Out-of-State and Foreign Vehicles

Please refer to the information featured on our New Residents page.

If you are a Texas resident and purchased a vehicle in another state, you are required to do the following within 30 days of bringing the vehicle to Texas:

• Get a vehicle inspection
• Register and title the vehicle

The vehicle must pass inspection before it can be registered and titled. After having it inspected, take the following to your county tax office:

• inspection certification,
• proof of liability insurance,
• the vehicle's odometer reading if it is less than 10 years old,
• an original out-of-state title, proof of registration, proof of sales tax payment or current foreign/military ownership document,
• completed Form VTR 130-U, and
• the following fees:
  • registration fee,
  • title application fee of $28 or $33, depending on the county, and
  • 6.25% vehicle sales tax

If you purchased a vehicle 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.

Step 1: Properly import your vehicle: Your vehicle must meet the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) established by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
More information concerning duty or other Customs matters is available from U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

Step 2: Get a vehicle/VIN inspection: 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 also have your vehicle inspected by one of the following law enforcement agencies:

• Municipal Police Auto Theft Unit
• County Sheriff's Department Auto Theft Unit
• Federal Bureau of Investigation
• Department of Public Safety Motor Vehicle Theft Services
• The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) Vehicle Theft Investigators

Step 3: Apply for Texas vehicle title/registration

After your vehicle passes customs, federal and state inspection, take the following forms, along with proof of insurance, to your county tax office:

• United States Department of Transportation Form HS-7
• If the imported vehicle is under bond, an original bond release letter from the United States Department of Transportation
• Vehicle Identification Certificate (Form VI-30-A), completed by a Safety Inspection Station
• The inspection report on the bottom of Form VTR-68-A completed by a law enforcement agency's auto theft unit. Note: U.S. military personnel, including immediate family members, returning to Texas military bases are not required to submit a completed form VTR-68-A. Please refer to our Military Packet for more information.
• A completed Form 130-U (Instructions for filling out the form)
• Provide the vehicle's odometer reading if it is less than 10 years old.
• Present the ownership document. You must provide a certified English translation of any document printed in any language except English.