VTR-346 — the seller's notice that the car is no longer yours.
When you sell or give away a car in Texas, the title stays in your name until the new owner files their title application. VTR-346, the Texas Motor Vehicle Transfer Notification, is how you tell TxDMV in the meantime. Submit it within 30 days of the transfer "to help protect yourself from liability for criminal or civil acts involving the vehicle and the person(s) or entity taking ownership." It takes a few minutes, online or by mail. What it doesn't do is transfer the title. Here is what the form says.
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Quick Answer
- What is Texas Form VTR-346?
- The Texas Motor Vehicle Transfer Notification (Rev 09/23), which the seller (the transferor) files with TxDMV after selling, gifting or donating a vehicle. It marks the motor vehicle record to show the vehicle has been transferred, to help protect the seller from liability for criminal or civil acts involving the vehicle and the new owner.
- How long do I have to file a vehicle transfer notification in Texas?
- The form says to submit it within 30 days of the date of transfer to help protect yourself. TxDMV will still note your record if you file after 30 days.
- Does VTR-346 transfer the title to the buyer?
- No. The form says so: submitting it does not transfer ownership. The new owner must file a title application at the county tax assessor-collector's office to record themselves as owner. Until a new title issues, the Texas title record shows the existing owner.
Four steps for the seller
The notification is the seller's job; the title transfer is the buyer's.
- 1Note the platesFor cars up to 6,000 lb and light trucks up to 10,000 lb, the form asks whether you kept them.
- 2Gather the buyer's detailsFull name, address and phone: the new owner fields are required.
- 3File the VTNOnline at TxDMV.gov/VTN or by mail, within 30 days. Not both.
- 4The buyer titles itAt the county tax office, on Form 130-U. Until then the title record stays in your name.
What a Vehicle Transfer Notification Does
In Texas the title record follows the paperwork, not the car. After you sign the title over, "the Texas title record will reflect the name of the existing owner(s)" until the new owner applies for a title in their name. If they never do, or take months, tickets, tolls or worse can come back to you. VTR-346 is the protection: "When you submit this form, the motor vehicle record will be marked to show the vehicle has been transferred."
It's deliberately limited. "Submission of this form does not transfer ownership," the form says, and the certification spells out what the seller acknowledges: that TxDMV will note the transfer on the record, "and under Texas law, the vehicle will remain in my name until the new owner(s) transfers the title into their name." The buyer's half of the job, filing Form 130-U at the county, is separate.
VTR-346 Field by Field
From TxDMV Form VTR-346, Rev 09/23, read on 21 October 2026. Required fields are marked with an asterisk on the form.
| Section | What it asks | Required |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle | VIN, year, make, body style, model, title or document number, Texas plate number | VIN, year, make and plate |
| Transfer | Date of transfer; did you keep your plates? | The date |
| Transferor (you) | Name as shown on the Texas title, address, phone, email | Name, address and phone |
| New owner | Name or entity name, any additional owner, address, phone, email | Name, address and phone |
| Certification | Signature, printed name, date | All three |
The plates question applies to cars of 6,000 lb or less and light trucks of 10,000 lb or less. Leaving required fields blank may stop the record being marked and get the form returned.
VTR-346 at a Glance
The deadline, how to file and what it does, on one card.
From TxDMV Form VTR-346 (Rev 09/23), read on the date shown.
Filing Online or by Mail
The form points sellers to the online version first: "You may submit a Vehicle Transfer Notification online at https://www.TxDMV.gov/VTN to expedite processing." That address takes you to TxDMV's public vehicle transfer search. Or mail the completed form to TxDMV Vehicle Titles and Registration Division, PO Box 26417, Austin, TX 78755-0417. TxDMV asks you not to do both.
Filing late still helps, just less: "the department will still notate your record if submitted after the 30 days." The certification on the paper form warns that state law makes falsifying information a third-degree felony, so the buyer's details need to be the real ones, from the sale.
Two ways to file
- Online: TxDMV.gov/VTN, the faster route.
- By mail: PO Box 26417, Austin, TX 78755-0417.
- Not both: TxDMV asks you to choose one.
- Late: still noted after 30 days.
Bought a Car Whose Seller Already Filed a VTN?
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VTR-346 Mistakes to Avoid
The form's instructions name most of them.
Missing required fields
Leaving asterisked fields blank may stop the record being marked and get the form sent back.
Your name as on the title
The transferor's name should match how it appears on the Texas title.
Filing twice
Online and by mail for the same sale is exactly what TxDMV asks you not to do.
Waiting past 30 days
It's still accepted, but the protection the form describes is tied to filing within 30 days.
Thinking it's a title transfer
It isn't. The car stays in your name until the buyer titles it.
Skipping the plates question
For cars and light trucks the form asks whether you kept your plates. Answer it.
Seller's VTN or Buyer's Title Application
Two filings, two people, one sale.
VTR-346 (seller)
- Within 30 days of the transfer.
- Online or by mail to TxDMV.
- Marks the record as transferred.
- Doesn't change who owns it on paper.
Form 130-U (buyer)
- Within 30 days of the sale.
- At a county tax assessor-collector's office.
- Issues the title in the buyer's name.
- Comes with tax, fees and penalties if late.
Both protect someone: the VTN protects the seller, the title application makes the buyer the legal owner.
Related Checks and Guides
The other Texas and California DMV form guides, and the Texas pages for the rest of the sale.
Where These Facts Come From
From TxDMV Form VTR-346, read on 21 October 2026. TxDMV's online VTN address redirects to its public vehicle transfer search.
CarCheckerVIN is not affiliated with the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles and does not file transfer notifications. This page is general information, not legal advice.
VTR-346 — Frequently Asked Questions
What Texas sellers ask most.
Is the Texas VTN the same as a release of liability?+
It's Texas's version of one: VTR-346 marks the record to show the vehicle was transferred, which the form says helps protect you from liability for criminal or civil acts involving the vehicle and its new owner if you submit it within 30 days.
Can I file VTR-346 online?+
Yes. The form says you may submit a Vehicle Transfer Notification online at TxDMV.gov/VTN to expedite processing, and asks you not to also mail it.
What if I don't know the buyer's address?+
The new owner's name, address and phone are required fields. Get them at the sale; a form missing required information may not mark the record and may be returned.
Do I file a VTN if I gave the car away?+
Yes. The transferor section covers transferring the vehicle "by sale, gift, donation, etc.".
Does filing a VTN mean the car isn't in my name anymore?+
No. Under Texas law, the form's certification says, the vehicle remains in your name until the new owner transfers the title into theirs. The VTN only notes the transfer on the record.
Is there a fee for the Texas vehicle transfer notification?+
The form lists no fee; it asks for the vehicle, transfer, seller and buyer details and your signature.
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CarCheckerVIN is an independent vehicle-history service and is not affiliated with the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles. This guide summarizes TxDMV's published Form VTR-346 and is not legal advice. Records in our reports reflect what was reported to our data providers. Our reports do not include police or repair-shop accident entries.
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