Smith County, TX
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Vehicle Registration FAQs
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License and Registration Questions
- Yes. A vehicle may be operated for five County working days after its registration expires without penalty.
For how long may a new Texas resident operate his or her vehicle in this state while displaying current out-of-state license plates?
He or she can operate the vehicle for a period of thirty days after establishing residence or entering gainful employment, after which time the vehicle must be registered in Texas.I did not receive my renewal notice and my registration has expired. Why am I being forced to pay a 20% penalty?
The 20% penalty is required by law if a vehicle is driven on public highways with expired registration after the five-day grace period and you were issued a ticket by law enforcement.- Your vehicle registration can be renewed at any of the Smith County Tax Office locations by using your license receipt from the previous year, the title, or the license plate number along with proof of insurance and identification. The Smith County Tax Office is able to verify your registration, electronically, either by using your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) or your license plate number. Just call the Smith County Motor Vehicle Registration Office at 903-590-2900 and we'll help you correct the problem
- Before it can be registered, your vehicle must pass a State of Texas vehicle safety inspection and a visual verification of the vehicle identification number. These services are available at state-approved Safety Inspection Stations. If you are leasing the vehicle you must have the vehicle inspected in Texas.
- The inspection facility will provide you with a Vehicle Identification Certificate (Form VI-30-A). You must submit this form to the Smith County Tax Office along with an Application for Texas Certificate of Title. You must also submit your out-of-state title, or out-of-state registration, with the signed Application. In most cases, a New Resident Fee of $90.00 will be due. Title and registration fees are due at the time the application for title is made. You may do this in person at any Smith County Tax Office or by mail. Proof of liability insurance is required in Texas in order for these services to be provided. If you have out-of-state insurance you will need to bring the policy when registering the vehicle.
- You do not have to pay a penalty as long as you have not been ticketed for driving your vehicle with expired registration. You will pay for 12 months registration.
Title Questions
If a salvaged vehicle for which a salvage document has been issued is repaired and placed in operable condition by a purchaser of such salvaged vehicle, the person or firm who purchased and repaired the vehicle (Texas licensed salvage dealers excepted) must apply for title and registration in their name. The following must support the application for title:
- Salvage Document
- Form 61- Rebuilt Affidavit
- A $65 Rebuilt fee
In any case when a negotiable title is issued and a Salvage Document is in evidence, the negotiable title will contain a notation to indicate that the vehicle was previously damaged. "Flood Damaged" will be shown, when applicable, or “Rebuilt Salvage” will be shown. These notations are carried permanently in the master title records and will appear on all subsequent titles.
Valid proof of financial responsibility, covering the described vehicle, in the applicant’s name.
- The seller must write the purchaser's name and address, the odometer reading and date of sale in the title assignment.
- Purchaser and seller must each sign both the title and the title application form (Form 130-U).
- Both signed documents must be given to the purchaser, along with the registration receipt.
- The purchaser must then go to any Smith County Tax Office location and file the title application. Proof of current insurance will be required. The fee is $33, plus motor-vehicle sales tax (6.25 percent). There is also a $2.50 transfer of a current registration fee. If the license is not current, there may be a registration fee.
- When you purchase a vehicle from a licensed Texas dealer located in Smith County, the dealer is required to complete all the paperwork necessary to title and register the vehicle in your name. The dealer is also required to file the documents with the Smith County Tax Office within 20 business days of the date you purchased the vehicle.
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:
- 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.
- 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 (State or US-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.
- 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.
Verifiable Agent of Owner or Lienholder (Mail-in or Walk-in):
- In addition to the requirements above, a verified agent of the owner or lienholder must also provide a letter of signature authority on original letterhead, or a business card, or copy of the agent’s employee ID.
If the Form VTR-34 is signed with a Power of Attorney (POA), the transaction must have, in addition to the requirements above:
- Photo ID of recorded owner/lienholder signing the POA.
- Photo ID of individual signing the Form VTR-34
NOTE: Businesses given POA will also be required to provide a letter of signature authority on original letterhead, business card, or a copy of employee ID
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 likely the new owner has not transferred title into his or her name. Contact the Smith County Tax Office or VTR Regional Office and fill out the Motor Vehicle Transfer Notification (Form VTR-346). Upon receipt of the fee and the form, the State will place a notation on the motor vehicle record stating that the vehicle has been transferred.I've bought a vehicle and I have liability insurance on another car. What document can I use to show proof of financial responsibility when I transfer title and registration?
The personal automobile policy for any other vehicle an individual owns provides 30-day coverage after an additional vehicle has been acquired. Therefore, a copy of the personal automobile insurance policy or the card issued for the policy is acceptable as proof of financial responsibility.What information is required and who is authorized to execute a Statement of Fact should one be required to correct an error on a title assignment?
The statement must certify to the correct information and must include a description of the vehicle identification number and the date the statement was executed. Only the seller is authorized to execute the Statement of Fact. However, if the Statement of Fact is required for the odometer disclosure portion of the assignment, in addition to the seller's signature, the buyer must also acknowledge the statement.- A statement of fact will be required. This statement must address the discrepancy and must be acknowledged by both the seller and the buyer involved in the transaction in which the error was made.