Texas title guide
Selling a junk car without a title in Texas
The short answer
In Texas, you'll usually need the title to sell or scrap a car. If it's lost, apply for a duplicate from the Texas DMV (TxDMV) before you book a pickup.
First published November 4, 2026. Rules checked against official Texas sources on and reviewed by Paola Reniery, Operations Manager (see the sources).
What does Texas ask of sellers?
In Texas, a replacement title (form VTR-34) costs $2 by mail or $5.45 in person, and you file the Vehicle Transfer Notification within 30 days from the date of sale. Each card links to the official page it came from.
- Replacing a lost title
- Form VTR-34, Application for a Certified Copy of Title. Fee: $2 by mail or $5.45 in person.
- Official source
- License plates
- The seller may remove the plates and then transfer them to another vehicle, keep them for later, or deface and dispose of them.
- Official source
What do you do if you have the title?
Sign and print your name where the seller signs, fill in the odometer reading if there's a space for it, and leave the buyer section blank. If your title has a notary section, the signatures have to be notarized. If it doesn't, you sign in front of the driver at pickup. Don't sign the title until the driver is there and you've agreed the price.
What if the title is lost or damaged?
Texas replacement titles come from the Texas DMV (TxDMV), using form VTR-34 (Application for a Certified Copy of Title), for a fee of $2 by mail or $5.45 in person. You'll need the VIN, which is on the dashboard by the windshield, on the driver's door jamb and on your registration. If you're in a hurry, tell our buyer partner when it contacts you: it can buy some cars without a title, so ask whether that works for your car in Texas.
For the full walkthrough, including the states that exempt older cars and what to avoid, read how to sell a junk car without a title.
What if there's a loan, or the owner has died?
If a lender is still listed on the title, you'll need its lien release, or the loan gets paid off as part of the sale. If the owner has died, only someone with legal authority, usually the executor, can sell the car, and the Texas DMV (TxDMV) can tell you which estate papers Texas accepts.
What do you do after the sale?
- Report the sale to Texas (Vehicle Transfer Notification, within 30 days from the date of sale), so tickets and tolls for the car stop coming to you.
- Plates: The seller may remove the plates and then transfer them to another vehicle, keep them for later, or deface and dispose of them.
- Keep a photo of the signed title, and cancel the insurance once the car has been picked up.
Title rules change, so confirm them with the Texas DMV (TxDMV) before you sell; this page is general information, not legal advice.
Can you junk a car without a title in Texas?
Usually not. In Texas you'll normally need the title or a duplicate from the Texas DMV (TxDMV). Our buyer partner can buy some cars without a title, so ask whether that works for yours in Texas when you get your offer.
How do I get a duplicate title in Texas?
Apply to the Texas DMV (TxDMV) with form VTR-34 (Application for a Certified Copy of Title), and have a photo ID and the VIN ready. The fee is $2 by mail or $5.45 in person, according to the agency.
Can I sell a car in Texas with just a bill of sale?
A bill of sale on its own usually isn't proof of ownership for a titled vehicle. It's a useful record of the sale, but buyers will normally want the title or a duplicate.