Military Transfers and Military Plates (2024)

Military Transfers & Plates

If you are temporarily stationed in Texas, you may keep your vehicle registration from your home state. You are required to keep your registration current.

If you find Texas as irresistible as we do and plan to make it your permanent home, then you need to register your vehicle here. As a new resident, you have 30 days to apply for a Texas title or registration along with obtaining insurance meeting the minimum amount of insurance coverage required by the State of Texas, and a Texas safety inspection and Vehicle Inspection Certificate. If you would like to apply for a Texas driver's license the Texas Department of Public Safety issues driver's licenses.

Transferring Your Vehicle to Texas

1. Complete and submit a VIN Self-Certification form (Form VTR-270) or you obtain a Vehicle Inspection Report (VIR) issued by a vehicle inspection station.

   Find an Inspection Station near you

2. Obtain insurance on the vehicle that meets the state’s minimum requirements. You will be required to furnish the declarations page for registration purposes.
3. Proof of military service or Leave and Earnings Statement (LES) along with a copy of your current government-issued identification.
4. An Application for Texas Title and/or Registration (Form 130-U).
5. If you are applying for registration only (no title will be issued), you will need your current out-of-state registration receipt and mark the “Registration Purposes Only” box on Form 130-U.
   • Your current out-of-state registration
   • To mark the “Registration Purposes Only” box at the top of the Application for Texas Title and/or Registration (Form 130-U).
6. Because we all enjoy the Texas roads and scenery, each vehicle registered in Texas pays fees unless you are exempt by law.

Taxes
If you are a Texas resident and have not previously paid a Texas sales tax on the vehicle, you will pay either a 6.25% sales tax or the difference between the full amount of taxes less any taxes previously paid to another state. For used vehicles, the value of the vehicle will be determined at the county and is based on the Standard Presumptive Value (SPV) of the vehicle.

Please refer to our Military Packet for more information.

Insurance

Texas law requires the following minimum amounts of coverage for your vehicle:

• $30,000 bodily injury to or death of one person in any one accident
• $60,000 bodily injury to or death of two or more persons in any one accident, with a $30,000 limit for one person
• $25,000 because of injury to or destruction of property of others in any one accident

Annual Vehicle Safety Inspection
Every vehicle registered in Texas and operated on a public roadway (unless exempted by law) must pass an annual safety inspection. The vehicle must have a current, passing inspection before registration. You will need to present valid proof of liability insurance to receive your vehicle inspection report. Some counties also have emissions testing requirements. Please check with your county for requirements.

Texas-approved inspection stations conduct vehicle inspections and VIN verifications. Many mechanics, repair facilities, and full-service stations are approved to perform the inspections. Look for the state inspection sign at their place of business.

Contact the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) at (512) 424-7293 or visit their website, for more information regarding vehicle inspections.

Importing a Vehicle

If you will be bringing in a vehicle purchased in another country, you are required to meet all federal and state importation requirements before you can title and/or register it in the state of Texas.

Your vehicle must meet the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) established by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. More information concerning the duty or other Customs matters is available from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

Your vehicle must pass a Texas vehicle safety inspection and a visual verification of the vehicle identification number (VIN). You can have your vehicle inspected by any Texas-approved Safety Inspection Station.

You must provide a certified English translation of any document printed in any language other than English.

Leaving Texas If you are a Texas resident serving out of the state, you can retain your Texas title and continue to renew your registration. If you have a Texas title you must keep the registration valid and up to date.

If your vehicle is out of state and you are unable to complete a Texas vehicle inspection to renew your registration, you will be able to self-certify that the vehicle is out of state and will be permitted to register. In this instance, you will still be charged the state’s portion of the inspection fee at the time of registration. However, active duty military may be refunded this fee by completing a form that can be obtained by contacting a TxDMV Regional Service Center (RSC).

You may renew your registration using self-certification online, by mail, or in person. Please contact your county tax office for more information about their requirements for out-of-state registration renewal.

If you renew your registration using the out-of-state self-certification option, a remark will be placed on your vehicle record indicating that an inspection is still due. Once you return to Texas, you must complete a vehicle inspection within three days of your arrival at your home, duty station, or destination. You must keep the Vehicle Inspection Report issued after completing your inspection in case you are stopped by law enforcement before the remark is removed from your vehicle record, which takes about 48 hours.

Be sure to change the address at TxDMV for your registration to make sure there is no time delay. Thanks for visiting and thank you for serving our country.

Military Plates

The emblem art featured on the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles’ military license plates is sourced from Medals of America.

• Order a Military Specialty Plate
• Military License Plates Brochure
• Disabled Veterans License Plates Brochure

Replacement Plates
If you order new military plates with a new design or an ISA to replace your existing military plates, a new plate number will be assigned. Disabled Veteran plate numbers will not change if an emblem or an ISA is added. When you receive your new plates, please surrender the old ones to your county tax assessor-collector so they may be destroyed or recycled.

Transfer of Plates
You may transfer your military plate to a new vehicle, but remember to inform your car dealer and/or county tax assessor-collector, so your vehicle’s registration record can be updated. You may be asked to clarify if the plate number is the designated “first set” or an additional set of plates, as registration fees differ.

Surviving Spouses
If you are a surviving spouse of a veteran, you may retain your spouse’s military plate unless it is a Disabled Veteran plate. You may also apply for a Surviving Spouse plate of your own. If you are the surviving spouse of a disabled veteran, you must pay $3 for the first set of plates. Additional sets are free, but annual registration fees and any additional fees will apply. If you would like an ISA displayed on your disabled surviving spouse license plate, you must provide proof of your disabled status by completing an Application for Persons with Disabilities Parking Placard and/or License Plate (Form VTR-214).

Application for Surviving Spouse of a Veteran License Plates (Form VTR-425)

Gold Star
If you are an immediate family member (defined as a parent, child, sibling, or spouse) of a person who died while serving in the U.S. Armed Forces, you may order a Gold Star license plate. Only one set of Gold Star plates may be issued per person.

Application for Gold Star License Plates (Form VTR-423)

Parking Privileges and Fee Exemptions for Vehicles with Military License Plates

As of January 1, 2022, anyone parking in a disabled parking space must have a disabled person license plate or a disabled parking placard that features the International Symbol of Access (ISA). Currently, disabled veteran license plates do not feature the ISA.

Texans with disabled veteran license plates wishing to use disabled parking spaces in 2022 may apply for a disabled parking placard or a new disabled veteran license plate featuring the ISA. The veteran must meet the eligibility requirements for a disabled parking placard or disabled person license plate featuring the ISA. Not all disabilities that qualify a veteran for disabled veteran license plates will qualify a veteran for a disabled veteran license plate featuring the ISA.

As of January 1, 2022, you may apply for a disabled parking placard and/or disabled veteran license plate at the office of your local county tax assessor-collector:

1. For a disabled parking placard, download the Application for Persons with Disabilities Parking Placard and/or License Plate (Form VTR-214).
2. For a disabled veteran license plate with or without the ISA, download the Application for Disabled Veteran License Plates and/or Parking Placard (Form VTR-615).
3. Have your doctor or health care provider complete the Disability Statement section of the application or provide an original prescription.
4. Submit the completed application(s) and payment (if applicable) to your county tax office.

Please call us at (512) 374-5010 if you have questions about military license plates.