Topic · Page 2
Cars & Driving
Local Notes
Cars & Driving notes
Fort Bend County · Parking Placard
Fort Bend Disabled Parking Placards Go Through the Tax Office
TxDMV lists disabled placards as a county tax office service, with Form VTR-214 used for placard and plate applications.
Fort Bend County · Registration Renewal
Fort Bend Lists Neighborhood Spots for Registration Renewal
Fort Bend County posts tax office and neighborhood registration-renewal options, while TxDMV explains the statewide renewal rules.
Fort Bend County · New Resident
New Fort Bend Residents Need Texas Vehicle Registration
TxDMV gives new Texas residents 30 days to register a vehicle, and Fort Bend is an emissions-inspection county.
Fort Bend County · Title Transfer
Use the Fort Bend Tax Office for Vehicle Title Transfers
Fort Bend County tax offices handle title-transfer work, and TxDMV explains the statewide buyer and seller steps.
Fort Bend County · Vehicle Registration
Vehicle registration in Fort Bend County uses Two Steps, One Sticker
Fort Bend County is in the Houston area emissions testing zone, so vehicles must pass an emissions test before registration renewal.
Galveston County · Vehicle Registration
Many Galveston County Cars Need an Emissions Check
As of January 2025, non-commercial vehicles in Texas no longer need a safety inspection. Galveston County still requires an emissions test because it is in the Houston metro emissions area.
Galveston County · Parking
Seawall Parking in Galveston Is Pay-by-Plate, Every Day
Pull up to the Galveston Seawall any day of the week and you're paying to park by your license plate. There's no meter and no ticket on the dash.
Galveston County · Ferry / Transportation
The Bolivar Ferry Connects Galveston to the Bolivar Peninsula for Free
The free state ferry makes a short piece of Highway 87 feel like a boat trip across the mouth of Galveston Bay.
Galveston County · Title Transfer
Title a Used Car in Your Name Within 30 Days in Galveston County
Buy a used car from a private seller and the clock starts the day you sign. You have 30 days to put the title in your name.
Galveston County · Registration
You Can Renew Your Car Tags at the Grocery Store in Galveston County
A plain registration renewal doesn't have to mean a trip to the tax office. A handful of Kroger and Randall's courtesy booths in the county will do it while you shop.
Grayson County · Vehicle Title
Buy a Used Car in a Private Sale? Title It Within 30 Days
A private vehicle sale isn't finished when the cash changes hands. The buyer has 30 days from the date of sale to put the title in their own name.
Grayson County · New Residents
Just Moved to Grayson County? Two Clocks Start Ticking
New Texas residents get 30 days to register a vehicle and 90 days to swap to a Texas driver license, and those two errands run through two different agencies.
Grayson County · Vehicle Registration
Many Grayson County renewals dropped the safety-inspection step
Noncommercial Grayson County vehicles no longer need a safety inspection before registration, and Grayson is outside the emissions-test county list.
Grayson County · Parking Placards
Where to Get a Disabled Parking Placard in Grayson County
Disabled parking placards and plates are a state program, but you file the paperwork right here at the Grayson County Tax Office in Sherman.
Gregg County · Vehicle Registration
No emissions test required to register your car in Gregg County
Gregg County is not one of Texas's emissions-testing counties, and as of January 1, 2025, Texas no longer requires a safety inspection for non-commercial vehicles either, so most Gregg County drivers need no inspection at all to register.
Gregg County · Boat Registration
Register your boat at the Gregg County tax office
Gregg County residents can register boats and personal watercraft at the county Tax Assessor-Collector office in Longview.
Guadalupe County · Road Safety
A Barricade at a Guadalupe County Crossing Means Turn Around
Floodwater at a Guadalupe County crossing can hide a washed-out roadbed; six inches of fast-moving water can make a driver lose control.
Guadalupe County · Travel
There Is a TxDOT Safety Rest Area in Guadalupe County
TxDOT operates a safety rest area in Guadalupe County on I-10 for travelers driving between San Antonio and Houston.
Guadalupe County · Major Roads
Two Major Interstates Cross the County
I-10 and I-35 both run through Guadalupe County, making it a crossroads between San Antonio, Austin, and Houston.
