Ripple effect of Texas vehicle registration changes

[Alexb2000]

So those of us resident in the great state of Texas we now have a program where in order to register your vehicle it must first be inspected, the data sent to the state, matched with your registration renewal and insurance verification, and then you are sent a sticker.

I keep all my vehicles and trailers registered in Texas because it is just easier even though I leave many of them in NM. So now I am forced to either caravan each vehicle back to Texas each year or change the registration to New Mexico. In my case I have 6 trailers and 2 vehicles that never leave NM, so that would be a lot of caravanning. I estimate that the registration fees paid to Texas for vehicles that never see Texas roads are about $1000 a year in my case.

Looking at almost every airport parking lot in the resort areas of CO and NM many if not most of the license plates are Texas. I see a lot of the same in Mexico. There are also plenty of business' that take their vehicles to long term jobs out of state and will be forced to return on expired tags.

I wonder how much money this will cost Texas through unintended consequences.

 

[JoseCuervo]

Why not register your vehicles where you use them? That state deserves the revenue if you are using those resources.

And, a lot of states have laws that require registration within xx days of being located in the state.

 

[Alexb2000]

Why not register your vehicles where you use them? That state deserves the revenue if you are using those resources.

And, a lot of states have laws that require registration within xx days of being located in the state.

If you have two homes in different states, the registration usually comes down to the place you get your mail. It's just easier to keep it all on one insurance policy, one process to renew, registration matching your drivers license state, etc. For example, plenty of full time RVers are registered in a state they may rarely visit, but where they have a mail drop.

Anyway, I'll deal with it, but I do think it will cause a lot of people to make a change.

 

[mkosmo]

You don't need a Texas inspection if the vehicle lives out of Texas... Just call, there should be a separate paperwork process. For a state like NM with no inspection, you'll only need to inspect it if you ever bring it back to TX.

https://www.txdps.state.tx.us/rsd/vi/texasRegVeh.htm

 

[RyanShort1]

I hate the new law. It sounded good...

 

[Sac Arrow]

Just what we need. Another law.

 

[flyingron]

Typically the vehicle needs to be registered in the place it is principally garaged. I've got one truck and my boat registered in NC where they stay even though my official state of residence is VA. Finally doing the right thing means I no longer have to drive the NC truck up the VA once a year to get inspected.

 

[SixPapaCharlie]

I find I save a lot more money by only getting registration and inspection after getting a ticket for them. Sometimes you can go a couple years w/o having to get that stuff done.

 

[MikeELP]

I find I save a lot more money by only getting registration and inspection after getting a ticket for them. Sometimes you can go a couple years w/o having to get that stuff done.

I wouldn't try that in Texas, Bryan. The ticket here for an expired safety sticker is along the lines of $250

The "safety inspection" thing is such a crock. Generates revenue for the state, but does nothing to enhance safety.

 

[SixPapaCharlie]

I wouldn't try that in Texas, Bryan. The ticket here for an expired safety sticker is along the lines of $250

The "safety inspection" thing is such a crock. Generates revenue for the state, but does nothing to enhance safety.

I need to get mine done then.
When I lived in lewisville, TX it was $10

 

[RyanShort1]

I wouldn't try that in Texas, Bryan. The ticket here for an expired safety sticker is along the lines of $250

The "safety inspection" thing is such a crock. Generates revenue for the state, but does nothing to enhance safety.

Especially when they fail you for your windshield wipers, which were working just fine...

 

[Alexb2000]

You don't need a Texas inspection if the vehicle lives out of Texas... Just call, there should be a separate paperwork process. For a state like NM with no inspection, you'll only need to inspect it if you ever bring it back to TX.

https://www.txdps.state.tx.us/rsd/vi/texasRegVeh.htm

I called them twice about this. Right now the process is to go to the county assessors office and fill out a self certification. No one seems to be able to say how that gets to the state or how long it takes to match up. One of those things that I'm sure will get figured out eventually.

My perspective we've "fixed" something else that wasn't broken.

 

[FlyingIsGood]

Vehicle inspection went down from $37.xx to $26 around here. That's an hour of aircraft rental every decade!

 

[N747JB]

The downside of having out of state registrations, at least on boats, is the marine patrol, Fish and Game guys seem to stop boats more frequently if they are not registered in Florida.

