Texas Vehicle Title Transfer Forms: Form 130-U

The form, box by box

The applicant checks one application type: Title and Registration, Title Only, Registration Purposes Only, or Nontitle Registration, with a corrected-title reason where applicable. The vehicle section records the VIN, year, make, body style, model, colors, Texas license plate number, odometer reading with no tenths, the actual-mileage status, empty weight, and carrying capacity. The applicant section records the applicant type (individual, business, government, trust, or non-profit), the photo ID number or FEIN/EIN with the ID type from the Box 15 list, the applicant's name and mailing address, county of residence, previous owner name, dealer general distinguishing number where applicable, renewal-recipient details where different, phone and email, and the vehicle location address where different. The lien section records multiple liens (with form VTR-267 attached), the electronic title request, the certified or eTitle lienholder ID number, the first lien date, and the first lienholder's name and address. The tax section records any trade-in, the sales price, the trade-in deduction, the fair market value deduction for dealers, lessors, and rental permit holders, the taxable amount, the 6.25 percent tax, the late tax payment penalty (5 percent or 10 percent), tax paid to another state, and the amount of tax and penalty due, with the $28 or $33 application fee noted and the county office to be contacted for the correct fee.

The notices on page 2

Page 2 carries the rules that decide the transaction. The sales and use tax must be paid to the county tax assessor-collector within 30 days from the date of purchase or entry of the vehicle into Texas. The $2.50 transfer fee moves current registration to the new owner in addition to the title application fee; if registration is not current, full registration fees are due unless the application is Title Only. Standard Presumptive Value applies to private-party sales of most used motor vehicles: the tax is computed on the greater of the sales price or 80 percent of the SPV on the day of title application. New Texas residents pay a $90 use tax on a vehicle brought into Texas that was previously registered to the new resident in another state or foreign country, in lieu of the 6.25 percent use tax. A $10 gift tax applies when a person receives a vehicle as a gift from an immediate family member, guardian, or a decedent's estate, or when a qualifying non-profit donates or receives one; both donor and recipient must sign the Comptroller's joint affidavit, form 14-317, and the affidavit and title application must be submitted in person by either the donor or the recipient. A transfer without consideration that does not qualify as a gift is a sale, taxed on the Standard Presumptive Value. The late tax penalty is 5 percent if the tax is paid 1 to 30 calendar days late and 10 percent if more than 30 days late, minimum $1, plus the escalating delinquent transfer penalty of up to $250 for failure to apply for title within 30 days of title assignment. New residents must file within 30 days of establishing residency, with the VIN verified through an emissions inspection or self-certification on the form.

Title Only, Registration Purposes Only, and Nontitle Registration

Three application types are not the standard transfer, and the form defines each. For Title Only, license plates and registration insignia previously issued must be surrendered under Transportation Code section 501.0275 unless the vehicle displays a plate under a status of forces agreement; construction machinery, water well drilling units, implements of husbandry, farm equipment, golf carts, slow-moving vehicles, and vehicles with a suspended or revoked title are not eligible for Title Only. For Registration Purposes Only, do not surrender an original out-of-state title: no Texas title will be issued, and the receipt serves as the registration receipt and proof of application; foreign vehicles must attach the federal import forms showing the vehicle is over 25 years old, complies with federal safety standards, or is temporarily imported by a nonresident or foreign armed-forces member. For Nontitle Registration, certain trailers, farm equipment, construction and oil-well machinery, and water well drilling units are exempt from or ineligible for title but eligible for registration or a specialty plate, and no lien can be recorded on that application type. The seller's signature block, the applicant's signature block, and the additional applicants' blocks close the form, with the certification that all statements are true and correct and the applicant is eligible for title and registration.

Source

Form fields, fees, tax computation, gift and new-resident rules, application types, and penalties from Form 130-U (Rev 01/25), opened in full 2026-10-30. Filing office and signature rules from the form's General Instructions. Vehicle Transfer Notification rule from the TxDMV Buying or Selling a Vehicle guidance as carried in the Texas transfer guide and the HB 718 press release. 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.