VTR-275 — ordering a Texas title history from TxDMV.
Texas will sell you the official title history of a vehicle for $5.75, or a registration verification for $2.30, but not just to anyone. Vehicle records carry personal information that the federal and Texas Driver Privacy Protection Acts restrict, so form VTR-275 asks who you are, includes a copy of your photo ID, and, unless you're the owner, the lienholder or have the owner's written authorization, makes you initial one specific permitted use. TxDMV takes it by mail or at a Regional Service Center, never by email. Here's what each record costs and who qualifies.
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Quick Answer
- What is form VTR-275?
- TxDMV's Request for Texas Motor Vehicle Information (Rev. 8/2018). You use it to order a vehicle's title history, a certified title history, a title and registration verification, a certified verification for court, a duplicate registration receipt, or other motor vehicle records. TxDMV's open-records page also points to it for a list of the vehicles in your own name.
- How much is a Texas title history?
- $5.75 for a title history and $6.75 for a certified title history, per VTR-275. Pay by personal check, money order or cashier's check payable to TxDMV. Fees aren't refundable, and for requests without a listed fee TxDMV contacts you with the cost.
- Can anyone get a Texas title history?
- Not with personal information. If you aren't the recorded owner or lienholder, you need the owner's (or lienholder's, or previous owner's) written authorization, or you must initial one of the permitted uses on page 2, such as a government agency's functions, a court proceeding, insurance, or vehicle safety, theft or recall work. Personal information obtained can't be used for marketing, solicitation or surveys.
Four steps through a VTR-275
Two pages: who you are and what you want, then why you're allowed to have it.
- 1Applicant and IDYour name, address, contact details and a government photo ID, with a photocopy attached.
- 2Search informationTexas plate, year, make, VIN and title document number for the vehicle.
- 3Pick the recordTitle history $5.75, certified $6.75, verification $2.30, or "Other".
- 4Certify and qualifyOwner, lienholder, written authorization, or a permitted use initialed on page 2, then sign.
What a VTR-275 Costs
The records and fees printed on VTR-275 (Rev. 8/2018), read on 28 October 2026.
| Record | Fee |
|---|---|
| Title history | $5.75 |
| Certified title history | $6.75 |
| Title and registration verification of a vehicle record (current or expired) | $2.30 |
| Certified title and registration verification, for court use | $3.30 |
| Duplicate registration receipt for the current registration period | $2 |
| Other (for example, a list of vehicles in your name) | TxDMV contacts you with the cost |
Pay by personal check, money order or cashier's check payable to TxDMV. Don't mail cash. Fees aren't refundable.
What's on the VTR-275
Page 1 opens with the reason for the form: the Driver Privacy Protection Act restricts access to personal information on vehicle title and registration records, so your signature and a copy of your current government-issued photo ID are required to certify that your statements are true. Applicant Information takes your name, any business name, address, email, phone, and the ID's issuing entity, type, number and expiry. Search Information takes the Texas plate, year, make, VIN and title document number.
The Records Request section lists the five priced records shown above, plus "Other", where you attach documentation explaining the request and TxDMV contacts you with a fee based on the effort involved. Then comes the certification. You certify that the information is for a lawful and legitimate purpose under 18 U.S. Code §§ 2721–2725 and Texas Transportation Code Chapter 730, that it won't be used for marketing, solicitation or surveys, and that you haven't been convicted of violating either privacy act. The form warns that falsifying information is a third-degree felony and that violators can be prosecuted under Transportation Code § 730.013 and Penal Code § 37.10.
Page 2 is the Permitted Use. You choose one basis: you're the current recorded owner or lienholder; you attach written authorization from the recorded owner, lienholder or previous owner; or you initial one specific permitted use. These include government functions (including courts and law enforcement), work on behalf of a government agency, vehicle safety, theft, emissions, recalls and market research, legitimate businesses verifying information an individual gave them, legal proceedings, research that won't be published, and insurers. Several require proof, such as evidence of a legal proceeding or of employment in a research occupation.
VTR-275 at a Glance
The fees, who qualifies and how to submit, on one card.
From TxDMV form VTR-275 (Rev. 8/2018) and TxDMV's open-records page, read on 28 October 2026.