Typically the vehicle needs to be registered in the place it is principally garaged. I've got one truck and my boat registered in NC where they stay even though my official state of residence is VA. Finally doing the right thing means I no longer have to drive the NC truck up the VA once a year to get inspected.

 

[JimNtexas]

I like having only one windshield sticker instead of two.

 

[SCCutler]

As referenced above, there is a provision for getting the vehicle inspected in the state where it is physically (presumably, temporarily) located, if that state has a vehicle inspection program; and if not, you can so certify, and get the license, subject of course to getting it inspected when you get back to the state.

Just went through this with my nephew, who is temporarily in California.

 

[colojo]

Get South Dakota plates. We have them on all our cars in Cabo, as do many other gringos down there. No smog inspections, no insurance requirement... just send in your (cheap) registration fee every year. They don't care where you live.

 

[cowman]

Yeah, I'd just get them registered somewhere without inspections.

 

[gkainz]

I wouldn't try that in Texas, Bryan. The ticket here for an expired safety sticker is along the lines of $250

The "safety inspection" thing is such a crock. Generates revenue for the state, but does nothing to enhance safety.

exactly like the extortion called "smog check" here in Colorado, in my opinion.

 

[Zeldman]

Vehicle inspection went down from $37.xx to $26 around here. That's an hour of aircraft rental every decade!

Good grief..!!! I used to do safety inspections in TX years ago and it was only $4.25 back then.

Might want to reconsider registering trailers or RVs in NM. Then you will have to pay personal property tax plus registration fees. My RV in NM is still registered in TX, and my truck in TX is still registered in AK. To change the registration of my truck in NM from TX was like breeding elephants. It was done with a lot of roaring and screaming and took almost 2 years.

And whoever thinks safety inspections on cars doesn't catch problems just plain doesn't know what they are talking about. That is like saying an annual on an airplane is a waste of time and effort. You are required to keep your vehicle up to motor vehicle codes, sort of like an airplane. NM doesn't have yearly safety inspections, but a LEO can pull you over any time you are on a public road and do a safety inspection right there, however that rarely happens.

And if we were required to take care of our cars like the requirements for airplanes, well I would still be driving a 1970 Chevy pickup. Oh wait, I still am..

 

[weilke]

Get South Dakota plates. We have them on all our cars in Cabo, as do many other gringos down there. No smog inspections, no insurance requirement... just send in your (cheap) registration fee every year. They don't care where you live.

Yup.

For trailers, Maine is set up to provide trailers tags to anyone who asks.

 

[wsuffa]

Around here, Virginia imposes the hated "car tax" (personal property tax), and Maryland doesn't.

In some parts of Northern Virginia, the revenuers - er, local police - patrol apartment complexes looking for Maryland-registered vehicles hoping to catch some for violating the registration fee and tax avoidance. And some apartment complexes patrol their lots and call the cops if they find out-of-state vehicles that have been there >30 days.

 

[docmirror]

I have a variety of cars/trucks/trailers/etc too. The new system is eventually going to be easier, but right now there's some shuffling going on. I register all that are under 25 years in CO where all I need is proof of insurance and a PO box in that county. I'm guessing that most counties have drastically relaxed their 'residency' requirements because they are eager for reg money. Also, in my rural county in CO, the fees are lower than TX, which seems rather strange but true.

Haven't checked NM fees and req in Taos county yet, but I may move some over there eventually.

 

[comanchepilot]

If you have two homes in different states, the registration usually comes down to the place you get your mail. It's just easier to keep it all on one insurance policy, one process to renew, registration matching your drivers license state, etc. For example, plenty of full time RVers are registered in a state they may rarely visit, but where they have a mail drop.

Anyway, I'll deal with it, but I do think it will cause a lot of people to make a change.

most states let you have plates if you have a physical presence [vacation home where you are present xxx days a year] but will put a different mailing address down because of the existence of corporate cars, trusts, lawyers, accountants and similar. . . . .

 

[comanchepilot]

Around here, Virginia imposes the hated "car tax" (personal property tax), and Maryland doesn't.

