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Within 20 working days of the actual purchase, the title
to a motor vehicle must be transferred, to avoid penalties. A 5% penalty
is assessed on the amount of motor vehicle tax due after that date. An
additional 5% (total 10%) penalty applies after an additional 30 calendar
days. If the vehicle was currently registered on the date of the sale and
if title is not transferred within the first 20 working days, a $10.00
penalty is assessed. The State of Texas imposes a motor vehicle sales and
use tax of 6.25% times the net purchase price of any vehicle owned in this
state by a Texas resident. A deduction is allowed for the fair market
value of any motor vehicle traded in . This tax is also imposed at the
time of initial registration on the net fair market value of leased
vehicles. New Texas residents pay a flat $90.00 tax on each vehicle,
whether leased or owned when they establish a Texas residence. The only
requirement for this tax to apply is that the vehicle must have been
registered in the name of the owner in another state. The cost of a new
title is $13.00. If the vehicle is currently registered there is a $2.50
charge to transfer the registration to the new owner. If any Texas
registration on your new vehicle is expired when you transfer the title we
will re-set the month of expiration to a period of twelve months including
the month in which you record the transfer in our office.
Title to your vehicle may be issued under certain
circumstances without any requirement to register the vehicle. If you want
to title your vehicle without registering it you must surrender any
license plates displayed on the vehicle. You may not drive the vehicle on
any public road during the time it remains unregistered.
Registration for a car is based on its age. (Full year
registration for a car is based on its age. (Full year registration for a
2000 or newer car is $59.80, full year registration for a 1998-99 car is $49.80 and full year registration for a 1996 or older car
is $41.80.) These fees include the new $1.00 per vehicle state
registration fee for ALL vehicles whether they are cars or trucks. Truck
and motor home registration is based on the fully loaded weight of the
vehicle. In addition, Washington County charges a $10.00 local fee on the
registration of all vehicles except farm vehicles. This fee is set by the
Commissioners' Court and is used to pay for maintenance and improvements
of county roads.
Your motor vehicle registration expires after the fifth
WORKING day after the end of the month listed on your registration
receipt, the month punched in your registration windshield sticker. If you
are given a citation for driving with expired registration you will be
charged a penalty of 20% of the state registration fee (minus the $.30
annual reflectorization fee) in addition to being required to pay for the
time your vehicle was not registered. In all other cases your registration
fee will be a full year's fee (without penalty) and based on your response
to the question: "Why is this vehicle not currently registered?"
it will either be the original year, including the months your vehicle has
not been registered OR will be for twelve months beginning with the month
of your registration renewal.
Each time you register your vehicle or renew the
registration for your vehicle you are required to provide proof that the
vehicle meets the requirements of Texas Motor Vehicle Safety
Responsibility Act. The Texas Motor Vehicle Safety Responsibility Act
provides that no motor vehicle may be operated in the State of Texas
unless liability insurance coverage for the vehicle in at least the
minimum amounts indicated below remains in effect to insure against
potential losses:
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$20,000.00 because of bodily injury to or death of one
person in any accident, -
$40,000.00 because of bodily injury to or death of two
or more persons in any one accident, subject to limit of 20,000.00 for
one person, and -
$15,000.00 because of injury to or destruction of
property of others in any one accident.
This provision does not apply to motor vehicles which are
exempt from the insurance requirement of this Act. If you transfer title
to your vehicle but do not register it then you are not required to
provide proof of insurance for title transfer only.
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