Texas Car Title Question (San Antonio, Anton: insurance, buy, DMV) - (TX) - City-Data Forum

ktulu7 · 07-19-2011, 11:35 AM

Howdy, city-data folks! I moved to San Antonio a while back from Louisiana, and am finally registering my car in Texas. I know what the procedure is for registration, but I have one small question... Does it do me any good to switch my title over to a Texas title, or should I just keep my Louisiana title and register my car in Texas? I plan on living here at least for the next couple years, I'd imagine. The first thought I have on this is that it may make selling the car simpler in this state if I have a Texas title. What do y'all think I'd be better off doing?

Thanks in advance!

jtur88 · 07-19-2011, 11:46 AM

Can't do it. You have to re-title your car in your new state of residence in order to put the new state's plates on it. A few rare exceptions, like Nevada allows for a non-title registration, but generally, always assume the title and the plates have to be from the same state.

When you apply for plates, you turn in your Louisiana title, and you'll be issued a certificate of title application, and then wait 3 or 4 weeks for your new Texas title to be mailed to you.

If you move back to Louisiana, just do the same process in reverse, and get re-titled in LA. Save a copy of your LA title, or at least the title number, which might slightly speed up the title search when you move back to LA.

ktulu7 · 07-19-2011, 11:53 AM

Thanks a lot for the info! Do you know if I need to wait 'till the Texas plates are slapped onto my car before I can go get a Texas driver's license, or can I go straight from the Tax Office to the DMV?

The annoying part of this actually is that I have to send my cool, specialized plate back to Louisiana in order to un-register it there...

Backintheville2 · 07-19-2011, 10:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ktulu7

Thanks a lot for the info! Do you know if I need to wait 'till the Texas plates are slapped onto my car before I can go get a Texas driver's license, or can I go straight from the Tax Office to the DMV?

The annoying part of this actually is that I have to send my cool, specialized plate back to Louisiana in order to un-register it there...

You can get the Texas plates first and then your TX Driver's license...that isn't a problem. You have 90 days (from the date you move here) to get a TX driver's license. You will also need to have the car inspected, which I would suggest doing that when you leave the Tax Office with your new plates. Keep in mind you will have to show proof of current insurance, but I'm fairly certain you know that. Good luck and welcome to Texas!

Correction: You need to get the car inspected FIRST, before going for the title and license.

ktulu7 · 07-20-2011, 08:16 AM

Gracias, mi amigo! I've got my new Texas proof of insurance ready to go, and will go get 'er inspected at lunchtime. First step in my transition from Louisianian to Texan!

jtur88 · 07-20-2011, 09:07 AM

Drivers license and license plate are two completely different things, and neither is dependent on the other. They are handled by different agencies, and one doesn't care if you've dealt with the other or not.

But it makes sense to get the DL first, because people will keep asking you for some kind of ID in order to do anything, like open bank account or library card. There are so many snowbirds here, that you could get away with driving a car with out of state plates for years.

Backintheville2 · 07-20-2011, 12:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jtur88

Drivers license and license plate are two completely different things, and neither is dependent on the other. They are handled by different agencies, and one doesn't care if you've dealt with the other or not.

But it makes sense to get the DL first, because people will keep asking you for some kind of ID in order to do anything, like open bank account or library card. There are so many snowbirds here, that you could get away with driving a car with out of state plates for years.

The only thing about what you say is that IF you get stopped by Police/DPS officer and you have a Texas DL, they are going to question you on how long you've been in Texas and you COULD get ticketed for not having TX plates. Maybe they would buy the story that you've only been here a short time and just got the Texas DL...but they prob won't totally buy that. It takes at least a month for a Texas DL to arrive in the mail. By then, you should have switched plates or be about to do so.

jtur88 · 07-20-2011, 03:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Backintheville2

The only thing about what you say is that IF you get stopped by Police/DPS officer and you have a Texas DL, they are going to question you on how long you've been in Texas and you COULD get ticketed for not having TX plates. Maybe they would buy the story that you've only been here a short time and just got the Texas DL...but they prob won't totally buy that. It takes at least a month for a Texas DL to arrive in the mail. By then, you should have switched plates or be about to do so.

I didn't mean to say that one SHOULD drive forever on out-of-state plates. I said that one can get by with the plates, but a DL is a practical thing to change quickly, because local ID is required often for more than just driving. Obviously, if the DL has an issue date in the past month or so, there is no problem with the plates not being changed yet. Although there is no accounting for a dickcop.

By the way, it's easy to drive for years without the police ever stopping you and looking at your license. I bet I haven't shown my DL to the police more than maybe twice in the past 20 years.