Buying a Used Car in Hood County? Title It Within 30 Days

When you buy a car from a neighbor rather than a dealer, the paperwork is on you, and Texas gives you 30 days from the date of sale to get the title transferred into your name. In Hood County that happens at the Tax Assessor-Collector's office at 1410 W. Pearl St. in Granbury (817-579-3295), the same counter that handles registration renewals, address changes, replacement receipts, and temporary registration.

The state's own advice for a private sale is for the seller to go to the tax office with the buyer, so the signed-off title and application get filed right the first time and the seller isn't left attached to a vehicle they no longer own. Miss the 30-day window and you can rack up late transfer penalties on top of the normal fees.

Call ahead before you drive over. County tax offices run TxDMV transactions, but each one sets its own hours and accepted payment methods, and the Granbury office can be busy enough that a quick call about what to bring saves you a wasted trip.