The short answer
| Item | Texas answer |
|---|---|
| Title fee | $33 if you live in a Clean Air Act nonattainment or "affected" county (the Houston, Dallas–Fort Worth, Austin, San Antonio and El Paso metro counties); $28 in every other county. It follows the buyer's county of residence. |
| Sales tax | 6.25%, state only. On a private-party sale it's charged on the price or 80% of the car's standard presumptive value (SPV), whichever is greater. |
| Registration transfer | $2.50 when the car is still registered. If it isn't, you pay the full registration instead ($50.75 a year at 6,000 lbs or less). |
| Plates | The seller keeps theirs. Moving your own plates to the car: $0. New plates: $6.50. |
| Deadline | 30 calendar days from the date the title was assigned to you (60 days for active-duty military). |
| Late title fee | $25, plus $25 for each further 30 days, up to $250. It can't be waived. |
| Typical total | $20,000 private-party car in a metro county: $1,285.50 (worked example below). |
Worked example: $20,000 private-party car
The price is $20,000 and the car's SPV is also $20,000. 80% of SPV is $16,000, so the price is higher and is the tax basis.
- Sales tax: 6.25% × $20,000 = $1,250
- Title fee, metro-county buyer: $33
- Registration transfer (registration carried over): $2.50
- Your own plates moved to the car: $0
Total: $1,250 + $33 + $2.50 = $1,285.50. Outside the $33 counties the title fee is $28, so the same purchase costs $1,280.50.
Title fee: $33 or $28
Texas has two title fees (Transportation Code §501.138). Buyers who live in a Clean Air Act nonattainment county or a Health and Safety Code §386.001 "affected" county pay $33. These are the Houston, Dallas–Fort Worth, Austin, San Antonio and El Paso metro counties. Everyone else pays $28. The fee depends on the county where the buyer lives, not where the car was bought. Some older pages show a flat $28 for everyone. That's out of date.
Sales tax and the standard presumptive value rule
Texas charges 6.25% motor vehicle tax. It's state only: there's no county or city add-on.
This is the rule Texas buyers most often get wrong. On a private-party sale, the tax is charged on the price you paid or on 80% of the car's standard presumptive value, whichever is greater (Tax Code §152.025). SPV is the guidebook value TxDMV sets for the car, and it doesn't take the car's condition into account. A low price on the paperwork doesn't take the tax below 6.25% of 80% of SPV.
- If the car is worth less: a certified appraisal on Form 14-128, done within 30 days, can lower the basis. It never takes the basis below the price you actually paid.
- When SPV doesn't apply: dealer sales, gifts, even trades and salvage vehicles.
Paying the tax late adds a penalty: 5% of the tax if you're 1 to 30 days late, 10% after that, $1 minimum. This penalty is separate from the late title fee. For dealer sales, trade-ins and more SPV examples, see our Texas car sales tax guide.
How long you have, and the late penalties
You have 30 calendar days from the date the seller assigned the title to you to apply for the title (Transportation Code §501.145). Active-duty military get 60 days. Some older pages say "20 working days." That's out of date.
Miss the deadline and two separate charges can apply:
| Charge | Amount |
|---|---|
| Late title fee (§501.146) | $25, plus $25 for each further 30-day period or part of one, up to $250. It can't be waived. |
| Late tax penalty | 5% of the tax if 1 to 30 days late, 10% after that, $1 minimum |
Some websites print a "$25 plus $1 a day, up to $100" late penalty. That isn't in the law. The statute charges $25 for every 30 days and caps it at $250.
Plates and registration
License plates stay with the seller, so you can't drive away on them (§504.901). If you already have plates, moving them to the car you bought costs $0. A new set costs $6.50.
If the car is still registered, the time left on the registration carries over to you and you pay a $2.50 registration transfer fee (§502.192). If it isn't registered, you pay the full registration fee instead: $50.75 a year for a vehicle of 6,000 lbs or less (§502.252). Our Texas calculator adds your county's local fees to that.
Gifts from family, even trades and new residents
- Gift from a qualifying relative: a flat $10 gift tax instead of 6.25%. Qualifying givers are a spouse, parent or stepparent, child or stepchild, sibling, grandparent or grandchild (in-laws count for parents, children and siblings), a guardian, an estate, or a 501(c)(3) organization. File Form 14-317, signed by both of you and notarized or witnessed at the tax office.
- Anyone not on that list: the transfer is treated as a sale and taxed on SPV.
- Even trade (car for car): $5 tax.
- New residents: a $90 tax in place of use tax when you bring a car already registered in your name in another state.
