Topic · Page 3
Cars & Driving
Local Notes
Cars & Driving notes
Jefferson County · Vehicle Registration
Jefferson County Is Outside the Emissions Program
An ordinary vehicle registered in Jefferson County does not need an emissions inspection under the current Texas program.
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
Johnson County handles vehicle titles and registration at the county tax office, while emissions testing still applies to many gasoline vehicles registered here.
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.
Kaufman County · Road Flooding
Floodwater can hide a missing piece of Kaufman County road
A road that looks merely wet may hide current, debris, or washed-out pavement, so the useful choice is another route.
Kendall County · Vehicle Registration
Kendall County vehicles skip emissions testing at registration
Kendall County is not one of the 17 Texas counties that require an emissions test. Registering your car here involves fewer steps.
Kerr County · Disabled Parking
Getting a Disabled Parking Placard in Kerr County
A Texas disabled parking placard is issued through your local county tax office. In Kerr County, that's the same Main Street counter that handles vehicle registration.
Kerr County · Vehicle Registration
Kerr County vehicles do not require an emissions test
Kerr County is not an emissions-testing county, so registering your car does not require a smog check.
Kerr County · Title Transfer
Transferring a Vehicle Title in Kerr County
When you buy a vehicle from a private seller in Kerr County, the title transfer happens at the county tax office, and going in together with the seller heads off most problems.
Kimble County · Flood Safety
Flash Floods and Low-Water Crossings Are Serious Hazards Here
The Hill Country terrain funnels heavy rain into rivers fast, and low-water crossings on rural roads can go from dry to dangerous in minutes.
Kleberg County · Vehicle registration
Kleberg vehicle registration belongs at the county tax office
The Kleberg County Tax Office handles local title and registration work, and Kleberg sits outside the state's emissions-testing counties.
Lampasas County · Vehicle registration
Lampasas County Tags Do Not Need an Emissions Test
A noncommercial vehicle registered in Lampasas needs neither a safety nor emissions test, while the county tax office handles the local title-and-tag counter.
Lavaca County · Vehicle Registration
Lavaca registration skips inspection for noncommercial vehicles
A noncommercial vehicle registered in Lavaca County needs neither a safety inspection nor an emissions test, but commercial vehicles are different.
Liberty County · Vehicle Registration
Liberty County drivers do not need an emissions test to register their vehicle
Liberty County does not require an emissions test. As of January 1, 2025, most vehicles also no longer need a safety inspection before renewing registration.
Loving County · Roads & Services
Loving County Is Extremely Remote — Plan Accordingly
Loving County has almost no services. The only town is tiny Mentone, so anyone traveling through or moving here needs to plan for fuel, supplies, and emergencies well in advance.
Lubbock County · Placards
Get a Disabled Parking Placard Through the County Tax Office
Disabled parking placards are issued through the Lubbock County Tax Assessor-Collector, with permanent placards good for four years and temporary ones for six months.
Lubbock County · Vehicle Registration
New Residents Skip the Safety Inspection — Just Register at the County Tax Office
Move to Texas with an out-of-state car? As of January 2025, non-commercial vehicles no longer need a safety inspection. You register directly at the county tax office and pay a small replacement fee.
Lubbock County · Driver License
Renew a Driver License at the Lubbock County Tax Office
The main Lubbock County tax office offers limited TxDPS services, so you may be able to renew or replace a driver license or ID there instead of the DPS office.
Lubbock County · Title Transfer
Transfer a Vehicle Title at the Lubbock County Tax Office
Buy or sell a vehicle in Lubbock County and the title work runs through the county tax office, and TxDMV gives you 30 days to retitle it.
Matagorda County · Vehicle Registration
Register your vehicle at the county tax office in Bay City
The Matagorda County Tax Assessor-Collector handles vehicle registration and title transfers at their Bay City office.