Guadalupe County · Vehicle Registration
Vehicle Registration: No Safety Inspection Needed Anymore
As of January 1, 2025, non-commercial vehicles in Guadalupe County no longer need an annual safety inspection. You just renew your registration, and a $7.50 fee replaces the old inspection.
Hardin County · Hurricane Evacuation
Know your hurricane evacuation route before storm season in Hardin County
Hardin County is inland, but TxDOT treats US 69 as a hurricane evacuation route. Save the Beaumont-area map before storm season.
Harris County · Road Conditions
Check Road Conditions in Harris County at DriveTexas.org
DriveTexas is TxDOT's live statewide map for closures, construction, weather trouble, and available camera views on state roads.
Harris County · Evacuation / Contraflow
Contraflow Is a Special Hurricane Route, Not the Daily Plan
TxDOT may reverse selected lanes or open an emergency shoulder during a coastal evacuation, but drivers should use only the route officials activate.
Harris County · Toll Roads
Harris County Has Its Own Toll Road System
The Harris County Toll Road Authority (HCTRA) operates a large network of toll roads around Houston, including the Sam Houston Tollway (Beltway 8).
Harris County · Hurricane Evacuation
Harris County Has Official Hurricane Evacuation Zones
Coastal Harris County uses ZIP-based evacuation zones so officials can move the areas most exposed to storm surge before inland traffic fills the roads.
Harris County · Vehicle Emissions / Registration
Harris County Requires an Emissions Test Before You Can Register Your Car
Because of air quality rules, Harris County vehicles must pass an annual emissions test before the owner can renew vehicle registration.
Harris County · Vehicle Registration
How Vehicle Registration Works in Harris County
Texas uses a combined inspection-and-registration system called Two Steps, One Sticker, and Harris County adds an emissions test requirement.
Harris County · New Resident / Vehicle Registration
New Texas Residents Must Register Their Vehicle Within 30 Days
If you move to Harris County from another state, Texas law requires you to register your vehicle within 30 days and get a Texas driver license within 90 days.
Harris County · Air Quality / Vehicle Inspection
Your Car Must Pass an Emissions Check in Harris County Each Year
Harris County is part of the Houston-Galveston-Brazoria emissions program, so most gasoline cars must pass an enhanced emissions inspection every year.
Harrison County · Disabled Parking
Getting a Disabled Parking Placard in Harrison County
A disabled parking placard in Harrison County starts with Form VTR-214 and your doctor's signature, and is issued over the counter at the tax office in Marshall.
Harrison County · Title Transfer
Transferring a Vehicle Title in Harrison County
Buy a car from a private seller in Harrison County and you've got 30 days to put the title in your name at the tax office, plus a hard 4:30 cutoff for title work each day.
Hays County · Placards
A disabled parking placard in Hays County starts with Form VTR-214
If you or someone you care for needs a disabled parking placard, the county tax office in San Marcos can issue it, but the form has to come back with a doctor's signature.
Hays County · Title Transfer
Bought a car off a neighbor? You have 30 days to title it in Hays County
A private-party car sale isn't done when cash changes hands. Texas gives the buyer 30 days to put the title in their name at the county tax office, and the clock and the penalties are real.
Hays County · Vehicle Registration
Hays County residents can register vehicles at H-E-B locations and online
You can renew your vehicle registration at several locations across Hays County, including H-E-B grocery stores, without going to the main tax office.
Hays County · Flood Awareness Tool
Hays County's flood maps answer different questions
A live creek map helps with today's drive. FEMA and county maps help with a land check. Each has limits.
Hays County · Road Safety
Learn the dry-weather detour before the creek rises
A familiar Hill Country dip can become an impassable crossing after rain upstream, so the useful plan is a higher route chosen ahead of time.
Henderson County · Parking placards
A Parking Placard Needs the Right Medical Certification
Form VTR-214 needs either a notarized provider certification or a qualifying original prescription before it goes to the county tax office.
Henderson County · Vehicle titles
A private-sale title transfer has a 30-day clock
The buyer should apply for title within 30 days and separate the title requirements from registration and insurance requirements.
Henderson County · Vehicle Registration
Most Henderson County cars renew without an inspection
Noncommercial vehicles generally need no safety or emissions inspection here, while commercial vehicles follow a different rule.
Hidalgo County · Registration Renewal
Hidalgo County Registration Renewals Go Through the Tax Office
Hidalgo County tax offices handle registration renewals, while TxDMV explains online renewal timing and inspection rules.
