Vehicle Transfer Notification Texas (VTR-346) Guide

BySell Any Car Cash Team

Quick answer: When you sell a car in Texas, you sign the title over to the buyer with the date of sale and odometer reading, and give the buyer a signed Form 130-U (Application for Texas Title and/or Registration) showing the sales price. The buyer files for a new title within 30 days. You then file Form VTR-346, the Texas Motor Vehicle Transfer Notification, online or by mail within 30 days to help protect yourself from liability. If your title is lost, apply for a certified copy with Form VTR-34 before you sell.

This guide walks through each document from the seller’s side.

This article is general information, not legal advice. Forms and rules can change, so confirm details with TxDMV or the Harris County Tax Office.

The Documents Every Texas Seller Should Know

Form What it is Who fills it out When
Texas title Proof of ownership Seller signs it over; buyer signs as purchaser At the sale
Form 130-U Application for Texas Title and/or Registration Seller signs and lists sales price; buyer completes and files At the sale; buyer files within 30 days
Form VTR-346 Texas Motor Vehicle Transfer Notification Seller Within 30 days of the sale
Form VTR-34 Application for a Certified Copy of Title Owner(s) Before the sale, if the title is lost

Step 1: Sign the Title

The Harris County Tax Office explains that the seller completes the assignment on the back of the title, and both buyer and seller sign it. TxDMV says the signed title should include the date of sale and the odometer reading.

A few tips:

  • Every owner signs. If two names are on the title, both should sign.
  • Use the actual date of sale. The 30-day clocks for both buyer and seller run from that date.
  • Do not leave the buyer’s section blank. An “open” title makes it harder to prove when the car left your hands.

The odometer reading

Federal rules extended the odometer disclosure requirement from 10 to 20 years starting with model year 2011 vehicles, effective January 1, 2021. In practice, as of 2026, any vehicle from model year 2011 or newer needs an odometer disclosure. Form 130-U lists codes for the reading: A (actual mileage), N (not actual mileage) and X (mileage exceeds mechanical limits).

If an odometer error is found after a title is issued, Harris County says a statement of fact signed by both the seller and buyer is required.

Step 2: Complete Form 130-U

Form 130-U is the buyer’s application for a Texas title, but the seller has a part to play. TxDMV tells sellers to provide a signed 130-U with the sales price clearly shown.

The Harris County instructions for the form say all sellers listed on the title must sign, print their names and date their signatures, and the sales price goes on Line (a) of the motor vehicle tax statement. The county and the Texas Comptroller use the form to calculate the buyer’s 6.25% motor vehicle sales tax.

Write the real price. The Comptroller notes that knowingly signing a false application is a third-degree felony. Understating the price to reduce the buyer’s tax is not worth the risk.

Who files the 130-U?

The buyer files it with the county tax office, along with the signed title, within 30 days of the sale. The application can be filed in the county where the sale occurred, the lienholder’s county, or the buyer’s county of residence. Harris County collects additional penalties when paperwork is filed more than 30 calendar days after the date of sale.

TxDMV suggests sellers go with the buyer to the county tax office to make sure the title application is filed.

Step 3: File the Vehicle Transfer Notification (VTR-346)

This is the step that protects you. The Texas Motor Vehicle Transfer Notification tells TxDMV you no longer own the car.

How to file:

  1. Online: Submit at TxDMV.gov/VTN. This is the faster route.
  2. By mail: Send the completed VTR-346 to TxDMV Vehicle Titles and Registration Division, PO Box 26417, Austin, TX 78755-0417.

The form tells you not to file both online and by mail.

What you need:

  • VIN, year, make and Texas license plate number
  • Date of transfer (the date of sale)
  • Your name, address and phone number
  • The buyer’s full name, address and phone number
  • Your signature, printed name and date

Since September 1, 2023, House Bill 3288 has made the seller’s phone number and the buyer’s full name, address and phone number required. TxDMV will reject a notification with missing information.

Why 30 days matters: TxDMV says a notification submitted within 30 days of the sale helps protect the seller from criminal or civil liability involving the vehicle, including parking tickets and toll violations. A properly completed notification adds a remark to the vehicle record that stays until the buyer gets a new title. TxDMV will still note a late notification, but the 30-day window is what provides the protection.

If tickets or toll bills still arrive after you filed, you can request a confirmation email or submit Form VTR-275, which shows the month and year the vehicle was transferred.

Selling to a dealer or business

TxDMV notes that a licensed dealer does not have to title a purchased vehicle in its own name, so the vehicle can remain in your name until it is sold to an individual. Filing the transfer notification is still a smart move.

If Your Title Is Lost: Form VTR-34

You can’t transfer ownership without a title. To replace a lost one, apply for a certified copy using Form VTR-34:

  • By mail: $2 fee, with a copy of photo ID for each owner, sent to TxDMV, 1601 Southwest Parkway, Suite A, Wichita Falls, TX 76302.
  • In person: $5.45 at any TxDMV Regional Service Center, with valid photo ID from each recorded owner.

Every recorded owner must sign. If a lien is recorded, the lienholder should complete the application or give you an original release of lien; TxDMV says a fax or photocopy is not acceptable. There is also a 30-day waiting period after a previous certified copy was issued.

What About Liens?

If you paid off a loan, the lienholder has 10 days after receiving payment to release the lien. With a paper title, the lender mails you the title. With an electronic title, TxDMV updates the record and converts it to a paper title that is mailed to the owner. If you still owe money, read How to Sell a Car That Still Has a Loan in Houston.

Seller Checklist

  1. Title in hand (or certified copy via VTR-34)
  2. Lien released, if the car was financed
  3. Title signed with date of sale and odometer reading
  4. Form 130-U signed with the true sales price
  5. License plates removed (see our license plate guide)
  6. Vehicle Transfer Notification filed within 30 days
  7. Copies of everything, plus buyer contact details

For the full selling process, see How to Sell a Car in Texas: Step-by-Step.

FAQ

Does the seller have to sign Form 130-U in Texas?

TxDMV advises sellers to give the buyer a signed Form 130-U with the sales price clearly shown. The Harris County instructions say all sellers on the title sign and date the form.

Is there a fee to file a Vehicle Transfer Notification?

The VTR-346 form does not list a fee. You can file it online at TxDMV.gov/VTN or by mail.

What if I file the VTR-346 after 30 days?

TxDMV will still note the transfer on the record. However, the liability protection described by TxDMV is tied to filing within 30 days of the sale, so file as soon as you can.

Who pays the sales tax when I sell my car?

The buyer. The Texas Comptroller says the purchaser owes 6.25% motor vehicle sales tax and must pay it to the county tax assessor-collector within 30 calendar days of purchase.

Can I sell my car without the title if I owe money on it?

Yes, it is common. The lender holds the title or electronic lien until the loan is paid off. The payoff has to happen before the title can transfer to the buyer.

Let Us Help With the Paperwork

SellAnyCarCash has been buying cars around Houston for 26 years, and we help with the Texas title paperwork when you sell to us. Get an offer by phone within 30 minutes during business hours, valid for 7 days, with free same-day pickup at home or work and same-day payment by cash, check or Zelle.

Get your offer or call (908) 699-1600. See how we buy cars in Houston, check our Better Offer Guarantee (conditions apply), or compare your options. Back to the home page.

Sources

Similar Posts