Texans need to renew vehicle registration, apply for titles by April 14

Texans urged to get vehicle registrations, titles up-to-date

Travis County Tax Assessor-Collector Bruce Elfant has details and more on why waiting last minute will not save you money.

AUSTIN, Texas - Now that the state is no longer under a COVID-19 disaster declaration, Texans who postponed registering vehicles and getting titles processed will need to get them done by April 14, 2021.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott had issued on March 16, 2020, a pandemic disaster declaration that allowed Texans to drive with expired registration stickers and to not title a vehicle within the 30-days from purchase without receiving a ticket or paying financial penalties. That declaration ends on April 14, 2021.

Travis County Tax Assessor-Collector Bruce Elfant says county residents need to become compliant immediately and should make plans to renew.

DOWNLOAD THE FOX 7 AUSTIN NEWS APP

SIGN UP FOR FOX 7 AUSTIN EMAIL ALERTS

"It is not realistic to think if you procrastinate to the last week that we have enough people to service everyone before the deadline," Elfant said in a news release.

The tax office estimates more than 100,000 county residents need to update their registration renewal and/or apply for a title by the April 14 deadline.

"If you miss this deadline, law enforcement can cite you for expired registration and if you failed to apply for a title by April 14, state financial penalties automatically kick in that can cost you up to $250," Elfant notes. More information can be found here.

VEHICLE REGISTRATION

Vehicle owners whose registration stickers are not expired by more than nine months, should get their inspection and renew online at www.Texas.gov. The online renewal system generates a receipt to carry in the vehicle until the new registration sticker arrives. The receipt is good for a month and serves as proof of registration.

H-E-B, Fiesta Mart and AAA stores in Travis County also can renew vehicle registrations, but customers are required to bring the following:

Complete Texas Department of Motor Vehicle renewal notice
Signed, passing vehicle inspection document
Insurance card
Checkbook

Officials say the governor’s disaster declaration offered a grace period from being ticketed by law enforcement during the pandemic, he did not provide a waiver on sticker expiration dates. For instance, drivers with a September 2020 expiration date who renew this month will receive a new sticker that expires in September 2021.