How Do You Get a Texas Driver's License?
New Texas residents must obtain a Texas driver's license within 90 days of establishing residency. This is not optional, and the deadline is enforced. Failure to obtain a Texas license within 90 days means you are driving without a valid license in the state.
"New Texas residents are required to obtain a Texas driver license within 90 days of establishing residency. The driver license exam consists of a vision screening, a knowledge exam, and a behind-the-wheel driving test."
— Texas Department of Public Safety
Start by scheduling an appointment at your nearest Texas DPS (Department of Public Safety) office. Not all DPS locations accept walk-ins, and wait times at offices without appointments can exceed two hours. Use the online appointment scheduler at txdps.state.tx.us to find a location near you and book a time slot.
What to bring:
- Your current California driver's license (you will surrender this when you receive your Texas license)
- Proof of identity: a valid U.S. passport or certified birth certificate
- Proof of Texas residency: a recent utility bill, lease agreement, or mortgage statement showing your new address
- Proof of Social Security number: your Social Security card, a W-2, or a pay stub with your full SSN
- The application fee (currently $33 for a Class C license, subject to change)
The good news: Texas does not require a driving test if you hold a valid out-of-state license. You will complete a written knowledge exam and a vision screening, but no behind-the-wheel test is necessary. The application fee is currently $33 for a Class C license. Study the Texas Driver Handbook before your visit. It is available free online at txdps.state.tx.us. The exam covers Texas-specific traffic laws, road signs, and safe driving practices. Most California drivers find it straightforward, but the Texas rules of the road differ from California in several areas, particularly regarding right turns on red, railroad crossings, and move-over laws.
Once you pass the exam and complete the vision screening, you will receive a temporary paper license. Your permanent Texas license will arrive by mail within two to three weeks. Your California license is surrendered and is no longer valid the moment you receive your Texas license.
Texas licenses are REAL ID compliant, which means they meet the federal requirements for domestic air travel. Starting May 7, 2025, you will need a REAL ID-compliant identification to board domestic flights. Your Texas license satisfies this requirement, so there is no need for a separate passport or federal ID for domestic travel.
What Are the Steps to Register Your Vehicle in Texas?
You must title and register your vehicle within 30 days of establishing residency in Texas. This deadline is shorter than the driver's license deadline, so handle vehicle registration first.
Step 1: Obtain Texas insurance. Before you can register your vehicle, you need auto insurance from a Texas-licensed insurer. California insurance policies do not transfer. Contact your insurance provider and switch your policy to a Texas policy that meets Texas minimum liability requirements: $30,000 for bodily injury per person, $60,000 for bodily injury per accident, and $25,000 for property damage. Many California insurers operate in Texas and can transfer your policy smoothly.
Step 2: Get a vehicle inspection. Texas requires a safety inspection at a state-certified inspection station before registration. If you are registering your vehicle in Bexar County, you will also need an emissions inspection. Kendall County and Comal County currently do not require emissions testing. The safety inspection costs approximately $7. The emissions inspection (if required) costs approximately $25. Total registration costs, including title fee and county fees, run about $75 to $150 for a standard passenger vehicle. Inspection stations are listed at dmv.texas.gov.
Step 3: Visit your county tax assessor-collector office. For Kendall County, this is the Kendall County Tax Office in Boerne. For Bexar County, visit any Bexar County Tax Office location. Bring the following:
- Your current out-of-state (California) vehicle title
- A valid Texas driver's license or Texas ID card
- Proof of Texas auto insurance
- The completed Application for Texas Title (Form 130-U), available at the tax office or online at dmv.texas.gov
- Payment for fees: title fee, registration fee, and local county fees (these vary by county and vehicle weight; expect a total of approximately $75 to $150 for a standard passenger vehicle)
If you still owe money on your vehicle (a lien), the process is slightly different. Your lienholder will need to send the title to the Texas DMV. Your lienholder can provide the necessary documentation, and the tax office can guide you through the process. Do not delay registration because of a lien; contact your lienholder early.
Once complete, you will receive Texas license plates and a registration sticker. Texas no longer uses annual inspection stickers on windshields. Your registration sticker is renewed annually, and your vehicle must pass inspection at the time of renewal.
Annual Vehicle Registration Cost: California vs. Texas
Based on a $50,000 vehicle what you pay every year
| Vehicle License Fee (0.65% of value) | $325.00 |
| Base Registration Fee | $60.00 |
| Highway Patrol Fee | $30.00 |
| County Registration Fee | $20.00 |
| Smog Abatement Fee | $30.00 |
| Total Estimated Annual Cost | $465.00 |
| Base Registration Fee (1-year renewal) | $51.75 |
| State Safety/Emissions Inspection | $25.75 |
| Vehicle License Fee | $0.00 |
| Total Estimated Annual Cost | $77.50 |
A California registrant paying roughly $465/year on a $50,000 car pays about six times what a Texas registrant pays a savings of approximately $387 per year. Over five years, that adds up to nearly $2,000 in registration savings alone.