In some parts of Northern Virginia, the revenuers - er, local police - patrol apartment complexes looking for Maryland-registered vehicles hoping to catch some for violating the registration fee and tax avoidance. And some apartment complexes patrol their lots and call the cops if they find out-of-state vehicles that have been there >30 days.

Isn't it sad people just can't mind their own business.

The tax people are on patrol - and thats ok - unless there is a no trespassing sign - then they're trespassing and subject to arrest. Not that the tax is not collectable.

 

[EdFred]

No inspections here in MI.

Yearly plates cost me a total of $252 for the car and the truck.

 

[comanchepilot]

PS everyone: The safety inspections are mainly to catch illegal aliens whose POS cars are rolling safety hazards . . . . then they catch folks without driver licenses and no addresses - its designed to make it difficult for those here illegally to register and own vehicles.

Out here in LALALand you see broken down cars causing traffic jams everywhere - and guess who's driving most of those broken down cars? Now, I might be assuming a lot - but if you see lots of rodents in the same place all the time- you might have a rat problem. . . .

 

[BigBadLou]

Just as a warning, certain counties in TX (such as our Travis Co and Williamson Co here in Central TX, also known as Nuevo Kalifornia) require vehicle inspections be performed WITHIN the county if the vehicle is either registered here or drives here "on a regular basis". So if you live in BFE but drive into town for a job, you have to get inspected in town and pay the higher inspection prices and be subject to New California inspection criteria.
So far, it hasn't stopped anyone from obtaining an inspection sticker illegally and driving their non-passing vehicle anyway. The new laws sure drove inspection sticker prices sky high on the black market.

 

[hindsight2020]

Good grief..!!! I used to do safety inspections in TX years ago and it was only $4.25 back then.

Might want to reconsider registering trailers or RVs in NM. Then you will have to pay personal property tax plus registration fees. My RV in NM is still registered in TX, and my truck in TX is still registered in AK. To change the registration of my truck in NM from TX was like breeding elephants. It was done with a lot of roaring and screaming and took almost 2 years.

And whoever thinks safety inspections on cars doesn't catch problems just plain doesn't know what they are talking about. That is like saying an annual on an airplane is a waste of time and effort. You are required to keep your vehicle up to motor vehicle codes, sort of like an airplane. NM doesn't have yearly safety inspections, but a LEO can pull you over any time you are on a public road and do a safety inspection right there, however that rarely happens.

LOL. The number of vehicles around these parts of Te-jico that look like they just came out of a fatal car accident, driving around with current inspection stickers, would make your head spin. It's a tax like everything else. It's just that driving while white gets you a premium on the penalty enforcement of these inspections 'round here. It's a simple tax structure based on probability of payment. No different than suing the richest guy in the chain of a lawsuit.

I don't have a problem paying the tax, but my time is more valuable. When I have to run around getting replacement gas caps and windshield wipers I know are in perfect working condition, it becomes an unnecessary hindrance to moving on with my life. I know cousin Chucho behind me at the light with his towel gas cap, sawed-off pickup truck bed "trailer" and shiny inspection sticker probably isn't helping the public safety cause. Plausible deniability is all the inspection station needs to cover for when Chucho rams into pedestrians when his bread crumb brake lines give out.

I can't wait to get back to the States...and by that I mean move north of I-10....

 

[JoseCuervo]

If you have two homes in different states, the registration usually comes down to the place you get your mail. It's just easier to keep it all on one insurance policy, one process to renew, registration matching your drivers license state, etc. For example, plenty of full time RVers are registered in a state they may rarely visit, but where they have a mail drop.

Anyway, I'll deal with it, but I do think it will cause a lot of people to make a change.

It is one thing to fly a Flag of Convenience of a full-time RV vagabond. But, another if you are actually locating cars at another residence.

And, typically, your insurance company wants to know where you keep the car garaged at night. I wouldn't be surprised to see some insurance adjuster attempt to weasel out of a claim on your vehicle if they discovered you keep it at another location than disclosed, for long periods of time.


I have never seen a cop care what state your license was from vs. where Driver's License came from, more than a "is this your current address"? type of thing.

If you use the services of the State of New Mexico for xx months of the year, you should likely pay them taxes and fees for xx months of the year.

