Bought a Vehicle Without a Title?

In order to qualify, you must be:

• A Texas resident, or
• Military personnel stationed in Texas.

The vehicle must be in your possession and cannot be considered junked, nonrepairable, or otherwise ineligible for a title. Although not required to be operational, it must be a complete vehicle including a frame, body and motor or if a motorcycle, a frame and motor.

If you meet the above eligibility requirements you may take or mail the following documents and a $15.00 administrative fee (TxDMV accepts checks, and money orders as payment; cash is accepted if filing in person) to the TxDMV Regional Service Center that serves your county:

Documents

• Bonded Title Application (Form VTR-130-SOF)
• Any supporting evidence of ownership (Bill of Sale, Invoice, Cancelled Check, etc.)
• An original release(s) of lien or letter(s) of no interest if the vehicle has a lien of less than 10 years old
• Acceptable photo ID

Note: You are not eligible for a bonded title if you are unable to obtain a release of lien or letter of no interest from a recorded lienholder of 10 years or less. You may consult with a lawyer to obtain a court order awarding you ownership of the motor vehicle free and clear of any lien(s). The Texas Department of Motor Vehicles should not be named as a party to any lawsuit attempting to establish ownership of a vehicle free and clear of lien(s).

You may make same-day or next-day Regional Service Center appointments online.

Out of State Vehicles

If the vehicle has never been titled or registered in Texas, then a vehicle identification number inspection is required from an auto theft investigator on the Law Enforcement Identification Number Inspection (Form VTR-68-A). Authorized inspectors can be found by contacting a local law enforcement agency, an Motor Vehicle Crime Prevention Authority (MVCPA) grantee organization or by contacting a TxDMV Regional Service Center.These inspections are not offered by TxDMV. Upon completion of the inspection, the inspecting officer will provide you with a Form VTR-68-A.

Upon Approval

If your documents are approved, you will be issued a Notice of Determination for a Bonded Title or Tax Assessor-Collector Hearing (Form VTR-130-ND) stating the amount of the bond you must purchase. The amount is equal to 1 ½ times the value of the vehicle. The department will determine the value of the vehicle using:

• The Standard Presumptive Value (SPV) from our web site as the primary source
• If an SPV is not available, the National Auto Dealers Association (NADA) reference guide will be used, or
• If a value is not available either through SPV or NADA, a licensed motor vehicle dealer or insurance adjuster may appraise the vehicle on form Motor Vehicle Appraisal for Tax Collector Hearing / Bonded Title (Form VTR-125) provided by TxDMV. The appraisal must be dated and submitted to the department within 30 days of the appraisal.

Note: For appraisals under $4,000 on vehicles 25 years old or older, the value will be set at $4,000.

If a motor vehicle is 25 years old or older, the owner has the option to obtain an appraisal to determine the value of the vehicle rather than using a national reference guide if a value was determined.

If the motor vehicle is a trailer or semitrailer, the owner may use the department’s established value of the trailer or semitrailer based on the length of the trailer, in lieu of having to obtain an appraisal. The department’s established value is $4,000 if the trailer is under 20 feet in length or $7,000 if the trailer is 20 or more feet in length.