Sell your car in Texas, the easy way.
Texas makes selling simpler than most states — no notary, cheap duplicate titles, and one free online form that protects you from tickets after the car is gone. Here's everything that matters, plus instant offers with free pickup anywhere from El Paso to Beaumont.
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Pick your metro
Not near one of these? Pickup covers the whole state — small towns and county roads included.
What Texas requires when you sell
| Notary | Not required. Unlike Ohio or Louisiana, Texas titles are signed by seller and buyer — no notarization. One less trip. |
|---|---|
| The title form | You sign the back of the title; the buyer completes Form 130-U (Application for Texas Title) to transfer it. Professional buyers bring this and handle it at pickup. |
| Lost your title? | Apply for a certified copy with Form VTR-34 — $2 by mail or $5.45 in person at a TxDMV regional office. Among the cheapest in the country. |
| Protect yourself after the sale | File the free online Vehicle Transfer Notification with TxDMV within 30 days. It puts on record that you sold the car, so tolls, tickets, and impound fees after the sale aren't yours. |
| License plates | Plates belong to you, not the car — take them off before the truck leaves. You can transfer them to your next vehicle. |
| Sales tax | The buyer pays Texas motor vehicle sales tax (6.25%). Selling costs you nothing. |
| Inspections | Texas ended annual safety inspections for personal vehicles in 2025. Emissions testing still applies for registration in the big metro counties — but you can sell a car that won't pass. That's often exactly the car worth selling. |
Rules current as of mid-2026 — confirm details at the official TxDMV buying & selling guide. More paperwork situations (liens, inherited cars, salvage titles) are covered in our paperwork guide.
Asked by Texas sellers
Can I sell a car in Texas without the title?
Usually the fastest fix is a certified copy — Form VTR-34, $2 by mail, and it comes to the registered owner. Some buyers can also complete a purchase with your registration and ID in limited situations. Start the duplicate anyway; it never hurts.
I inherited a car in Texas. Can I sell it?
Yes. If the estate didn't go through probate, Texas accepts an Affidavit of Heirship for a Motor Vehicle (Form VTR-262) so heirs can transfer and sell. If there's a will being probated, the executor signs. Either way it's a form, not a wall — call us if you're unsure which applies.
The car still has a loan on it. Can I sell?
Yes — the buyer pays the lienholder first and you get what's left. If the car is worth less than the payoff, you'd cover the difference. Have your lender's payoff quote handy and the rest is routine.
My car won't pass emissions. Is it still sellable?
Completely. Emissions testing is a registration requirement in metro counties — it has nothing to do with selling. Cars that would cost more to fix than they're worth are a huge share of what gets sold this way.