 

[txflyer]

What gets my goat is they rake me over the coals for wipers, tread wear, lights, everything under the sun on a 2011 car then I see a piece of junk going down the road with the bumper half hanging off and wonder ...

"how the hell did they pass?"

 

[OkieFlyer]

We used to have a vehicle inspection law here in OK. Thankfully, it went away several years ago. Sorry, Texas.

 

[mkosmo]

What gets my goat is they rake me over the coals for wipers, tread wear, lights, everything under the sun on a 2011 car then I see a piece of junk going down the road with the bumper half hanging off and wonder ...

"how the hell did they pass?"

Last year the inspection guy tried to scam me for new tires from him claiming they were below legal tread. ****ed me off enough to storm out on the shop floor and measure it and ask him what kind of crap he was trying to pull.

 

[weilke]

And, typically, your insurance company wants to know where you keep the car garaged at night. I wouldn't be surprised to see some insurance adjuster attempt to weasel out of a claim on your vehicle if they discovered you keep it at another location than disclosed, for long periods of time.
.

I insure the cars where I garage them. SD doesnt have insurance verification, so they dont care where my insurance comes from as long as the cars are insured.

 

[txflyer]

Last year the inspection guy tried to scam me for new tires from him claiming they were below legal tread. ****ed me off enough to storm out on the shop floor and measure it and ask him what kind of crap he was trying to pull.

Discount tire would not rotate my tires like promised because the kid found a tiny check in the sidewall of one tire and said "we can't rotate tires that are unsafe for liability reasons, you can buy a new tire ... "

I walked out.

 

[docmirror]

Haha! I got my revenge on Discount Tire. I had a bad tire, it was separated at the edge of the tread. Had my receipt and everything, took it back and they said 'road hazard'. No damage to the wheel, no chunks from the tire, just the bubble. So, on a busy saturday, I'm out there in their parking lot, jacking up my Durango with the scissor jack, and I'm getting out my dusty, dirty 9 year old spare to put on. A few people came by to help me and the manager comes out and 'no problem, let me get that tire replaced, we have one in stock - it will just be a few minutes'.

What a tool, it could have been so easy but no, he wanted to make a deal out of it.

 

[Van Johnston]

Bear in mind you can register your car for 3 yrs at a time in Texas, so if you are willing to take your chances on being stopped, you can skip the inspection 2 out of every 3 yrs.

Where do you tell your insurer the vehicles are garaged, NM or TX? If they don't know the vehicles are garaged in NM, you may be on thin ice if there is a claim and they get wind of that.

 

[txflyer]

Bear in mind you can register your car for 3 yrs at a time in Texas, so if you are willing to take your chances on being stopped, you can skip the inspection 2 out of every 3 yrs.

Where do you tell your insurer the vehicles are garaged, NM or TX? If they don't know the vehicles are garaged in NM, you may be on thin ice if there is a claim and they get wind of that.

They told me no recently. They don't do that anymore.

I did it on our car the last time it was offered.

The girl at the county assesor's office said "really?" and looked at me like I was some kind of billionaire or the only person on earth who'd ever done it...

 

[docmirror]

Five year reg offered on cars older than 25 years. I have three of them. Also, no inspection at all.

 

[Alexb2000]

Bear in mind you can register your car for 3 yrs at a time in Texas, so if you are willing to take your chances on being stopped, you can skip the inspection 2 out of every 3 yrs.

Where do you tell your insurer the vehicles are garaged, NM or TX? If they don't know the vehicles are garaged in NM, you may be on thin ice if there is a claim and they get wind of that.

I've never heard of registering your vehicle for 3 years at a time. I'll have to check that out.

I tell them I have two homes, but I am a resident of Texas. I have several policies with State Farm one of which is home owners in NM and they are all linked. They seemed fine with a Texas policy as long as the vehicle is registered in Texas. I have had business vehicles out of state for several years and never had a problem with insurance in those situations either.

All that said, there are a lot of people that have vehicles registered in one state that stay in another. Like I said the CO and NM airport parking lots are full of Texas resident's airport cars. I also know a guy that keeps several cars at major airports around the country that are all Texas registered. My favorite was all of the Texas license plates I saw in Belize. Some of these people are going to have a long drive back for an inspection.