How to Submit It
Mail the signed form, a copy of your photo ID, any written authorization or supporting documents, and payment to the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles, Vehicle Titles and Registration Division, Austin, TX 78779-0001. Or take it to a TxDMV Regional Service Center. TxDMV's open-records page adds three rules: VTR-275s can't be submitted by email, a request for a list of the vehicles in your name must go by U.S. mail, and for that list you select "Other" in the records section.
The same page draws a line between this form and a public information request. Title histories, vehicle registration information and lists of your vehicles go through VTR-275. Other public information goes through TxDMV's Public Information Request Center or the Office of General Counsel.
Before you mail it
- Photo ID copy: current and government-issued, or the request isn't complete.
- Not the owner? attach written authorization or initial one permitted use.
- Payment: check, money order or cashier's check to TxDMV, no cash.
- No email: mail or a Regional Service Center only.
Need the Story, Not the Owner's Name?
A VIN check needs no permitted use or photo ID. Enter the VIN for a free preview of the title brands, salvage records and odometer readings on file.
Common Reasons People Use a VTR-275
Matched to the records and permitted uses on the form.
Your own car's title history
As the recorded owner: $5.75, or $6.75 certified.
A court case
Certified verification for court use, $3.30, with proof of the proceeding.
A lost registration receipt
Duplicate for the current period, $2.
Every vehicle in your name
Select "Other"; mail only; TxDMV quotes the cost.
Government work
An agency, or someone acting for one, carrying out its functions.
Insurance
Insurers and their agents, under the insurance permitted use.
VTR-275 Title History vs. a VIN History Report
Two different records, for different people.
VTR-275 from TxDMV
- The state's own title and registration record.
- Restricted: owner, lienholder, authorization or a permitted use.
- Photo ID and a signed certification.
- Texas records only; by mail or in person.
A VIN history report
- Title brands, salvage, odometer and auction records across states.
- No owner names or personal information.
- No permitted use or ID needed.
- Free preview online, in seconds.
A report tells you about the car; a VTR-275 can tell you about its Texas title record.
Related Checks and Guides
The other DMV form guides, and the Texas pages they connect to.
Where These Facts Come From
From the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles, read on 28 October 2026.
CarCheckerVIN is not affiliated with the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles. This page is general information, not legal advice.
VTR-275 — Frequently Asked Questions
What Texas owners and buyers ask most.
How do I get a title history in Texas?+
Complete VTR-275, attach a copy of your government photo ID, and mail it with $5.75 (or $6.75 for a certified copy) to TxDMV, Vehicle Titles and Registration Division, Austin, TX 78779-0001, or take it to a Regional Service Center. If you're not the owner or lienholder, include written authorization or initial a permitted use.
Can I email the VTR-275?+
No. TxDMV's open-records page says VTR-275s can't be submitted by email. Use U.S. mail or a Regional Service Center.
Can I find out who owns a car in Texas with a VTR-275?+
Only if you qualify. Owner names and addresses are personal information under the Driver Privacy Protection Acts, so you must be the owner or lienholder, have written authorization, or initial a permitted use, and certify it won't be used for marketing or solicitation.
How do I get a list of all the vehicles in my name in Texas?+
On VTR-275, select "Other" in the records section. TxDMV's open-records page says that request must be submitted by U.S. mail, and TxDMV contacts you with the cost.
Are VTR-275 fees refundable?+
No. The form says fees aren't refundable. Pay by personal check, money order or cashier's check payable to TxDMV.
What happens if I lie on a VTR-275?+
The form warns that falsifying information is a third-degree felony under state law, and that violators can be prosecuted under Transportation Code § 730.013 and Penal Code § 37.10.
Check Any VIN, No Permitted Use Needed
Enter any 17-character VIN for a free preview. The full report lists title brands, NMVTIS junk and salvage records, insurance total-loss records, odometer readings, and auction records with the damage the auction recorded and its photos.
CarCheckerVIN is an independent vehicle-history service and is not affiliated with the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles. Our reports don't include owner names or personal information. This guide summarizes VTR-275 and TxDMV's open-records page 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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