Titling a Car You Bought in Nacogdoches County

When you buy a used car in Nacogdoches County, the title work happens at the tax assessor-collector's office at 101 W. Main St., Suite 100, downtown a block off the courthouse square. Kim Morton runs the office; the phone is 936-560-7767. You bring the signed-over title, proof of insurance, and the application, and you have 30 days from the date of sale to get the vehicle titled in your name. Drag your feet past that window and you can owe a late title transfer penalty on top of the usual fees.

The piece people forget is on the seller's side. Until the buyer actually retitles the car, the state's record still points at the old owner, which is how someone ends up with toll bills and parking tickets for a car they sold months ago. If you're the one selling, file a Vehicle Transfer Notification with TxDMV within 30 days and that liability stops being yours; it's a free online form.

Call ahead before you drive in. Like a lot of smaller East Texas counties, Nacogdoches asks you to check office hours and availability first, and some registration tasks can be handled online or at a participating retailer instead of in line at the courthouse.