VTR-271 — letting someone else handle your Texas car title.
VTR-271 is TxDMV's Limited Power of Attorney for Eligible Motor Vehicle Transactions. Sign it, and the person you name, the grantee, gets "full power and authority to perform every act necessary and proper to purchase, transfer, and assign the legal title" to the vehicle described, on your behalf, and can hand that authority on to someone else. It's a one-page form with strict rules: original signatures, blue or black ink, no alterations. And for a vehicle subject to federal odometer disclosure, the form itself points you to a different, secure one. Here is what VTR-271 says.
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Quick Answer
- What is Texas Form VTR-271?
- TxDMV's Limited Power of Attorney for Eligible Motor Vehicle Transactions (Rev 11/20). The vehicle owner (the grantor) appoints a grantee to purchase, transfer and assign the legal title to one described vehicle on their behalf, with full power of substitution. All sections must be completed, with original signatures in black or blue ink and no alterations.
- When can't VTR-271 be used?
- The form names two limits. It can't be used in a dealer transaction to complete a title assignment on a vehicle subject to federal odometer disclosure. And, in compliance with federal law, the secure Power of Attorney for Transfer of Ownership to a Motor Vehicle (Form VTR-271-A) must be used whenever a power of attorney is permitted for a vehicle subject to federal odometer disclosure.
- Does VTR-271 need photo ID?
- If the power of attorney is used to apply for title, initial registration or a certified copy of title, both the grantor (who signs the VTR-271) and the grantee (who signs the application) must include a photocopy of their photo ID, as state law requires.
Four checks before anyone signs
A rejected power of attorney stops the whole title transaction.
- 1Describe the vehicleVIN, year, make, body style, model, plate and title number if known.
- 2Name both partiesThe grantor (owner) and the grantee, with county and state for each.
- 3Check the odometer ruleA vehicle subject to federal odometer disclosure needs the secure VTR-271-A.
- 4Sign it cleanlyOriginal signature, blue or black ink, no alterations, plus ID copies where required.
What VTR-271 Gives the Grantee
The form's own words are broad. A completed, signed VTR-271 "grants the grantee, with full power of substitution, full power and authority to perform every act necessary and proper to purchase, transfer, and assign the legal title to the motor vehicle described on behalf of the grantor." In the certification, the owner appoints the grantee, "or anyone the grantee may substitute", as "my true and lawful attorney, for me and in my name, place, and stead to title".
"Full power of substitution" is defined on the form too: whoever is given the power of attorney "may delegate that power by putting another person in his or her place by a substitute power of attorney." That's useful when the grantee is, say, a title service that will send someone to the county office. It also means the authority can travel further than you might expect, so name a grantee you trust and describe the vehicle precisely.
VTR-271 Section by Section
From TxDMV Form VTR-271, Rev 11/20, read on 21 October 2026.
| Section | What goes in it | Watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle information | VIN, year, make, body style, model, license plate state and number, title or document number | Leave the title number blank if you don't know it |
| Grantor information | The owner's name (or entity name), address, city, county, state, ZIP | The person giving the power |
| Grantee information | The appointed person's name (or entity name) and address | The person receiving the power |
| Certification | The appointment, the grantor's signature, printed name and date | Falsifying information is a third-degree felony |
All sections must be properly completed for the document to be accepted. Original signatures in black or blue ink; no alterations.
VTR-271 at a Glance
What the form allows, what it requires, and the one transaction it can't cover, on one card.
From TxDMV Form VTR-271 (Rev 11/20), read on the date shown.
Why Odometer-Disclosure Vehicles Need VTR-271-A
Federal odometer law requires the mileage to be disclosed on transfer, and it tightly limits how a power of attorney can be used to do that. VTR-271 says it outright: "This power of attorney cannot be used in a dealer transaction to complete a title assignment on a motor vehicle subject to federal odometer disclosure." And more broadly, "in compliance with federal law, the secure Power of Attorney for Transfer of Ownership to a Motor Vehicle (Form VTR-271-A) must be used when use of a power of attorney is permitted by the applicable regulations for a vehicle subject to federal odometer disclosure."
