To sign over a title in Texas, the seller fills out the “Assignment of Title” section on the back of the Certificate of Title, signs it, and hands it to the buyer along with a completed Application for Texas Title and/or Registration (Form 130-U). The buyer then has 30 calendar days to file the transfer at their county tax assessor-collector’s office. To protect yourself as the seller, submit a Vehicle Transfer Notification to the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (TxDMV) right after the sale.
Filling Out the Back of the Title
Turn the Certificate of Title over and find the section labeled “Assignment of Title.” Sign and print your name exactly as it appears on the front of the title. Then record:
- The date of sale
- The odometer reading in whole numbers
- The mileage status (actual mileage; not actual, if the odometer is broken or was replaced; or exceeds mechanical limits)
- The buyer’s full legal name and complete address
- The agreed sales price
Use a pen and write carefully. Whiteout, cross-outs, or correction fluid can void the title, and once that happens the transfer stalls until you apply for a certified copy from TxDMV using Form VTR-34. That application costs $2.00 by mail or $5.45 in person at a TxDMV Regional Service Center.1Texas Department of Motor Vehicles. Get a Copy of Your Vehicle Title
If there’s still a lien on the vehicle, the lienholder has to release it before you can sign the title over. After you make the final payment, the lienholder has 10 days to provide that release.2Texas Department of Motor Vehicles. Add/Remove a Lien on a Vehicle – Section: Remove a Lien A paper title needs a written release letter from the lender; an electronic lien is cleared directly between the lienholder and TxDMV without action on your part.
When the Odometer Line Is Exempt
Federal rules exempt some vehicles from odometer disclosure. Model year 2010 or earlier vehicles are exempt if the transfer happens at least 10 years after the model year. Model year 2011 or later vehicles become exempt 20 years after the model year. Vehicles with a gross weight rating over 16,000 pounds and vehicles that aren’t self-propelled are also exempt.3eCFR. Part 580 – Odometer Disclosure Requirements If your vehicle qualifies, write “Exempt” on the odometer line instead of a mileage figure.
The Paperwork That Goes With the Title
The signed title is only part of what changes hands. Both parties also complete and sign the Application for Texas Title and/or Registration (Form 130-U). The buyer will need this form, the signed title, proof of Texas liability insurance in their name, and a valid photo ID when they go to the county tax office.4Texas Department of Motor Vehicles. Buying or Selling a Vehicle
The Form 130-U instructions from TxDMV walk through each field, including how the seller records mileage and mileage status on the assignment.5TxDMV.gov. Detailed Instructions for Application for Texas Title and/or Registration Fill it out together at the time of sale so the buyer isn’t chasing you down for a signature later.
The 30-Day Deadline the Buyer Has to Meet
Texas law gives the buyer 30 calendar days from the purchase date to file the title transfer at their county tax assessor-collector’s office. Active-duty military personnel get 60 days.6Texas Department of Motor Vehicles. State Law Requires Private Sale Vehicle Buyers to Title in 30 Days At the counter, the buyer pays the title fee ($28 in most counties, $33 in counties with emissions testing), a $2.50 registration transfer fee if the vehicle is currently registered, and 6.25% motor vehicle sales tax.4Texas Department of Motor Vehicles. Buying or Selling a Vehicle
This deadline matters to you as the seller because until the buyer files, the vehicle is still in your name in TxDMV’s records. That’s why the next step is important.
What to Do After You Hand Over the Title
File a Vehicle Transfer Notification (VTN) with TxDMV. You can do this online at txdmv.gov or by mailing Form VTR-346, but not both.7Texas Department of Motor Vehicles. Texas Motor Vehicle Transfer Notification (Form VTR-346) The notification puts a record on file that you no longer own the vehicle as of the sale date. If the buyer drags their feet on registering, or later racks up toll charges, parking tickets, or is in an accident, the VTN is what protects you from being pulled into it.4Texas Department of Motor Vehicles. Buying or Selling a Vehicle
License Plates
In a private sale, Texas law lets you remove the license plates but doesn’t require it.8State of Texas. Texas Transportation Code 504.901 – Transfer and Removal of License Plates If you pull them and aren’t moving them to another vehicle in your name, dispose of them according to TxDMV guidelines. When selling to a licensed dealer, the dealer is required to remove the plates. Many sellers keep their plates as a precaution; the buyer will receive new plates when they register.
Signing a Vehicle Over as a Gift to Family
If you’re transferring the vehicle to a qualifying family member without payment, the recipient pays a flat $10 gift tax instead of the 6.25% sales tax. The transfer has to be made with no consideration at all, including no assumption of your debt on the vehicle.9Comptroller of Public Accounts. Family Transfers – Motor Vehicle Tax Guide
Eligible relationships include:
- Spouse (separate property only)
- Parent, stepparent, or parent-in-law
- Child, stepchild, or child-in-law
- Sibling or sibling-in-law
- Grandparent, grandparent-in-law, grandchild, or grandchild-in-law
- Great-grandparent or great-grandchild, including in-laws
- Legal guardian, with proof of guardianship
- 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations
Both the donor and recipient complete the Affidavit of Motor Vehicle Gift Transfer (Form 14-317), and all signatures must be notarized. A county tax assessor-collector employee can notarize the form when you file in person. If one party can’t appear, that person’s signature must be notarized separately and can be submitted as a scanned or printed copy. The donor, the recipient, or an authorized agent with a power of attorney can file the paperwork.10TxDMV.gov. Affidavit of Motor Vehicle Gift Transfer
Signing Over a Title After the Owner Has Died
How the title moves depends on whether the estate is going through probate.
If an Executor or Administrator Has Been Appointed
The executor or administrator can assign the title directly. Bring a certified copy of the Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration to the county tax assessor-collector along with Form 130-U and proof of insurance.11TxDMV.gov. Affidavit of Heirship for a Motor Vehicle (Form VTR-262)
If There Is No Probate
When there’s no will and no probate, the heirs can transfer the title using the Affidavit of Heirship for a Motor Vehicle (Form VTR-262), submitted with the standard application documents. If a will exists but a court has determined probate isn’t necessary, the heirs also attach a certified copy of the court order and the portions of the will that name them.11TxDMV.gov. Affidavit of Heirship for a Motor Vehicle (Form VTR-262)
Signing Through a Power of Attorney
If the buyer or seller can’t be there in person, someone else can sign using a Limited Power of Attorney (Form VTR-271). The form requires original signatures in black or blue ink and allows no alterations. Both the person granting the power and the person acting under it must provide a copy of their photo ID.12TxDMV.gov. Limited Power of Attorney for Eligible Motor Vehicle Transactions (Form VTR-271) One limit to know: if the transaction involves a dealer and requires federal odometer disclosure, Form VTR-271 does not apply, and the secure Form VTR-271-A is required instead.