VTR-346 — the form that saves your neck after you sell.

VTR-346 is the Texas DMV's Vehicle Transfer Notification. If you just sold a car in Texas, this is the form that releases you from liability for anything the new owner does with it before they register it in their own name.

This is not the same form the buyer files. Form 130-Uis the buyer's title application at the county tax office. VTR-346 is your filing, directly with the TxDMV, and it is entirely for your own protection. If you only do one piece of paperwork after a Texas private sale, this is the one.

What VTR-346 does, in plain English

When you sell in Texas, the registration database still shows you as owner until the buyer files their 130-U. That can take days, sometimes weeks. A few buyers never get around to it at all. During that window, every parking ticket, toll violation, red-light camera ticket, accident, or lawsuit arising from the vehicle gets mailed to you. VTR-346 tells the TxDMV: "I sold this car on this date to this person." The state updates its records and the liability shifts to whoever was actually driving.

Why you must file within 30 days

Texas gives you 30 calendar days from the date of sale (Texas Transportation Code § 501.147). File within the window and you are protected. Miss it and the liability-shield is weaker — the state will still update records, but anything that accrued during the gap can still come at you.

Specific things a missed filing can cost you:

• Parking tickets — written against the registered owner (you).
• Toll violations (TxTag, EZ TAG, TollTag) — escalate to civil judgments and registration holds on your record.
• Red-light and speed-camera tickets — mailed to the registered owner, not the driver.
• Civil suits from accidents. A VTR-346 filing is one-page proof you are not the owner.
• Abandoned vehicle tow and impound charges.

How to file VTR-346 (three options)

Option 1 — Online at txdmv.gov (fastest, free)

Use the TxDMV Sold My Vehicle portal. Emailed confirmation same day. Save the email — it is your proof of filing. Five minutes.

Option 2 — By mail

Request the VTR-346 form through the TxDMV portal, fill it out, and mail to:

TxDMV Vehicle Titles and Registration Division
Attn: Vehicle Transfer Notification
PO Box 26417
Austin, TX 78755-0417

Send certified — the receipt is your proof.

Option 3 — In person at a county tax office

Any county tax assessor-collector office will accept it. Bring ID and the completed form. Get your copy timestamped.

What information you need to file

Have this on hand before you start:

• Vehicle identification number (VIN) — 17 characters
• Texas license plate number
• Vehicle year, make, and body style
• Odometer reading at the time of sale
• Date of sale — the exact date, which should match your bill of sale
• Buyer's full legal name
• Buyer's mailing address — street, city, state, ZIP
• Your (seller's) current mailing address

Every one of these fields is already on our Texas bill of sale. If you used the Texas Bill of Sale wizard, you are just copying information across — no hunting through texts trying to remember the buyer's address.

Common questions

Is VTR-346 the same as Form 130-U?

No. 130-Uis the buyer's title application at the county tax office. VTR-346 is the seller's transfer notification to the TxDMV. Neither replaces the other.

Do I need VTR-346 if I have a bill of sale?

Yes. A bill of sale is evidence of the transaction but does not update the state registration database. VTR-346 is the only filing that changes the ownership record.

Does VTR-346 transfer title?

No. Title transfer happens when the buyer files 130-U. VTR-346 only updates the state's owner-of-record — enough to release you from ownership liability, but not a substitute for a proper title transfer.

What if I sold more than 30 days ago and forgot?

File anyway. The TxDMV does not reject late filings. You just lose the retroactive shield for the gap.

What if the buyer never registers the vehicle?

That is exactly the scenario VTR-346 protects against. Your filing stands on its own regardless of what the buyer does.

What about out-of-state buyers or dealer trade-ins?

File VTR-346 for out-of-state buyers too — it updates Texas records. For a dealer trade-in, the dealer is responsible for filing; verify with them if you are worried.

How our Texas bill of sale fits

Our Texas Bill of Sale wizard produces a document containing every field VTR-346 asks for, pre-formatted and legible. When you sit down to file, you have the VIN, year/make/body, odometer reading, date of sale, and the buyer's full name and address ready to copy — no scrambling through text messages.

Between a timely VTR-346 filing and a signed bill of sale, you have covered essentially every private seller liability scenario in Texas. $9.99 one-time. Start the Texas wizard.

Related reading

• Form 130-U — Application for Texas Title, explained
• How to sell a car privately in Texas — full guide
• California bill of sale (REG 135)
• Florida bill of sale (HSMV 82050)
• FAQ — subscription-free, one-time $9.99

Bottom line

VTR-346 is the single most important thing a Texas seller does after the handshake. File within 30 days, online at txdmv.gov if possible, save the confirmation, and keep your bill of sale with it. Need the bill of sale too? Start the Texas wizard — $9.99, emailed to both parties, every VTR-346 field already captured.