How to Transfer a Car Title in Texas

There are many reasons why someone may need to transfer a car title in Texas. If you are selling a car, buying a car, giving a car away, or obtaining a car because of divorce or death there are certain steps you must take regarding the vehicle title, no matter which state you live in.

However, in Texas, the rules for transferring a car title are a bit different than they are in other states. But don’t worry, the process can be super easy after you know what to do!

Transfer a Car Title in Texas when Buying a Vehicle from a Dealership

If you are buying a vehicle in Texas from a dealership, they are responsible for processing your car title on your behalf. That means all you have to do is make sure you get your receipt from the dealership to show that they properly filed the title correctly in your name. That’s it!

Transfer a Car Title in Texas when Buying a Used Vehicle

Transferring a vehicle title because you are buying a car from an individual seller in Texas works a bit differently than buying a car from a dealership. When buying a car directly from a person, there are a few items you must present to them according to the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (“DMV”):

• The correctly signed vehicle title with the date of sale and current odometer reading
• The correctly signed application for the Texas Title and/or Registration (Form 130-U), which needs to have the sale price of the vehicle visible.

You can take care of both of these tasks at your local tax office. It may be a good idea to go with the teller to the tax office to make sure everything is properly filled out and signed. You can also speak with a tax office representative to confirm that the vehicle is free of legal or salvage issues before you officially purchase the car. The Texas DMV also recommends any potential buyer to do a Title Check on their own to get a full report of the vehicle’s legal history.

Transfer a Car Title in Texas when Selling a Vehicle

When transferring an auto title in Texas because you are selling a vehicle, you want to make sure you have all of the signed documents and applications mentioned above. In addition to those properly filled out and signed materials, it would also be smart to keep detailed records of the transaction on hand in your personal files.

For car sellers, files you want to keep when you are doing a car title transfer in Texas are:

• Written record of the car sale, in detail
• The buyer’s contact info
• The date the sale took place
• Odometer reading at the time of sale, Vehicle Identification Number (“VIN”), and any other important information about the car that was sold.

Along with your records, you also want to make sure you complete the title transfer before 30 days after you sold your vehicle. This is because you could be legally held liable for any accidents, tickets, or other violations if the car title was not transferred properly in Texas. You may also complete a Request for Texas Motor Vehicle Information (Form VTR-275) if you need to confirm the month and year the vehicle title was sold/transferred.

Transfer a Car Title in Texas when Gifting a Vehicle

Giving a vehicle as a gift to a close friend or family member is possible in Texas, but a title transfer is required. Here’s what you need for transferring a car title in TX because you are gifting a car:

• Everything you would need for transferring a car title for selling a car in Texas
• An Affidavit of Motor Vehicle Gift Transfer (Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts Form 14-317) signed by the person receiving the car, and the person giving the car.

Once you have everything you need, either you (the person giving the vehicle), or the recipient of the car must present your documents in-person to your local county tax office.

Transfer a Car Title in Texas when Getting Divorced

In the instance of a divorce, and one of the parties is granted ownership of a vehicle in a divorce decree, that person must present a certified copy of the decree to their local tax office. From there, a representative should be able to help you transfer the car title.

However, if the divorce decree alone is not enough to grant a title transfer, the ex-spouse will have to individually sign over the title themselves.

Transfer a Car Title in Texas in the Case of the Death of a Spouse

When a spouse dies but has a car title in their name, the surviving spouse is able to have the vehicle title transferred over to them if the action is specified in the will of the deceased spouse. If this is not the case, then the surviving spouse may have to complete an Affidavit of Heirship for a Motor Vehicle (Form VTY-262) to transfer the car title to their name in Texas.

Car Title Loans with a Transferred Car Title in Texas

If you are looking to transfer a car title in your name, there are just a few steps and documents you should gather depending on why you need the vehicle title transfer. But once you have the title in your name, that means you have full access to the vehicle and its equity. If you’re looking to take advantage of that equity further, you could inquire about emergency title loan funding with a title loan serviced by LoanMart. If you’re in need of some fast cash, a title loan could be the perfect solution for you! To get started and find out how you could get the money you need in 24 hours or less, call 855-422-7412, or fill out a quick title loan form online!^{1 3}