How to Get a Paper Tag in Texas: Permit Types, Fees, and Display

To get a paper tag in Texas, you apply for one of the state’s temporary permits through TxDMV: a free Vehicle Transit Permit you print online for most private-party car purchases, or a paid one-trip, 30-day, 72-hour, or 144-hour permit issued through your county tax office. Since July 1, 2025, licensed dealers hand buyers metal license plates at the time of sale under House Bill 718, so paper temporary tags from dealerships are gone.¹ Paper permits still exist for private-party sales, vehicles coming in from out of state, and other situations where a vehicle needs to be on the road before permanent registration is done.

The Free Option: Vehicle Transit Permit

If you bought a passenger car or light truck from a private seller who kept the plates, print a Vehicle Transit Permit online at no cost through the TxDMV portal. It gives you five calendar days to drive the vehicle home or to your county tax office to finish registration, and it covers one trip between a specific origin and destination inside Texas.²

You get one per vehicle. It is not available for salvage or nonrepairable vehicles, and it is limited to passenger cars and light trucks, so motorcycle buyers can’t use it. To generate the permit you need the vehicle’s VIN, an active email address, Adobe Acrobat Reader, and proof of liability insurance meeting Texas minimums of $30,000 per person and $60,000 per accident for bodily injury, plus $25,000 for property damage.² If the system can’t match the VIN, it won’t issue the permit, so verify the number against the title or bill of sale first.

Paid Permits and When Each One Fits

When the free transit permit doesn’t cover your situation, TxDMV sells four timed permits. Which one you want depends on the vehicle type, whether it’s carrying cargo, and whether you’re driving out of state.

One-Trip Permit

A one-trip permit covers a single trip between a specific origin and destination, with either the start or end point inside Texas. It’s valid for 15 calendar days and costs $5 plus a $4.75 processing fee, or $9.75 total.³⁴ A vehicle displaying a current one-trip permit is exempt from the Texas vehicle inspection requirement, which makes it the practical choice for moving an unregistered vehicle to an inspection station or a repair shop. You can get up to three per vehicle.

One-trip permits are not available for loaded commercial vehicles, boat trailers carrying a boat, laden utility or luggage trailers, salvage vehicles, or manufactured housing.³

30-Day Permit

A 30-day permit is the broadest choice for personal vehicles. It costs $25 plus the $4.75 processing fee ($29.75 total) and is valid for 30 calendar days from the date of purchase.³ It is not restricted to Texas-only travel, so this is the right permit if you’re driving an unregistered vehicle to another state. Eligible vehicles include passenger cars, light trucks, motorcycles, and trailers or semitrailers with a gross weight of 10,000 pounds or less. You can buy up to three for the same vehicle. A passing vehicle inspection is required for this permit.

72-Hour and 144-Hour Commercial Permits

These are for commercial motor vehicles, trailers, semitrailers, and buses owned by residents of the United States, Mexico, or Canada. The 72-hour permit costs $25 and the 144-hour permit costs $50, each plus the $4.75 processing fee. Both are valid only in Texas and cannot be issued for vehicles that will operate exclusively outside the state. These are the only temporary permits you can buy online at TxDMV.³

Documents and Insurance to Bring

For paid timed permits, complete the Application for Timed Temporary Permits (Form VTR-66), available at county tax offices and TxDMV Regional Service Centers.³ Across permit types, plan to bring:

Proof of ownership: title, signed bill of sale, or Manufacturer’s Certificate of Origin.
Vehicle details: VIN, make, model, and year.
Government-issued photo ID such as a driver’s license.
Proof of Texas liability insurance at the state minimum of $30,000/$60,000 bodily injury and $25,000 property damage. Trailers and semitrailers are not required to carry liability insurance for temporary permits.⁵³

Where to Apply

Vehicle Transit Permit: print online through the TxDMV Vehicle Transit Permit portal. No office visit, no fee.²
One-trip and 30-day permits: in person only, at your county tax assessor-collector’s office or a TxDMV Regional Service Center. There is no online option.
72-hour and 144-hour permits: online at TxDMV, or in person at a county tax office or Regional Service Center.³

Each of Texas’s 254 county tax offices sets its own hours and payment rules, and some accept only cash for permit fees. Call ahead.⁶ Permits are usually issued on the spot once payment clears.

How to Display the Permit

Attach the permit to the rear of the vehicle in the license plate area so the entire tag is visible and legible while driving. Nothing can cover or obstruct the printed information, including plate frames or holders. For vehicles without a standard rear plate location, such as some trailers and motorcycles, keep the permit or registration receipt inside the vehicle throughout its validity period.³

What Happens if the Permit Expires or Is Fake

Driving on an expired temporary permit is treated as operating with expired registration. The fine can reach $200. Texas law gives an out: if you complete registration within 20 working days of the offense or before your first court date, whichever is later, the charge can be dismissed with a reimbursement fee of up to $20.

Fake tags are a different matter. Widespread abuse of fraudulent paper tags was one of the main reasons the legislature passed HB 718.¹ Under Texas Transportation Code Section 504.945, attaching a fictitious plate to a vehicle is a Class B misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of up to $2,000 and up to 180 days in county jail. Intentionally altering or obscuring a plate can be charged the same way.

1
Texas Department of Motor Vehicles. House Bill 718 Implementation
2
Texas Department of Motor Vehicles. Vehicle Transit Permit: Eligibility and Requirements
3
Texas Department of Motor Vehicles. Temporary Permits
4
State of Texas. Texas Transportation Code 502.095 – One-Trip or 30-Day Trip License Plates
5
Texas Department of Insurance. Tips to Help You Shop for Auto Insurance
6
Texas Department of Motor Vehicles. Receiving In-Person Motor Vehicle Services