Motor Vehicle FAQs

You may contact our office by phone, mail, email, or in person.

Email -   mvpc@co.orange.tx.us
Phone -  (409) 882-7971
(409) 769-0064
Mail - P. O. Box 1568
Orange, TX 77631-1568

In Person
Orange:
123 S. 6th Street
Orange, TX 77630

Vidor:
155 Wilson
Vidor, TX 77662

The forms of payment accepted are cash, check, cashier's check, money order, and credit card.  Checks must be in the name of the current owner of the vehicle.  No out of county or out of state checks are accepted.  There is a non-refundable surchage for each credit card transaction.

You can renew your vehicle without the renewal notice if you provide the following to the Orange County Tax Office:

• license receipt from the previous year, or
• license plate number, or
• vehicle identification number (VIN).
• I. D.

Ask our office to verify your correct mailing address.

If your license plates or registration stickier are damaged or missing, we can replace them with new license plates.  You can obtain replacement plates or validation stickers at the Orange County Tax Office or the Vidor Tax Office. You will need to bring in your I. D. and the remaining license plate(s) and your current registration receipt and fill out a replacement affidavit. The fee for replacement plates and/or sticker is $6.50.

"Registration Purposes Only" means that the vehicle is registered, but not titled in Texas. This type of ownership document may be requested when a vehicle that was registered or titled in another state is subject to registration in Texas but the owner or operator cannot or does not wish to surrender the negotiable out-of-state evidence of ownership in order to obtain a Texas negotiable title. You will need the application for registration purposes only form (VTR-272), the out-of-state registration, a Texas State Inspection Certificate and proof of insurance. There is a $33.00 title fee, a $90.00 new resident fee and a registration fee based on the type of vehicle.

You will need:

• Photocopy of the titled owner & squot;s drivers license.
• Proof of current liability insurance meeting Texas coverage requirements ($30,000 - $60,000 - $25,000).  Cash, cashier & squot;s check, money order, or check in the titled owners name for the registration fee.
• A written statement of authorization referencing the vehicle from the titled owner and know whether a ticket for expired registration has been received.

To obtain handicap placards, your doctor must complete form VTR-214 (Application for Disabled Plates/Placards).  The doctor can either notarize the form or provide a written prescription that indicates that the disability is permanent or temporary.  The application, along with the prescription, if applicable, can be brought to the Orange County Tax Office.  Permanent placards are issued for a time period of four (4) years and there is no fee.  Temporary placards are issued for a period of six (6) months and are $5.00 per placard.

For disabled license plates, the same paperwork is required along with the vehicle identification number (VIN) and/or license plate number of the vehicle that the disabled plates will be assigned to.

You must register your vehicle in the state where you currently live, unless you are a full-time student or active military member.  If you are a student or active military member, you will need to provide proof or school enrollment or duty papers for your current location.

At the time of printing, the Texas Department of Motor Vehicle (TxDMV) records still showed you as the recorded owner.  If you believe the buyer of your vehicle did not transfer the vehicle title you should file a vehicle transfer ntoification.  This lets TxDMV know that you no longer own the vehicle.  You must file the transfer notice within 30 days of selling or trading in your vehicle in order to receive the state protection that no longer makes you responsible for that vehicle.

NOTE:  Filing the transfer notification does not transfer vehicle ownership.  It simply removes your liability for anything the new owner may do with your old vehicle.

A vehicle may be operated for up to five working days after the registration expires without penalty.  After those five days, you could receive a ticket of up to $200 for operating a vehicle with expired registration.

The state does not know that you have paid your vehicle off until you submit an updated title application and the correct title fee to your county tax office.

You will need to fill out form VTR-34 and mail or bring it in to the Texas Department of Motor Vehicle along with your I. D.  If your vehicle was purchased with a loan, you will also need to provide a release of lien from the financial provider that states they no longer have a financial interest in the vehicle.

If the divorce decree awards the vehicle to you, provide the tax office with a certified copy of the divorce decree to apply for a title.  If the decree does not award the vehicle to you, a properly assigned title (a title where your ex-spouse has signed it over to you) will be required.  A $33.00 title fee will apply.

When a vehicle is transferred as a result of a gift, the title application must be accompanied by the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts form 14-317, Affidavit of Motor Vehicle Gift Transfer, and must be filed in person by the recipient or donor.  The donor and recipient must both sign the affidavit and title application.  The "$10 Gift Tax" only applies to a person who receives the vehicle from a:

• Spouse
• Parent or Step-Parent
• Grandparent or Grandchild
• Child or Step-Child
• Sibling
• Guardian
• A decedent's estate
• A vehicle donated to or given by a Nonprofit IRC Sec. 501(c)(3)

If your spouse had a will, the vehicle becomes part of the probate process.  If your spouse did not have a will, you can fill out an affidavit of heirship, form VTR-262.

Provide the buyer with all the documents needed to transfer the title:

• A signed title
• A signed vehicle title application, form VTR 130-U
• Any other supporting documents, such as release of lien, power of attorney, etc.

Then, accompany the buyer to the county tax office to verify the buyer files a new vehicle title application under his/her name.  If you sell or trade in your vehicle to a dealer, or if the buyer can't go to the tax office, you need to notify the Texas Department of Motor Vehicle of the sale by filing a vehicle transfer notification within 30 days of selling the vehicle.

File a vehicle transfer notification with the TxDMV.  Mail the form VTR-346 to TxDMV or you can submit one on-line.  You only have 30 days from the vehicle's sale date to submit a vehicle transfer notification with TxDMV to protect yourself.

After TxDMV receives the transfer notification request, the vehicle record will be flagged to show the vehicle has been sold.  When you file the notification within 30 days, you can not be held responsible for such things as parking tickets and toll violations that may be committed by the person who bought your vehicle.

Please contact the county tax office and they will assist you with having the error corrected.