Hidalgo County · Evacuation
Know Your Hurricane Evacuation Route Before a Storm
Hidalgo County sits inland from the Gulf Coast but must evacuate across limited roads when a major hurricane threatens the Valley.
Hidalgo County · Registration Hold
Old Fines Can Block a Hidalgo County Registration Renewal
Hidalgo County's Scofflaw Program can deny motor-vehicle registration or renewal until certain past-due fines and fees are paid.
Hidalgo County · Roads
SH 68 Is Planned to Help Move Traffic in Eastern Hidalgo County
State Highway 68 in eastern Hidalgo County is a four-lane divided highway project designed to improve traffic flow and emergency evacuation capacity.
Hill County · Vehicle Registration
Registering your car in Hill County: what changed in 2025
As of January 1, 2025, non-commercial vehicles in Hill County no longer need a safety inspection before registration, though commercial vehicles still do.
Hood County · Disabled Parking
A blue placard renewal may not need another medical signature
New placards use Form VTR-214 and medical proof; a permanent blue placard follows a four-year renewal process.
Hood County · Vehicle Registration
Most Hood County cars now renew without an inspection
Most non-commercial vehicles in Hood County no longer need safety or emissions testing before registration renewal.
Hood County · Title Transfer
Private Car Sales in Hood County Come With a 30-Day Title Clock
After a private vehicle sale, the buyer has 30 days to title the vehicle through the Hood County tax office.
Howard County · Roads and Access
County Roads in Unincorporated Howard County Are Maintained by the County
If you live outside Big Spring city limits in Howard County, your road may be a county road, maintained by the county rather than the city.
Howard County · Vehicle Registration
Register Your Vehicle Through the Howard County Tax Office
Vehicle registration and title transfers in Howard County are handled by the county Tax Assessor-Collector, which also serves as the local TxDMV office.
Hudspeth County · Vehicle Registration
No emissions test required for vehicle registration here
Hudspeth County is not on the state list of counties that require an emissions test. Since January 2025, most Texas vehicles no longer need a safety inspection to register either.
Hunt County · Roads
Farm-to-Market roads cover most of rural Hunt County
Most rural roads in Hunt County are Farm-to-Market (FM) roads maintained by TxDOT, not county roads.
Hunt County · Vehicle Registration
Many Hunt County car renewals are simpler now
Most Hunt County cars and light trucks no longer need a safety inspection before renewal. The tax office still handles in-person renewal.
Hutchinson County · Vehicle Registration
Registering Your Car in Hutchinson County
Texas uses a combined inspection and registration system — you get your car inspected first, then renew your registration, all with one sticker.
Jefferson County · Vehicle Registration
Jefferson County Does Not Require Emissions Testing
Jefferson County is not an emissions-testing county. Registering your vehicle here does not require an emissions inspection.
Jefferson County · Title Transfer
Jefferson County Title Transfers Need Form 130-U and a Signed Title
To transfer a vehicle title at the Jefferson County Tax Office, bring Form 130-U signed by buyer and seller, the signed title, buyer's liability insurance, and ID, all within 30 days of the sale.
Jefferson County · Hurricane Preparedness
Know Your Evacuation Routes Before a Storm
Jefferson County sits in a hurricane zone, and TxDOT has designated specific highways as evacuation routes. Knowing them before a storm can save critical time.
Johnson County · Disabled Parking
A Disabled Parking Placard Comes From the Cleburne Tax Office
Disabled parking placards in Johnson County run through the tax office on Mill Street in Cleburne, using Form VTR-214 with a doctor's signature.
Johnson County · Title Transfer
Get a Used Car's Title in Your Name Within 30 Days
Buy a used car from a private seller in Johnson County and you have 30 days to put the title in your name at the tax office on Mill Street in Cleburne.
Johnson County · Vehicle Registration
Register Your Car at the Johnson County Tax Office
The Johnson County Tax Office handles vehicle titles and registration — the same office where you pay property taxes.
Johnson County · Emissions Test
Skip the Safety Sticker, But Johnson County Still Needs an Emissions Test
Texas dropped the annual safety inspection for everyday cars in 2025, but Johnson County is one of 17 counties where your vehicle still has to pass an emissions test before you can register it.