To fill out the Texas VTR-61 Rebuilt Vehicle Statement, enter the vehicle’s identifying information, the owner’s and rebuilder’s names and addresses, and a plain description of the repairs on page one; on page two, list every major component part used in the rebuild with its part number, and attach ownership evidence for any replaced engine, frame, or body. Both the owner and the rebuilder sign the form under penalty of law, and it goes to your county tax assessor-collector along with a Form 130-U, the assigned salvage title, inspection paperwork, and a $65 rebuilt fee on top of the usual title charges.1Legal Information Institute. 43 Tex Admin Code 217.89 – Rebuilt Salvage Motor Vehicles
Get Your Packet Together First
The VTR-61 doesn’t stand on its own. Before you write anything on it, pull together the documents you’ll submit with it, because a missing piece will send you home from the county window.
- The Texas Salvage Vehicle Title, properly assigned to you. A nonrepairable title issued before September 1, 2003 also works; nonrepairable titles issued after that date cannot be converted to a rebuilt title.2State of Texas. Texas Transportation Code 501.100 – Application for Regular Certificate of Title for Rebuilt Salvage Motor Vehicle
- Application for Texas Title and/or Registration (Form 130-U), available from TxDMV or the county office.
- A government-issued photo ID showing your photo, a unique identification number, and an expiration date. A U.S. or territorial driver’s license or state ID, a U.S. or valid foreign passport, a U.S. military ID, or a Department of Homeland Security ID all qualify.3Texas Department of Motor Vehicles. Photo ID Requirements
- Bills of sale or titles for any major component parts you used, and bills of sale for other parts if you have them.4Texas Department of Motor Vehicles. VTR-61 Texas Rebuilt Vehicle Statement
- Passed safety inspection and anti-theft inspection, both completed after the rebuild.5Texas Department of Motor Vehicles. Rebuilt Vehicles
- Proof of liability insurance in your name, if you’re also registering the vehicle.1Legal Information Institute. 43 Tex Admin Code 217.89 – Rebuilt Salvage Motor Vehicles
- The seller’s properly executed odometer disclosure, acknowledged by you, if you bought the salvage vehicle from someone else.1Legal Information Institute. 43 Tex Admin Code 217.89 – Rebuilt Salvage Motor Vehicles
One boundary worth flagging: a newly assembled vehicle that has never been titled as a complete vehicle needs an additional Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) inspection by a Certified Master Technician, documented on Form VTR-64 or Form VTR-852. A standard salvage rebuild returning to its original configuration does not.4Texas Department of Motor Vehicles. VTR-61 Texas Rebuilt Vehicle Statement
Page 1: Vehicle, Owner, Rebuilder, and Repair Description
Download the current VTR-61 from TxDMV. Page one opens with the vehicle’s year, make, model, body style, and 17-digit VIN. Copy the VIN straight from the salvage title and check it twice; a single transposed digit will bounce the application.
Fill in the owner’s full legal name and address, then the rebuilder’s name and address underneath. If you did the work yourself, your information goes in both places.4Texas Department of Motor Vehicles. VTR-61 Texas Rebuilt Vehicle Statement
Below the identifying fields, the form asks you to explain the work done to repair, rebuild, reconstruct, or assemble the vehicle. Write in plain language. Say what was damaged, what was repaired versus replaced, and the general scope of the project. A reviewer should be able to read your paragraph and understand what happened to the car and how it came back into operating shape.
Page 2: Component Parts and Source Documents
Page two has to be completed any time component parts were used in the rebuild. It lists four categories: engine, frame, body, and transmission. For the engine, frame, and body you must enter the component part number, and if any of the three was replaced, ownership evidence for that part has to be submitted with the form. For the transmission the part number is requested only if available. Bills of sale for any other component parts should be attached as well.4Texas Department of Motor Vehicles. VTR-61 Texas Rebuilt Vehicle Statement
This is where most applications stall. If you pulled an engine from a salvage yard, you need the yard’s bill of sale showing the part number and donor vehicle. If it came from a private seller, a signed bill of sale with the same details will do. No paperwork on a replaced engine, frame, or body means no approval.
The statute behind the form spells out what has to appear: each major component part described, the name of each person the parts came from, and the federal identification number on the part.2State of Texas. Texas Transportation Code 501.100 – Application for Regular Certificate of Title for Rebuilt Salvage Motor Vehicle Match your entries to your invoices line by line.
Signatures and What You’re Swearing To
The bottom of the form carries two certifications. The owner certifies being the legal and rightful owner of the vehicle and confirms that the VIN on the form matches the VIN on the vehicle itself. The rebuilder certifies that the vehicle has been rebuilt and that all component parts were obtained lawfully. Both the owner and the rebuilder, or their authorized agents, must sign.1Legal Information Institute. 43 Tex Admin Code 217.89 – Rebuilt Salvage Motor Vehicles
Those signatures make the VTR-61 a sworn statement. That’s worth pausing on before you sign, because the penalties for a false entry are real and are covered further down.
Where to File It and What It Costs
Take your completed packet to a county tax assessor-collector’s office. You can file in the county where you live, the county where the vehicle was purchased or is liened, or any other county tax assessor-collector willing to accept the application.1Legal Information Institute. 43 Tex Admin Code 217.89 – Rebuilt Salvage Motor Vehicles
The rebuilt salvage fee is $65, set by state law, and it applies on top of the statutory title application fee and any other applicable charges.1Legal Information Institute. 43 Tex Admin Code 217.89 – Rebuilt Salvage Motor Vehicles The clerk reviews the documents at the window and forwards the file to TxDMV. Allow at least 20 business days for the new branded title; if it hasn’t shown up within 30 business days, call TxDMV.6Texas Department of Motor Vehicles. Buying or Selling a Vehicle If the vehicle has a lien, the lienholder gets the title, not you. The Rebuilt Salvage brand stays on the title permanently.2State of Texas. Texas Transportation Code 501.100 – Application for Regular Certificate of Title for Rebuilt Salvage Motor Vehicle
Penalties for a False Entry
Because the VTR-61 is a sworn statement filed on a government record, false entries fall under the Texas tampering-with-government-records statute. A vehicle title qualifies as a certificate or similar document issued by government, so a false entry on the VTR-61 is a third-degree felony carrying two to ten years in prison. If the false entry was made with intent to defraud or harm someone, such as padding the parts list to inflate the resale value, the charge rises to a second-degree felony. Even without fraudulent intent, a knowing false entry in a government record is a Class A misdemeanor at minimum.7State of Texas. Texas Penal Code 37.10 – Tampering With Governmental Record Every line on the form should match your invoices and the physical vehicle.