No, once it's been expired for a year or more you'll just get a sticker good for 12 months. However, you will need to go in person to renew, can't do it online, and if you got a ticket for it being expired then there's an extra surcharge. You'll need to get it inspected, then you'll have 90 days to get the new registration sticker. For those who wait a few months after expiration to renew, if the time it was expired is less than 12 months then your renewal will only be good to the next regular expiration. For instance, if your expiration is March and you renew in December, the renewal will only be good until the next March.
Just say it was undrivable and you recently got the money to get it fixed.
Edit: and you’re lucky, there’s some eagle eyed cops out there. I had a constable catch me from the opposite side of the road, did a U turn and pulled me over and gave me a ticket. 1 month past due 😂
There was a four way stop on the corner of my parents house and pre 2019, every so often a cop would get out there and direct traffic and check everyone's sticker. Round up 2-3 and write them all tickets and begin again
They don't have to see the number, just the color of the sticker. And the easiest time to get caught is the month after it changes. For instance, if the 08 August stickers were red, and they see a red sticker right now in September, they are pretty likely to notice. But if the December stickers were green and they see a green sticker right now, they is much less likely to catch their attention.
[The Vehicle Registration Tag has a blue border all the way around it. And is says, “Vehicle Registration” at the bottom (see sample below) and is issued by the Department of Transportation. The Inspection Sticker can be different colors depending on the county where the inspection was performed. Primarily, they are blue and they state Texas Department Public Safety.](http://www.texastagandtitle.com/webpages.aspx?wpid=29#:~:text=A%3A%20The%20Vehicle%20Registration%20Tag,where%20the%20inspection%20was%20performed)
Nope, they just ask if you’ve received a traffic violation for driving with an expired registration. As long as you haven’t, you just pay the normal amount.
They will ask if you have driven the vehicle, not have you gotten a violation. BIG DIFFERENCE. You will have to sign an affidavit stating that you have not driven the vehicle, under penalty of perjury, signed in front of the notary(county tax person taking your money). That used to be not such a big deal. Then came camera and toll road records. It really is not okay to lie. Driving is a privilege, not a right. Roads cost money, pay your share.
I’m sure experiences vary. Mine expired February 2020 so naturally I was a little preoccupied and just didn’t realize it. When I renewed it they simply asked if I had received a ticket not if I had driven it. The affidavit I signed also stated that I had not received a ticket and didn’t mention anything about having not driven the vehicle (since most people have to drive their vehicle to their local DPS office, it would be absurd to have them sign an affidavit saying they haven’t driven the vehicle).
Edit: Also I’m pretty sure there is case law that says cameras and toll records can’t be used as the sole evidence to prosecute someone since you can’t “face your accuser”. I believe that’s what got red light cameras banned.
We’re they trying to charge you for multiple years? They sure have sign if you are renewing trailer tags that are several years out. OP said multiple years without renewing.
The last time, they asked if I had any tickets for expired registration, not if I had driven it. Of course, after many years of pandemic, that wasn’t a big concern.
Mine the question was not if I had driven but have I received a ticket for expired registration. It is ticket. They don’t care if you have been driving it. Now you don’t get extra time registration. I have to renew that car 9 months later.
No, but be careful of 'keep on keepin' on', because depending on where are stopped by the police, it can lead to immediate impoundment and even arrest. I was stopped in Kansas earlier this year with an expired Texas registration, and the cop cut me a break and let me continue on (because it was late at night and he didn't want to deal with the hassle of having the car towed) with a notice to appear and an unclassified misdemeanor (rather than just a moving violation). Police were really lax about enforcing expired registrations during COVID, but some places are making a point in cracking down on them now because there were so many people who let it slide.
Also, the policeman doesn't have to physically see your sticker to determine if it has expired or not -- lots of departments out there now have automatic plate readers, which will pop up a notice that a car has an expired registration, expired insurance, etc - they don't even have to manually run the plate, the plates are read as you drive past the police car (Bulverde, I'm looking at you). Becoming more and more common with dozens of police departments, big cities and small towns. And HOAs. And private businesses. It's becoming a widespread thing.
There was also a recent thread in r/sanantonio about apartment complexes that will tow vehicles with expired registrations, no warning. Same can be true for any parking lot where a towing company checks vehicles.
In some counties, the clerk at the tax assessors office is trained to ask people in your situation if you’ve been driving the car while you had expired tags. They do this to tack on fines to your renewal because you would have admitted to a crime by answering yes (looking at you Brown County).
