Texas law<\/a>, operating a vehicle with expired registration beyond the grace period is a traffic violation under Texas Transportation Code Section 502.407. Drivers can face fines of up to $200. County tax assessor-collectors may also charge a late penalty when you renew.<\/p>\nArticle continues below this ad<\/p>\n
In some cases, law enforcement officers can tow vehicles with significantly expired registration or when other violations are involved.<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s what to know about expired tags in Texas, including the grace period, penalties and how to renew quickly.<\/p>\n
How long can you drive with expired registration in Texas?<\/p>\n
Texas gives drivers a five-working-day grace period after the registration expiration date. During that time, law enforcement generally will not issue a citation solely for expired registration, according to the Travis County Tax Office.<\/p>\n
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After five working days, you can be ticketed.<\/p>\n
If you renew your registration online at Texas.gov or through the Texas by Texas (TxT) system, you\u2019ll receive a receipt that allows you to legally drive for 31 days while waiting for your new sticker in the mail. Keep the receipt in your vehicle in case you\u2019re stopped by police.<\/p>\n
What is the fine for expired registration in Texas?<\/p>\n
Driving with expired registration in Texas can result in:<\/p>\n
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A fine of up to $200
\nA 20% late penalty added to your registration fee
\nPossible towing in certain situations<\/p>\n
If cited, you\u2019ll also need to pay your regular registration renewal costs.<\/p>\n
How to renew expired registration in Texas immediately<\/p>\n
If your registration has expired and you want your sticker right away, you can renew in person.<\/p>\n
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Your registration renewal notice from the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (TxDMV)
\nProof of current vehicle inspection or emissions test (if required)
\nProof of insurance that meets Texas minimum requirements<\/p>\n
Your county tax assessor-collector\u2019s office
\nParticipating retailers, including some grocery stores
\nAAA offices (where available)
\nIf eligible, you can also renew online through Texas.gov or TxT.<\/p>\n
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I got a ticket for expired tags in Texas. What should I do?<\/p>\n
If you\u2019re pulled over for expired tags and it\u2019s been more than five working days since your registration expired, you\u2019ve committed an offense under Texas Transportation Code 502.407.<\/p>\n
Renew your registration immediately at your local tax office.
\nPay the 20% late penalty, if applicable.
\nBring proof of insurance and any required inspection documentation.<\/p>\n
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Acting quickly may help reduce additional penalties.<\/p>\n
Can you get an expired registration ticket dismissed in Texas?<\/p>\n
Yes. Many Texas courts offer a compliance dismissal if you correct the issue before your court date.<\/p>\n
To qualify, you typically must:<\/p>\n
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Renew your registration and pay the 20% late penalty
\nPay a court administrative fee (often about $20)
\nProvide proof of renewal to the court before your scheduled appearance<\/p>\n
Dismissal policies can vary by court, so check with your local municipal or justice court for specific requirements.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"According to state law, driving with an expired registration beyond the grace period constitutes a traffic violation under…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":179541,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[27,29,28],"class_list":["post-274336","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-texas","tag-texas","tag-texas-headlines","tag-texas-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/274336","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=274336"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/274336\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/179541"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=274336"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=274336"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=274336"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}