California VLF rates apply to the vehicle's assessed value and decrease slightly each year as the vehicle depreciates. The figure above reflects a newer vehicle assessed at $50,000. Texas registration fees are flat regardless of vehicle value a $25,000 car and a $100,000 truck pay the same base fee. County surcharges, special plate fees, and other optional charges may add small amounts in either state. Both states require timely renewal; late fees apply. Figures are approximate and based on current published schedules. Verify exact amounts at the California DMV and Texas DMV before making financial decisions.
How Do You Claim Your Texas Homestead Exemption?
The Texas homestead exemption is one of the most significant financial advantages of owning a home in Texas, and it is the task most frequently missed by new homeowners. Your title company will not file it for you. Your lender will not file it for you. It is your responsibility, and failing to file means you overpay your property taxes.
What the exemption does: The general homestead exemption reduces the taxable value of your primary residence for school district property taxes by up to $140,000. On a $500,000 home, you pay school taxes on $360,000. On a $750,000 home, you pay school taxes on $610,000. At typical Hill Country school tax rates of roughly $1.00 to $1.15 per $100 of assessed value, this exemption saves you $1,400 to $1,610 per year on school taxes alone. Texas workers pay $0 in state income tax compared to up to 13.3% in California, so the combined savings from the homestead exemption and zero income tax create a meaningful financial advantage for relocators.
For homeowners age 65 or older (or those who qualify as disabled), there is an additional $60,000 exemption on top of the general $140,000 bringing the total school district homestead exemption to $200,000 plus a tax ceiling that locks your school tax rate at the level it was when you turned 65 or became disabled. This ceiling stays with the property and can significantly reduce long-term tax liability.
How to file: File with your county appraisal district. For Boerne and Fair Oaks Ranch properties in Kendall County, file with the Kendall County Appraisal District. For San Antonio properties in Bexar County, file with the Bexar County Appraisal District. You can file online through the appraisal district's website or in person.
What to bring: Your closing documents (deed or settlement statement), your Texas driver's license or Texas ID, and proof of residency at the property (utility bill, lease, or mortgage statement). You will also need to complete the homestead exemption application, which is available on the appraisal district's website.
When to file: File as soon as possible after closing. You can file up to two years after acquiring the property, but the exemption is prorated to your date of ownership. If you close on March 15 and file on April 1, you receive the exemption for only a portion of that tax year. If you close in March and file in March, you receive the full year. Every month you wait costs you money.
The exemption applies for the tax year in which you file and every subsequent year, as long as you occupy the home as your primary residence. You do not need to refile annually, but if you move out, change the property to a rental, or sell the home, you are responsible for notifying the appraisal district.
This is not automatic. Most new Texas homeowners do not know about this requirement and overpay their first year of property taxes by $1,400 or more. Do not assume someone else handles it. File it yourself, as soon as you have your Texas driver's license and your closing documents in hand.
How Do You Update Your Address After Moving to Texas?
File a Change of Address with USPS at usps.com this forwards your mail for 12 months (extendable). The online service costs $1.10 for identity verification.
Update your address with these critical accounts within 30 days of moving these are the ones people most frequently forget:
- Banks and credit cards
- IRS (Form 8822, or update when filing your next return)
- Social Security Administration (ssa.gov)
- Your employer / payroll
- Health, auto, and life insurance providers
- Investment and retirement accounts
- Subscription services and online shopping accounts
- Student loan servicers
Update your vehicle registration and driver's license with your new Texas address both are required by law.
If you are moving from California, cancel or redirect your California vehicle registration once your Texas registration is active. California does not automatically deregister your vehicle when you obtain plates in another state.
Notify your California landlord or property manager if renting give proper notice per your lease. Texas has no statewide rent control or standardized notice requirements, but California does, and your California lease governs that obligation.
How Do You Register to Vote in Texas?
To register to vote in Texas, you must be a U.S. citizen, a resident of the county where you are applying, and at least 18 years old on Election Day.
You can register when you get your Texas driver's license DPS automatically forwards your information to the county voter registrar. Or register directly at your county voter registrar's office or online at votetexas.gov.
Important deadline: Texas voter registration deadline is 30 days before any election. Check votetexas.gov for upcoming dates. If you move after the deadline, you will be registered at your old address for that election cycle.
Bring your Texas driver's license or ID when you vote. Texas has a strict voter ID law. Acceptable forms of identification:
- Texas driver's license
- Texas personal ID
- Texas election ID certificate
- Texas handgun license
- U.S. military ID with photo
- U.S. citizenship certificate with photo
- U.S. passport
If you do not have one of these forms of ID, Texas offers a reasonable impediment declaration but having valid photo ID eliminates that extra step.
Kendall County elections are administered by the Kendall County Elections Office. Bexar County elections are administered by the Bexar County Elections Department. Both maintain websites with polling locations, sample ballots, and early voting schedules.
Navigating a cross-state move is a lot of paperwork. If you have questions about any of these steps or want help coordinating the full relocation reach out to Bill Ross at Hill Country Homesteads Group.
Bill Ross, Hill Country Homesteads Group
Have questions about your specific move? Reach out for a no-pressure conversation about your situation.