Form VTR-214 isn't a gift form. It's the disability parking placard application. The gift form is 14-317.
Forms and where to go
- Form 130-U (Application for Texas Title and/or Registration), signed by the buyer.
- The title, signed over by the seller, with the odometer reading.
- Your proof of insurance and photo ID.
Title transfers are done at your county tax assessor-collector's office, not online. The seller should file Form VTR-346 (Transfer Notification) within 30 days to protect themselves from tolls and tickets on the car. That form doesn't transfer ownership by itself.
Other states
Title transfer guides for other states: Florida, Georgia, Illinois, New York, Arizona, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon and Washington. If your registration has run out, see expired registration in Texas.
What this guide doesn't cover
Dealer sales, salvage and rebuilt titles, trucks over 6,000 lbs, county local registration fees and inspection fees. The Texas calculator covers registration and county fees.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to transfer a car title in Texas?
The title fee is $33 in the Houston, Dallas–Fort Worth, Austin, San Antonio and El Paso metro counties and $28 elsewhere. Add 6.25% tax and a $2.50 registration transfer fee. A $20,000 private-party car in a metro county comes to $1,285.50.
How long do I have to transfer a title in Texas?
30 calendar days from the date the title was assigned to you, or 60 days for active-duty military. It isn't "20 working days," as some older pages say.
What happens if I pay Texas vehicle tax late?
A penalty of 5% of the tax if you're 1 to 30 days late and 10% after that, $1 minimum. The late title fee comes on top: $25 per 30 days, up to $250.
Does Texas charge sales tax on used cars?
Yes, 6.25%. On a private-party sale it's charged on the price or 80% of the car's standard presumptive value, whichever is greater. There's no local add-on.
Can I transfer a title online in Texas?
No. Title transfers are done at your county tax assessor-collector's office.
How much is the tax on a car gifted by a family member in Texas?
A flat $10 gift tax if the giver is a qualifying relative (spouse, parent or stepparent, child or stepchild, sibling, grandparent or grandchild, including in-laws for parents, children and siblings), a guardian, an estate or a 501(c)(3), with Form 14-317. Anyone else is taxed as a sale.
See title transfer fees for all 50 states
Calculate your Texas fees
Example for a $30,000 car. Enter your own price to update it.
- Base registration (1 yr)6,000 lbs or lessTxDMV · checked Oct 15, 2026$50.75
- Insurance verification feeTexasSure, every registrationTxDMV · checked Oct 15, 2026$1.00
- County local feesHarris County, 2026 chartTxDMV · checked Oct 15, 2026$11.50
- Inspection replacement feeReplaces the safety inspectionTexas DPS · checked Oct 15, 2026$7.50
- Emissions fee, state shareEmissions county; station charges its share separatelyTCEQ · checked Oct 15, 2026$2.75
- Processing & handlingTxDMV · checked Oct 15, 2026$4.75
- Title application feeSet by countyTexas Comptroller · checked Oct 15, 2026$33.00
- Motor vehicle sales tax6.25% of price minus trade-inTexas Comptroller · checked Oct 15, 2026$1,875.00
Total excludes items marked "not available".
What you'll pay later
Renewal at today's rates: $78.25/yr
Year 1 $1,986.25 · Years 2–5 $78.25/yr · 5-year total $2,299.25
Estimate only, at today's rates for the same car.
Rates and sources for every fee are on the Texas car registration fee calculator page.
- Texas Transportation Code §501.138 (title application fee: $33 in Clean Air Act nonattainment or affected counties, $28 elsewhere, by the buyer's county of residence) – statutes.capitol.texas.gov
- Texas Transportation Code §501.145 (title application within 30 days; 60 days for active-duty military) and §501.146 ($25 late fee, plus $25 per further 30 days, max $250) – statutes.capitol.texas.gov
- Texas Transportation Code §502.192 and §502.252 (registration transfer $2.50; full registration when the car isn't registered) – statutes.capitol.texas.gov
- Texas Transportation Code §504.007 and §504.901 (plates stay with the seller; moving your own plates $0; new plates $6.50) – statutes.capitol.texas.gov
- Texas Tax Code §152.025 (private-party sales: tax on the price or 80% of standard presumptive value, whichever is greater) – statutes.capitol.texas.gov
- Texas Comptroller – Motor Vehicle Sales and Use Tax (6.25%, late tax penalty, $10 gift tax, $5 even trade, $90 new resident tax)
- Texas Comptroller – Private-Party Purchases and Standard Presumptive Value (Form 14-128 appraisal within 30 days)
General information, not tax or legal advice. Fees and tax rules change; confirm with the agency listed before you pay.
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