Out-of-State
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You can renew your registration by “self-certifying” as the vehicle owner, that you are entitled to renew your Texas registration, but you and your vehicle are currently out-of-state and you are unable to complete the required Texas vehicle emission inspection (if required by the county your vehicle is registered in). Vehicle emissions inspections are required in the following counties: Bexar, Brazoria, Collin, Dallas, Denton, El Paso, Ellis, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Johnson, Kaufman, Montgomery, Parker, Rockwall, Tarrant, Travis, Williamson.
You can renew your registration and waive the Texas vehicle inspection requirement either online or by mail.
- Online: by self-certifying you are out-of-state
- By mail: submit the following to a county tax office in Texas if you are not eligible to renew online:
- Renewal notice, vehicle identification number, or plate number
- Copy of owner's current driver license or government-issued photo identification
- Copy of proof of current vehicle insurance
- A written statement indicating the vehicle is out-of-state
- Fees: Contact your local county tax office for exact fee amounts and payment methods
To ensure you do not receive a ticket or have to pay penalty fees for lack of a required emissions inspection, you will need to have your vehicle inspected within 3 days after returning to Texas. Also, we recommend you keep the inspection report in your vehicle to prove you have completed it if you are stopped by law enforcement.
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We are sorry to hear that you left Texas but hope that you are settling into your new home. Your Texas license plates are yours to keep. Consider them a souvenir from our great state and something to remember us by. Should you choose to recycle your old Texas plates, cut them into pieces and place them in the recycle bin. This will prevent fraudulent use of the plates..