Maverick County · Disabled Parking
Disabled Parking Placards Use the Tax Office
TxDMV lists disabled parking placards as a Maverick County Tax Office service.
Maverick County · Vehicle Registration
Maverick County Registration Does Not Need Emissions Testing
TxDMV says non-commercial vehicles no longer need safety inspections before registration, and Maverick County is not an emissions county.
McLennan County · Placards
A Disabled Parking Placard Needs Medical Sign-Off — Even on a Renewal
The form for a disabled parking placard in McLennan County is the VTR-214, and even a routine renewal needs a doctor's medical certification before the county will issue it.
McLennan County · Title Transfer
Buying a Used Car in McLennan County? The Title Goes Through the Auto Department
When a car changes hands in McLennan County, the new owner has the title put in their name at the county auto department in Waco, and the form everyone needs is the 130-U.
McLennan County · New Resident
Just Moved to Waco? The Clock on Registering Your Car Is 30 Days
A car you drove into McLennan County from out of state has to be titled and registered in Texas within 30 days of the move, a window that's easy to blow past while you're unpacking.
McLennan County · Vehicle Registration
Most McLennan County Vehicles Skip the Inspection Step
Since January 1, 2025, most non-commercial vehicles registered in McLennan County have skipped state safety and emissions inspections, though commercial vehicles remain an exception.
McLennan County · Office Visit
You Don't Have to Drive Into Waco for Car Tags: McGregor and West Do It Too
Beyond the downtown Waco counter, McLennan County runs full-service auto substations in McGregor and West that can do everything the main office does.
Medina County · Title Transfer
Bought a Car From a Neighbor? The Title Transfer Goes Inside in Hondo
Medina County title transfers are handled through the tax office, not the Hondo drive-thru lane.
Medina County · Disabled Parking
Disabled Parking Placards Come From the Medina County Tax Office
You apply for a disabled parking placard at the county tax office on Form VTR-214, with the disability section signed by your doctor.
Medina County · Flood Safety
Flash Floods and Low-Water Crossings Are a Real Hazard in Medina County
Medina County sits in flash flood territory, and low-water crossings on rural roads can rise quickly with little warning.
Medina County · Vehicle Registration
No Inspection Sticker Needed to Register Your Car in Medina County
Most personal vehicles in Medina County no longer need a Texas safety inspection before registration.
Midland County · Vehicle Registration
Register your vehicle through the Midland County Tax Office
Vehicle registration in Midland County goes through the county tax assessor-collector's office, which also handles most title transfers.
Midland County · Title Transfer
Transfer a Vehicle Title Through the Midland County Tax Office
A private vehicle sale in Midland isn't finished when the buyer drives off. The title moves at the county tax office on N. A Street, and it hinges on a signed title and one form.
Montgomery County · New Resident
New Montgomery County Residents: Register Within 30 Days
TxDMV gives new Texas residents 30 days to register, and in Montgomery County that first registration happens at a county office, not a neighborhood booth.
Montgomery County · Roads
SH 99 Grand Parkway Runs Through the County
State Highway 99, the Grand Parkway, passes through Montgomery County and serves as both a major commuter route and a hurricane evacuation corridor.
Montgomery County · Registration Renewal
Some Montgomery County Renewals Work at Neighborhood Locations
Montgomery County lets some routine registration renewals happen at neighborhood businesses, but title work and new-resident registrations still go through county offices.
Nacogdoches County · Disabled parking
Getting a Disabled Parking Placard in Nacogdoches County
A disabled parking placard runs through the county tax office downtown, and the color tells you how long it lasts: red for temporary, blue for permanent.
Nacogdoches County · New resident
Registering an Out-of-State Car After Moving to Nacogdoches County
New to the county with out-of-state plates? You get 30 days to switch to Texas registration at the tax office on West Main, and out here the old safety inspection is no longer part of the deal.
Nacogdoches County · Title transfer
Titling a Car You Bought in Nacogdoches County
Buy a used car here and you have 30 days to put the title in your name at the county tax office on West Main Street, and the seller has a reason to file paperwork of their own.
