX
State Title Information
Help a child with a car, motorcycle, automobile, truck, boat or any vehicle donation. What vehicles need titles in your state. How to transfer ownership...
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When donating a car it is necessary to transfer ownership. Various states have different regulations on how this is done. This page is a collection of actual references from various state web sites.
Just click on any of the links below for more information on that subject.
1. I lost my title. How can I get a duplicate?
2. I just bought/sold a car, how do I transfer the title?
3. I financed my car and the lien was recorded, but I have not received a title yet.
5. Why does the state show a lien on my car if I paid it off?
7. What is a bonded title and what is it used for?
8. How do I sell a vehicle that is registered and titled in my ex/late spouse 's name?
1. I lost my title. How can I get a duplicate?
Applicants for a certified copy of title may be the owner of record, lienholder, or verifiable agent of either. Whether the application is submitted by mail or walk-in, all applicants must provide to the department:
- A properly completed Application for Certified Copy of Title (Form VTR-34) *, which is available at all VTR Regional Offices, County Tax Assessor-Collectors’ Offices, and on VTR’s Fax on Demand at 1-888-232-7033 or this web site.
- The appropriate fee - $2.00 for mail-in applications and $5.45 for walk-in applications. (If mailed, the fee should be in the form of a check, cashier’s check, or money order made payable to the Texas Department of Transportation.) Please do not mail cash.
- Photo ID (government-issued photo ID, such as Texas or other state driver’s license, government identification card, U.S. Passport, or military identification) of the person signing the Form VTR-34 *. (In cases of joint ownership, government-issued photo ID for each individual owner of record is required.)
If mailing by overnight or express mail through a mail service which requires a physical address, mail to the VTR Regional Office nearest you, using the appropriate street address on the back of the Form VTR-34 *.
2. I just bought/sold a car, how do I transfer the title?
The seller should indicate the purchaser 's name and address, and the odometer reading and certification in the title assignment and then sign both the title and the title application (Form 130-U) *. These should be given to the purchaser, along with the registration receipt. The purchaser should then go to the county tax assessor-collector office and file the title application (proof of insurance required). It is recommended the seller accompany the buyer to the tax office to ensure the title is transferred into the buyer’s name. This will protect the seller from liability for certain acts by the purchaser.
The title application fee is EITHER $28 OR $33 *, depending on the county in which the application for title is filed, plus motor vehicle sales tax (6.25%). There will also be a $2.50 registration transfer fee, or possibly a registration fee, if the license is not current. The transfer must be recorded within 20 working days or there will be a $10 penalty in addition to other fee requirements. Contact the county tax assessor collector’s office to determine the correct fees as there are additional requirements provided by law.
If you buy a vehicle from a licensed Texas dealer, the dealer is required to complete all the papers that are necessary to title and register the vehicle in your name. The dealer must also file them with the county tax assessor-collector’s office within 20 days of the date you bought the vehicle.
3. I financed my car and the lien was recorded, but I have not received a title yet.
When a lien is recorded on a title, the Texas Certificate of Title is mailed to the 1 st lienholder. The Title Application Receipt you received after the title was applied for serves as your proof of registration and as proof that a title was applied for to record you as the owner of the vehicle.
4. I applied for a title and neither my lien holder (if a lien was recorded) nor I have received it yet.
Contact the county tax assessor-collector’s office and ask them to check the record. Customers should receive their titles within two weeks of the date the department receives the application.
5. Why does the state show a lien on my car if I paid it off?
This occurs if you have not advised the state that your lien has been satisfied. To remove the lien information, go to the county tax office, fill out a Title Application (Form 130-U) *, and submit it along with the title and the release of lien. The fee for this service is EITHER $28 OR $33 *, depending on the county in which the application for title is filed. Contact the county tax assessor collector's office to determine the correct fees. The state will mail you a title that does not show a lien.
6. I sold my vehicle several months ago, but the registration and title have not been changed to reflect the new owner 's name and address. I 'm getting notices about parking tickets involving that vehicle -- and the registration renewal notice has also come to me. What can I do?
It is probable the new owner has not transferred title to their name. Contact the county tax office or VTR Regional Office and fill out the MotorVehicle Transfer Notification (Form VTR-346) *. Or write a letter to: Texas Department of Transportation, Vehicle Titles and Registration Division, Attention: Vehicle Data Management Branch, Austin, TX 78779-0001. The letter must provide the vehicle description (year, make, VIN), date of sale, and purchaser’s name and address. Upon receipt of the fee and the form or letter, we will place a notation on the motor vehicle record indicating that the vehicle has been transferred. The fee for this service is $5. Checks or money orders should be made payable to the Texas Department of Transportation.
7. What is a bonded title and what is it used for?
A bonded title is a notation reflected on a title document and the motor vehicle record which indicates that a Certificate of Title Surety Bond was surrendered in support of the application for title. The bond is issued in the title applicant’s name for a 3-year period. The notation is carried forward upon subsequent issuance for the 3-year period. The bond is required by statute, when proper ownership documents are unavailable, to protect previous and subsequent owners and lien holders from possible claims.
8. How do I sell a vehicle that is registered and titled in my ex/late spouse 's name?
Answer: 1) If the divorce decree awards the vehicle to you, contact the county tax assessor-collector’s office with a certified copy of the decree and apply for title. If the decree does not award the vehicle to you, a properly assigned title will be required. 2) In the case of a deceased spouse, the ownership will be determined as to whether there is a will, trust, etc. Contact the county tax office or a VTR Regional Office for help.
Correspondence Section
P. O. Box 12098
Austin, TX 78711-2098
