How do I transfer a motorcycle title in Texas?

File Form 130-U, signed by buyer and seller, at the county tax assessor-collector's office in the buyer's county of residence, within 30 days of purchase (60 days for active-duty military), with the assigned title, ID, and payment.

How much does a motorcycle title transfer cost in Texas?

$28, or $33 in a Clean Air Act nonattainment or affected county, plus 6.25% motor vehicle sales tax on the greater of the sales price minus trade-in or 80% of the Standard Presumptive Value.

Does a motorcycle need an inspection for a Texas title transfer?

Texas eliminated the state safety inspection for noncommercial vehicles on January 1, 2025. Emissions testing still applies before registration in 17 counties, and every registration carries a $7.50 Inspection Program Replacement Fee. Whether an emissions test applies to a motorcycle in a given county is confirmed with the county tax office.

Motorcycle Title Transfer in Texas

The motorcycle transfer in one table

Step	Texas motorcycle rule
Where to file	The county tax assessor-collector's office in the buyer's county of residence — Texas titles are filed with the county, not a state DMV office
Application form	Form 130-U, Application for Texas Title and/or Registration, signed by buyer and seller
Title fee	$28 — or $33 if the buyer's county is a Clean Air Act nonattainment or affected county
Deadline and late penalty	Within 30 calendar days of purchase (60 days for active-duty military). The motor vehicle tax penalty is 5% if 1–30 days late and 10% beyond that; a separate title late penalty adds $25, plus $25 per additional 30 days, capped at $250
Sales and use tax	6.25% on whichever is greater: the sales price minus any trade-in, or 80% of the vehicle's Standard Presumptive Value (SPV). A certified appraisal on Form 14-128 within 30 days can replace the SPV figure
Inspection	No state safety inspection for noncommercial vehicles since January 1, 2025. Emissions testing still required before registration in 17 counties; $7.50 Inspection Program Replacement Fee on every registration

What is motorcycle-specific, and what is not

Almost nothing in the transfer itself is motorcycle-specific: the form, the office, the deadline, the fee, and the tax rule are the car rules, applied to a motorcycle. The differences sit at the edges. The assigned title must show the odometer reading, the names spelled exactly as on ID, and no blank fields — a title with errors or a missing signature is the most common reason transfers bounce, for motorcycles as for cars. Any lienholder printed on the title must release the lien before clean ownership transfers. And the SPV trap applies with the same force to a cheap motorcycle as to a cheap car: pay far below the guidebook value and the state taxes 80% of the presumptive value, not the price paid, unless a certified appraisal on Form 14-128 inside the same 30-day window replaces it.

The inspection position needs care. The safety inspection is gone for noncommercial vehicles. Emissions testing continues in 17 counties (including Harris, Dallas, Tarrant, Travis, and El Paso) before registration. Whether an emissions test applies to a motorcycle in a particular county is not stated on the pages opened for this guide — confirm it with the county tax office before filing, rather than assuming a motorcycle is exempt or covered.

The transfer, step by step

Get the signed title from the seller. Names exactly as on ID, odometer reading recorded, no blank fields, lien release where a lienholder is printed on the title.
Complete Form 130-U. Bring the assigned title, your ID, and payment.
File at the county tax assessor-collector's office in the buyer's county of residence. Filing at the wrong level of government is the most common wasted trip.
Pay the fee and the tax. $28 or $33, plus the 6.25% tax on the SPV rule above.
Mind the 30-day deadline. The penalties in the table run from day 31, and the appraisal escape hatch closes with the same window.
Handle emissions if your county triggers it. Confirm the motorcycle position with the county tax office, and budget the $7.50 replacement fee on the registration.

If the motorcycle has no title

A motorcycle bought without a title does not go through this transfer at all — it goes through the bonded-title procedure, which requires Texas residency or military stationing in Texas, possession of a complete vehicle (frame and motor for a motorcycle), a surety bond at one and a half times the vehicle value, and Form VTR-130-SOF with a $15 fee at the Regional Service Center. See Bonded Title for a Vehicle With No Title. Do not confuse the two procedures: a transfer needs a title to sign over.

For title transfers in other states, see the Car Title Transfer by State directory. For the cost estimator, see the Car Title Transfer Cost Estimator.

Source

Sources: Texas title-transfer rules (Form 130-U, $28/$33 fee, 30-day deadline, penalties, 6.25% tax and SPV rule, inspection change, 17-county emissions rule, $7.50 fee) as stated in the on-site Texas title guide, verified 2026-10-23 against the Texas Comptroller motor vehicle sales and use tax page; bonded-title motorcycle completeness rule as stated in the on-site bonded-title guide, verified 2026-10-31. Facts verified 2026-11-01 (registry-current). Open flags: whether an emissions test applies to a motorcycle in a given emissions county is not stated on the pages opened and is flagged for confirmation with the county tax office; no motorcycle-specific fee, form, or deadline distinct from the car procedure was found, and none is asserted.

This page explains how the process works and what the official rules say. It is general information, not legal advice. For a dispute about your specific situation, talk to your state motor vehicle agency or court.