Navarro County · Vehicle Registration
Navarro County Registration Does Not Need Emissions Testing
TxDMV says most non-commercial vehicles no longer need a safety inspection before registration, and Navarro County is not listed as an emissions county.
Nueces County · Hurricane Evacuation
I-37 Has a Hurricane Evacuation Lane Out of Corpus Christi
I-37 is a major northbound evacuation route with an emergency shoulder lane, but drivers may need another route based on the storm and destination.
Nueces County · Island Access
Port Aransas is in Nueces County and reached by ferry or causeway
Port Aransas sits on Mustang Island in Nueces County and is accessible by a free state-operated ferry from Aransas Pass or by crossing the JFK Causeway from Corpus Christi and driving north on SH 361.
Nueces County · Vehicle Registration
Vehicles registered in Nueces County use the Two Steps, One Sticker program
As of January 1, 2025, non-commercial vehicles in Texas no longer require a safety inspection before registration. In Nueces County, which is outside the emissions-testing counties, you simply register and receive one windshield sticker.
Orange County · Vehicle titles
Buy a Car Private-Party in Orange County? Title It Within 30 Days
The Orange County Tax Office transfers titles as TxDMV's local agent, and a private-sale buyer who waits past 30 days starts racking up penalties.
Orange County · Hurricane Evacuation
I-10 Is the Main Hurricane Evacuation Route Out of Orange County
When a hurricane threatens, I-10 westbound is the main official evacuation route for Orange County residents heading inland.
Orange County · Registration renewal
Renew Your Orange County Plates Online Within the Window
If your Orange County registration is within 90 days of expiring, you can renew it online and have the sticker mailed instead of standing in line.
Parker County · Vehicle Registration
Parker County requires an emissions test before registration
Many Parker County gas vehicles need an emissions test before annual registration renewal.
Parker County · Vehicle Registration
Register your vehicle through the Parker County Tax Office
Once your vehicle passes its emissions test, you register and pay fees at the Parker County Tax Assessor-Collector office.
Polk County · Evacuation Routes
Polk County shares US 59 with hurricane evacuation traffic
TxDOT maps US 59 through Polk County as a hurricane evacuation and contraflow corridor; DriveTexas carries the live road picture.
Polk County · Vehicle Registration
Renew a Polk County tag online; take title work to the tax office
Online renewal handles many routine tags, while the Livingston tax office provides most local title and registration services.
Polk County · Title Transfer
Selling a Car Privately in Polk County: Two Things to Do, Not One
When you sell a car to a neighbor, the buyer has 30 days to retitle it at the Polk County Tax Office, and you should file a Vehicle Transfer Notification yourself so the car stops being your problem.
Potter County · Parking placards
Getting a Disabled Parking Placard in Potter County
A disabled parking placard is a county tax-office errand in Potter County: one form, a doctor's signature, and a trip to the Santa Fe Building window.
Potter County · New resident
Just Moved to Amarillo? Get Your Car on Texas Plates
New Texas residents in Potter County have 30 days to register a vehicle here, and Potter is not one of the Texas emissions-inspection counties.
Potter County · Vehicle Registration
Potter County Is Outside the Emissions Program
An ordinary vehicle registered in Potter County does not need an emissions test before registration.
Potter County · Title transfer
Transferring a Used-Car Title in Potter County
A private used-car purchase in Potter County goes through the county tax office, and the buyer has 30 days from the sale date to transfer title.
Presidio County · Roads
Getting Around Presidio County: US 67 and Remote Roads
US 67 is the main highway through Presidio County, and many back roads flood or wash out during storms.
Randall County · Vehicle Registration
The Best and Worst Times to Hit the Randall County Tax Office
The Randall County tax office is busiest the last day of January and at month-ends; skip those, or renew your registration online or by mail and never stand in line at all.