Trilux Motors 
Updated October 22, 2026: corrected and expanded with the latest TxDMV information.
The Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (TxDMV) has made several changes over the past two years that affect what happens when you buy a used car from a licensed Texas dealer. Some of them change what you drive away with on sale day, and some change what you need to bring with you. If you are shopping for a used car in San Antonio or anywhere else in Texas, here is a plain-language rundown of the changes that matter most, with links to the official sources so you can check the details yourself.
Metal License Plates Have Replaced Paper Temporary Tags
Under House Bill 718, which took effect on July 1, 2025, Texas dealers no longer print paper buyer’s temporary tags. Instead, TxDMV says a licensed dealer must give you metal license plates at the time of sale. Most buyers will get a standard black-and-white general issue plate, which goes on the front and rear of the vehicle. Keep your Buyer’s Receipt in the vehicle until your registration is complete and you have received and applied your windshield sticker. Specialty and personalized plates stay with you. If you live outside Texas, the dealer will issue an Out-of-State Buyer plate that is valid for 60 days.
HB 718 also requires every licensed dealer to process title and registration applications electronically through TxDMV’s webDEALER system. For you, that usually means less paperwork to carry to the county tax office, because the dealer submits the title application, registration, and motor vehicle sales tax on your behalf. You can usually sign your title paperwork and odometer disclosure electronically through webDEALER’s buyer acknowledgment process.
How Long the Dealer Has to Process Your Title
A Texas dealer must apply for your title and registration within 30 days of the sale, or 45 days if the dealer financed the purchase itself. This duty belongs to the dealer under Transportation Code §501.0234. If it has been more than 30 days and you still have not received your title or registration, TxDMV recommends filing a complaint with its Enforcement Division, and you can do that online. TxDMV takes these deadlines seriously. Its dealer disciplinary matrix lists sanctions for failing to transfer a title on time that range from a warning letter up to $10,000 per vehicle.
If you buy from a private seller instead of a dealer, the title transfer is your responsibility. You have 30 days to file at the county tax office, and a late fee starts at $25 and can grow to $250.
New ID Requirements Starting March 5, 2026
As of March 5, 2026, TxDMV requires stricter identification for title and initial registration transactions, including Texas dealer sales. Acceptable ID includes:
- a valid, unexpired REAL ID-compliant driver’s license or state ID
- a valid, unexpired U.S. passport
- a valid, unexpired Texas License to Carry issued by DPS
- a valid, unexpired non-REAL ID license from one of the states TxDMV lists (Texas is one of them)
- a non-REAL ID license from another state together with a U.S. birth certificate, Certificate of Naturalization, or Certificate of Citizenship
- a valid, unexpired foreign passport together with a Form I-94 (not in parole status), a current permanent resident card, or an unexpired immigrant visa
These IDs must be valid and unexpired. The new rules for registration renewals do not take effect until January 1, 2027. Bring a qualifying ID when you come in to buy, because the dealer has to keep a copy of it with the sale records.
Consumer Protection Rules That Still Apply
Some long-standing protections are worth knowing about. If a vehicle was once titled as salvage and has since been rebuilt, 43 TAC §215.160 requires the dealer to post a written disclosure that you can see from outside the vehicle. At the sale, the dealer must also get your separate signature on a statement that you know the vehicle was repaired, rebuilt, or reconstructed after being titled as salvage. You get the original of that signed acknowledgment. Federal rules also require a Buyers Guide window sticker on used cars, which tells you whether the car comes with a warranty or is sold “as is.”
Texas dealers must also keep a complete record of every purchase and sale for at least 48 months. That record includes the title application, the sales contract, the odometer disclosure, and the rebuilt salvage disclosure when one applies. TxDMV can sanction dealers who fail to disclose damage or a salvage history, up to and including license revocation.
More Dealer Rule Updates in Late 2026
TxDMV’s board has adopted a broad update to the dealer rules in 43 TAC Chapter 215. The TxDMV rules page lists an effective date of October 29, 2026. According to TxDMV’s summary, the update supports the switch to metal plates, for example by letting dealers issue buyer’s provisional plates in more situations. It also adds violations for misusing plates, such as issuing the wrong plate type or voiding and reissuing a plate to stretch a title deadline. On top of that, it modernizes the advertising rules and strengthens enforcement of the state’s motor vehicle records privacy law. These changes are mainly aimed at dealers, but they are meant to protect buyers.
Recommended Action Items for Texas Used Car Buyers
Bring a qualifying, unexpired ID to your purchase. Before you drive away, make sure metal plates are on the vehicle and that you have your Buyer’s Receipt. Read the Buyers Guide on the window, and ask whether the vehicle has a branded title such as rebuilt salvage. Keep copies of everything you sign. If your registration sticker has not arrived and your title has not been processed after 30 days (45 days if the dealer financed the sale), contact the dealer first. If that does not resolve it, file a complaint with TxDMV. For the latest official information, see the TxDMV website or contact the Bexar County Tax Assessor-Collector.
Shopping for a quality used car in San Antonio? Visit Trilux Motors or contact our team today. We’ll walk you through your plates, title, and paperwork so you can drive away with confidence.