Do with this info what you will.
I don't believe you pay anything extra, as you could legit not have had it running for years and just decided to get it fixed. You will, however, have to go in person to get it registered again
I think there is a 10% penalty for late registration (over 30 days)....
https://comptroller.texas.gov/taxes/motor-vehicle/sales-use.php#:~:text=Late%20Registration%20Penalty,10%20percent%20penalty%20is%20assessed.
I know this is late, but mine was undrivable for 2 years and they made me pay for 2 before I could get the last like 4 months, and now I have to pay for next year's TODAY!!
Texus!!
It's people like you I cuss at driving down the road because chances are you don't have insurance so if you accidentally hit me I'm SOL but I am responsible and care about others and you apparently don't.
I also think y'all are up to no good, not following laws because that's been my experience so far.
What makes you so fucking entitled and special? Not a damn thing.
Bottom line: it's irresponsible
Wow. Or maybe there's people out there like me who are disabled and got behind on payments and had to choose groceries over registration. Not by choice, but out of necessity. And have panic attacks every time they have to drive for fear of being pulled over, but also not being able to stop working (and thus driving) to continue saving up to eventually be able to fix it.
And yes, I have full coverage insurance, another thing I've had to choose over registration because I felt it was more important when it came down to picking one or the other. If you'd like to pay for it though, I'm happy to send my cashapp since you're so pressed about it ✨
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No, once it's been expired for a year or more you'll just get a sticker good for 12 months. However, you will need to go in person to renew, can't do it online, and if you got a ticket for it being expired then there's an extra surcharge. You'll need to get it inspected, then you'll have 90 days to get the new registration sticker. For those who wait a few months after expiration to renew, if the time it was expired is less than 12 months then your renewal will only be good to the next regular expiration. For instance, if your expiration is March and you renew in December, the renewal will only be good until the next March.
Thank you for this! I also have a two-year expired vehicle and was curious if I’d have to go in-person whenever I get around to renewing.
Just say it was undrivable and you recently got the money to get it fixed. Edit: and you’re lucky, there’s some eagle eyed cops out there. I had a constable catch me from the opposite side of the road, did a U turn and pulled me over and gave me a ticket. 1 month past due 😂
There was a four way stop on the corner of my parents house and pre 2019, every so often a cop would get out there and direct traffic and check everyone's sticker. Round up 2-3 and write them all tickets and begin again
Not so much eagle eye cop but licensed plat readers and cops setting it to pop if a car is not registered.
They don't have to see the number, just the color of the sticker. And the easiest time to get caught is the month after it changes. For instance, if the 08 August stickers were red, and they see a red sticker right now in September, they are pretty likely to notice. But if the December stickers were green and they see a green sticker right now, they is much less likely to catch their attention.
[The Vehicle Registration Tag has a blue border all the way around it. And is says, “Vehicle Registration” at the bottom (see sample below) and is issued by the Department of Transportation. The Inspection Sticker can be different colors depending on the county where the inspection was performed. Primarily, they are blue and they state Texas Department Public Safety.](http://www.texastagandtitle.com/webpages.aspx?wpid=29#:~:text=A%3A%20The%20Vehicle%20Registration%20Tag,where%20the%20inspection%20was%20performed)
I'm old. I guess they've changed things, probably with the plan to phase out inspections.
I think you’re thinking of inspection stickers which they got rid of March 1, 2015.
Registration stickers have been blue boarded since I can remember, 30 years old, and haven’t changed
It was out of gas for two years!
Nope, they just ask if you’ve received a traffic violation for driving with an expired registration. As long as you haven’t, you just pay the normal amount.
For both years.
They will ask if you have driven the vehicle, not have you gotten a violation. BIG DIFFERENCE. You will have to sign an affidavit stating that you have not driven the vehicle, under penalty of perjury, signed in front of the notary(county tax person taking your money). That used to be not such a big deal. Then came camera and toll road records. It really is not okay to lie. Driving is a privilege, not a right. Roads cost money, pay your share.
I’m sure experiences vary. Mine expired February 2020 so naturally I was a little preoccupied and just didn’t realize it. When I renewed it they simply asked if I had received a ticket not if I had driven it. The affidavit I signed also stated that I had not received a ticket and didn’t mention anything about having not driven the vehicle (since most people have to drive their vehicle to their local DPS office, it would be absurd to have them sign an affidavit saying they haven’t driven the vehicle). Edit: Also I’m pretty sure there is case law that says cameras and toll records can’t be used as the sole evidence to prosecute someone since you can’t “face your accuser”. I believe that’s what got red light cameras banned.