Which vehicles are subject to odometer disclosure? TxDMV's salvage manual describes the federal rule: model year 2011 and newer vehicles stay subject to disclosure until they are 20 years old, model year 2010 and older vehicles remain exempt under the previous 10-year rule, and so do vehicles with a gross vehicle weight over 16,000 lb. Put together: for a model year 2011 or newer car or light truck, the odometer rule applies, and the form sends you to VTR-271-A.
Which form
- Exempt from disclosure: VTR-271.
- Subject to disclosure: VTR-271-A, where a POA is allowed.
- Model year 2011+: subject to disclosure until 20 years old.
- Applying for title: photo ID copies for both.
Buying From Someone Acting Under a Power of Attorney?
The paperwork can be perfectly in order and the car still have a history. Enter the VIN for a free preview of the title brands and junk and salvage records on file.
Mistakes That Get VTR-271 Rejected
Each one comes from the form's own instructions.
A blank section
All sections must be properly completed for the document to be accepted.
A copied signature
Original signatures are required. A scan or photocopy of the grantor's signature won't do.
The wrong ink
Only black or blue ink is acceptable.
Any alteration
No alterations are allowed on the form. Start a fresh one instead of correcting it.
No ID copies
When it's used to apply for title, initial registration or a certified copy, both parties include a photocopy of photo ID.
The wrong form for the car
A vehicle subject to federal odometer disclosure needs the secure VTR-271-A.
VTR-271 or VTR-271-A
Two Texas powers of attorney for vehicles. The odometer rule decides.
VTR-271
- Limited power of attorney for eligible vehicle transactions.
- Downloadable from TxDMV.
- Full power of substitution.
- Not for a dealer's title assignment on an odometer-disclosure vehicle.
VTR-271-A
- Secure power of attorney for transfer of ownership.
- The one federal law requires for odometer-disclosure vehicles.
- Used only where the regulations permit a power of attorney.
- Named on VTR-271 itself as the form to use instead.
If you're not sure which applies, ask the county tax office or the dealer before anyone signs.
Related Checks and Guides
The other Texas and California DMV form guides, and the Texas title pages they connect to.
Where These Facts Come From
From TxDMV Form VTR-271 and, for which vehicles are subject to odometer disclosure, TxDMV's Salvage/Nonrepairable Motor Vehicle Manual, read on 21 October 2026. Get the current form from TxDMV before you sign.
CarCheckerVIN is not affiliated with the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles and does not prepare powers of attorney. This page is general information, not legal advice.
VTR-271 — Frequently Asked Questions
What Texas owners and buyers ask most.
Does VTR-271 need to be notarized?+
The form has no notary section. It requires original signatures in black or blue ink and no alterations, and, when used to apply for title, initial registration or a certified copy of title, photocopies of both parties' photo IDs.
Can I use VTR-271 to sell my car to a dealer?+
Not to complete the title assignment if the vehicle is subject to federal odometer disclosure. The form says it can't be used that way, and that such a vehicle needs the secure VTR-271-A where a power of attorney is permitted.
What does full power of substitution mean on VTR-271?+
That the person you give the power of attorney to can delegate it by putting someone else in their place with a substitute power of attorney.
Can VTR-271 be used to get a certified copy of a lost title?+
VTR-271 contemplates it: the form says that when a power of attorney is used to apply for title, initial registration or a certified copy of title, both the grantor and the grantee must include a photocopy of their photo ID.
Does one VTR-271 cover all my vehicles?+
The form has one vehicle information section and describes "the motor vehicle described", so it covers the vehicle you list on it.
What happens if information on VTR-271 is false?+
The certification warns that state law makes falsifying information a third-degree felony.
Check the VIN Before the Paperwork Is Signed
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. This guide summarizes TxDMV's published Form VTR-271 and manual 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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