registering vehicle while a part time resident (insurance, transfer)

[4beanie]

We are buying a residence in Texas but are keeping our other state residence. We want to have a vehicle in Texas to use while we are there. Can we register a vehicle in Texas without having or getting a Texas drivers license?

[TT Dave]

You might check the link below to the Texas Dept. of Transportation website, the answer should be there somewhere on this page.

Register Your Vehicle

[jtur88]

Originally Posted by TT Dave

You might check the link below to the Texas Dept. of Transportation website, the answer should be there somewhere on this page.

Register Your Vehicle

Well, of course, it's not in there. It's not in the FAQs, either, because there is no such thing as a "winter Texan", so nobody has ever asked that question before. Updating the FAQ would take up too much valuable time that can be spent maximizing the amount of tax revenue the department can take in.

Keep in mind that there only one and exactly one reason why you have to have license plates iat all---to generate tax revenue for any state that can connive a way to claim you to be a resident. The primary purpose of the traffic patrol police is to enforce this tax assessment. (Licence and registration, please.) So Texas and any other state will do anything possible to force you to pay any and all taxes to themselves, which is the only reason they put plates on cars in the first place.

[JohnCarpenter]

I have never needed to show a drivers license when registering a car. Just current insurance and pay the tax. They even send you the forms in the mail, so you don't have to go in person.

_______________________________
Johnny Jackson
www.jljackson.com

[Spree]

If the car has out of state license plates, you'll have to get it inspected first and then take the green sheet they give you from inspection to the dmv to register the vehicle. You'll also need proof of insurance and also where the title is. If the title is at the bank, you'll need the address. If you have the title with you, you will have the option of transferring the title over to a TX one if you want. I don't remember there being an issue for me because I had an out of state license, but it's probably a good idea to call the dmv.

[jtur88]

Generally, most states recognize what they call a "third jurisdiction" law. If a car is plated in your name state A and you a have a drivers license from state B, you cannot drive the car in state C. If you are pulled over in state C, you will be ticketed. I have been ticketed in two different states (Maine and Missouri) for "third jurisdiction" violations. There is no problem if the licensed driver is not the same person as the registered owner. They don't care what is fair and reasonable, as long as they get that tax revenue, and the tax revenue is what the police are sent out to enforce. Public safety is the furthest thing from their minds. They will pull you over on the side of a freeway, forcing thousands of drivers to change lanes at freeway speeds, in order to enforce a $50 tax payment. Whether anybody gets killed is just collateral damage in the big tax revenue picture.