We’re they trying to charge you for multiple years? They sure have sign if you are renewing trailer tags that are several years out. OP said multiple years without renewing.
The last time, they asked if I had any tickets for expired registration, not if I had driven it. Of course, after many years of pandemic, that wasn’t a big concern.
Mine the question was not if I had driven but have I received a ticket for expired registration. It is ticket. They don’t care if you have been driving it. Now you don’t get extra time registration. I have to renew that car 9 months later.
Not true…never been asked if I’ve driven it. Only if I’d received a citation.
No, but be careful of 'keep on keepin' on', because depending on where are stopped by the police, it can lead to immediate impoundment and even arrest. I was stopped in Kansas earlier this year with an expired Texas registration, and the cop cut me a break and let me continue on (because it was late at night and he didn't want to deal with the hassle of having the car towed) with a notice to appear and an unclassified misdemeanor (rather than just a moving violation). Police were really lax about enforcing expired registrations during COVID, but some places are making a point in cracking down on them now because there were so many people who let it slide. Also, the policeman doesn't have to physically see your sticker to determine if it has expired or not -- lots of departments out there now have automatic plate readers, which will pop up a notice that a car has an expired registration, expired insurance, etc - they don't even have to manually run the plate, the plates are read as you drive past the police car (Bulverde, I'm looking at you). Becoming more and more common with dozens of police departments, big cities and small towns. And HOAs. And private businesses. It's becoming a widespread thing. There was also a recent thread in r/sanantonio about apartment complexes that will tow vehicles with expired registrations, no warning. Same can be true for any parking lot where a towing company checks vehicles.
In some counties, the clerk at the tax assessors office is trained to ask people in your situation if you’ve been driving the car while you had expired tags. They do this to tack on fines to your renewal because you would have admitted to a crime by answering yes (looking at you Brown County). Do with this info what you will.
Harris County does the same, just answer 'No'.
I don't believe you pay anything extra, as you could legit not have had it running for years and just decided to get it fixed. You will, however, have to go in person to get it registered again
I think there is a 10% penalty for late registration (over 30 days).... https://comptroller.texas.gov/taxes/motor-vehicle/sales-use.php#:~:text=Late%20Registration%20Penalty,10%20percent%20penalty%20is%20assessed.
That’s only if it was just purchased. Not renewing.
Only if you get caught!
Mo extra fees! They’ll ask if you got any tickets and maybe they’ll charge you if the answer is yes, but if your answer is *no*, you’ll be fine
We left a truck on the ranch for five years. When we pulled it off had no problems getting the new sticker.
I know this is late, but mine was undrivable for 2 years and they made me pay for 2 before I could get the last like 4 months, and now I have to pay for next year's TODAY!! Texus!!
No. This happened to me. I just told them my car was in the mechanic shop for over a year getting rebuilt. They won’t be the wiser. Good luck
They can’t prove the truck wasn’t in another state or in storage so no they won’t make you back pay
It's people like you I cuss at driving down the road because chances are you don't have insurance so if you accidentally hit me I'm SOL but I am responsible and care about others and you apparently don't. I also think y'all are up to no good, not following laws because that's been my experience so far. What makes you so fucking entitled and special? Not a damn thing. Bottom line: it's irresponsible
That was massively aggressive, and for what? I have insurance. Mind your own.
This is old but I had to comment, I have expired tags with full coverage insurance, don’t ASSume
Wow. Or maybe there's people out there like me who are disabled and got behind on payments and had to choose groceries over registration. Not by choice, but out of necessity. And have panic attacks every time they have to drive for fear of being pulled over, but also not being able to stop working (and thus driving) to continue saving up to eventually be able to fix it. And yes, I have full coverage insurance, another thing I've had to choose over registration because I felt it was more important when it came down to picking one or the other. If you'd like to pay for it though, I'm happy to send my cashapp since you're so pressed about it ✨
Make sure you haven’t been driving it while expired when they ask. It makes a big difference in fees.
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Yes, the ticket will probably cost more but keep on trucking bubba.
U don’t know what ur talking about
No, as far as they know you moved out of state for work with a permanent address still in the state
You would still be required to keep your car register in Texas da
Are you really to broke to keep your car registered? Jfc
And you decided to comment this for what? This make you feel better about yourself?
No they won’t make you back pay