New resident vehicle registration and Insurance Question (Houston, Richmond: sales, home)

[Chh2]

Have a quick question you guys may be able to help me with.

I will be relocating to the Houston area mid June and have been doing some research on what I need for each step of the way, even through txdmv. The question I have is in regards to the vehicle registration and auto insurance.

Reading the TX DMV site, it requests proof of liability insurance, cannot find where it states a requirement on state for the provider. Upon talking to my agent in FL, he tells me that I need to register the vehicle in TX then call and have my insurance rewritten in the state of TX, or choose another provider underwritten in TX. I was told that a provider would not issue a policy in TX if the vehicle is registered in FL.

Does my FL insurance policy satisfy the requirement in the short term to complete registration? I'm just a bit confused I guess. If the TX DMV requires proof of insurance underwritten in the state of Texas, and a Texas Insurance provider won't insure a vehicle registered in another state, then I have to be missing something.

Please let me know whereabouts I'm making the error. I just want to have my plan ready to get things setup as quickly and painless as possible and in one trip. Appreciate the help.

[l3m]

Depends on your provider but they should be able to insure your car even if it isn't registered in TX. I contacted my MI Allstate agent who got me in touch with the nearest TX Allstate agency. The TX agency insured my cars even if I still had MI license plates. The nice thing also was that the MI agency passed all my vehicle information to the TX agency which made it quicker for the agency to give me a quote.

On your 2nd question, I had TX insurance when I registered my vehicles so I can't say that they will accept your FL insurance. I think all they want to see is proof that you're insured. Best bet is to have your vehicles insured first in TX, then get your cars registered.

[kreeyax]

I think this is the order you want to do things in:

1. Get your vehicle insured in Texas.
2. Get your vehicle inspected.
3. Get your vehicle registered in Texas.
4. Get your Texas driver license.

Some of the other threads around here say the DMV won't give you a license if you own a car and it's not insured here. So I'd save the license for last. I believe you have 90 days to get one after you move here. Don't forget to have your car inspected here too, you'll need an inspection sticker. Inspection places will require proof of insurance.

[HoustonRonnie]

Direct from the Texas DMV.

Here's the order in which you need to do things. This all is predicated on whether your FL liability insurance also meets the TX minimums. From what I see here http://www.insure.com/car-insurance/...ge-levels.html , FL standards do not meet TX standards so you'll have to get another policy that meets the standards. There is no requirement that your insurance be underwritten in Texas, just has to meet Texas minimums of liability.

1. Get proof of insurance that meets Texas minimums.

2. Get your vehicle inspected (requires showing min insurance).

3. Go register your vehicle (you have 30 days to do this after establishing residency). You don't have to, but you might want to consider having a new title issued in Texas. All you have to do is surrender the original title if you have it. This is direct from the DMV:



New residents are required to do the following within 30 days of moving to Texas:

• Get a vehicle inspection
• Register and title their vehicle

New residents must have their vehicles pass inspection before having it registered and titled. After having it inspected, owners should take the following to their 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
  • new resident tax of $90.

4. Go get your new TX drivers license. You have a full 90 days to do this. Direct from the DMV:

1) I am new to Texas, what do I need to do in order to get a Texas license?

A new resident moving into Texas who has a valid driver license from his home state, has 90 days after entry into the state to secure a Texas driver license. In addition to testing, all first time original applicants must visit a Texas Driver License office and present and do the following: Texas Transportation Code 521.029.
New residents previously licensed in another state:
Proof of Identity. 37 Texas Administrative Code 15.24.
Proof of Social Security Number (http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/DriverLicense/socialsecuritynumber.htm - broken link). 37 Texas Administrative Code 15.42, Texas Transportation Code 521.044.
Proof of Texas vehicle registration and liability insurance, if you own a vehicle. Texas Transportation Code 521.143.
Complete required forms available at any Texas Driver License office.
Pay the required fee (http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/DriverLicense/dlfees.htm - broken link). 37 Texas Administrative Code 15.40, Texas Transportation Code 521.421.
Pass the vision exam. 37 Texas Administrative Code 15.51, Texas Transportation Code 521.161.
Application must include photograph and thumbprints; however, thumbprints are not included on the driver license. 37 Texas Administrative Code 15.44, 37 Texas Administrative Code 15.45, Texas Transportation Code 521.142.
If you have a VALID out-of-state license in your possession, please bring it to the driver license office to surrender. Texas Transportation Code 521.182.

NOTE: If you have an EXPIRED out-of-state license, you will be required to pass both the written and driving* exams, in addition to a vision test.
* Applicant must provide vehicle.


Hope that helps.

Ronnie

[kreeyax]

Good info, Ronnie!

[ilikepizza]

I have my vehicle insured in both Florida and Texas. I have Florida plates

[Sampaguita]

We actually just got our car registered today from CA.

The order we followed:

1-obtained TX DL
2-car inspected
3-obtained TX auto insurance
4-registered car in TX

Today, we had to present certificates from inspection, proof of TX auto insurance, title of car. The fee in Ft. Bend County for out-of-state registration was $172. I believe it's different per county.

We received the plates & temporary cert of TX registration today at the Tax Assessor's office.

Don't know where you are relocating to but the Tax Assessor's office in Richmond has a drive-thru window. We've used it twice now with about a 5 min wait. It is great!

[mosl1702]

Does anyone know what happens if you don't have your vehicle registered within 90 days?

[Sampaguita]

Originally Posted by mosl1702

Does anyone know what happens if you don't have your vehicle registered within 90 days?

Nothing...unless you get pulled over.

[Chh2]

Thanks for the info. I had much of the info Ronnie posted already as well, just particularly was inquiring about insurance since i couldn't find any statement till today on out of state coverage. It would appear insurance first. I do believe my policy limits satisfy the TX requirements, I do not carry bare bones insurance, but I'm not sure if they are licensed for TX. Found this nugget "...proof of liability insurance from out-of-state or out-of-country is acceptable if the insurance company is licensed to do business in Texas." I am currently with The Hartford, which is underwritten by Sentinel. I know they do business in TX, but it's likely, much like Nationwide they operate under a different underwriting company in another state. I'll have to check on that.

I did find a very handy pamphlet (ftp://ftp.dot.state.tx.us/pub/txdot-info/vtr/misc/vtr450forms.pdf (broken link))

My only concern now is with the inspection and window tint. FL is fairly lax, as long as your not pushing the limits. I have no receipt, no idea what %, tint was installed by dealer 'to match' the rear passenger windows, won't have any installation sticker. If I recall, factory rear window tint is 20%. I've been told that 20% will pass inspection, but will still get you ticketed if your stopped as its under the 25%. FL law is actually 28%, but I've never been stopped on any vehicle with tint that's a shade darker than legal over the last 10 years.

Curious how strict and if I should be inquiring about having it tested/removed/replaced before I arrive or not worry about it? FL it appears driving habits dictate enforcement, and we don't have vehicle inspections....at all anymore so matching is common, risk minimal.