Sell my car in Texas.
North Texas hail damage, Gulf Coast flood surge, a blown engine, a heavy work truck, or a lost title? Get one firm written offer in minutes, free towing, and payment by check at pickup. We confirm pickup for your ZIP code when you request your offer.
Free towing One firm written offer Paid by check at pickup
Skip the repair bill
Whatever shape your car is in, we buy it as-is.
You don’t need to spend thousands fixing an old vehicle or paying a mechanic just to clear it from your property.
Won’t start or blown engine
Cracked engine blocks, blown head gaskets, failed transmissions, or a car that has been sitting disabled for years.
Hail damage
Dent clusters, shattered windshields, or an insurance total loss after a hailstorm.
Flood or storm damage
Water-damaged electronics, flooded floorboards, or coastal salt corrosion after a storm.
Trucks and SUVs
High-mileage F-150s, Silverados, Rams and large SUVs with frame wear, engine knock or heavy miles. Tell us about the truck when you request your offer.
Sun-baked body & failed AC
Peeling clear coat, oxidized paint, baked interiors, or a seized air conditioning compressor.
Missing title or active lien
Lost paper title or a loan still open? Texas has set procedures for a replacement title and for liens, explained below.
Texas paperwork
How to sell your car in Texas, in order.
These steps follow the seller list on the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (TxDMV) page for buying or selling a vehicle. Tell us about your title when you request your offer, and we will explain what applies to your car.
- 01
Sign the title with the date of sale and odometer reading
TxDMV lists a properly signed title, including the date of sale and the odometer reading, as the first thing the seller provides. Do not alter or cross out anything on it. If something is wrong, ask TxDMV or your county tax office before you sign.
- 02
Sign Form 130-U with the sales price
TxDMV also lists a signed Application for Texas Title and/or Registration (Form 130-U) with the sales price clearly shown. The buyer uses it to put the car in their name.
- 03
Exchange keys for your check at pickup
The driver confirms the car matches your online description. You hand over the keys and the signed paperwork and receive your check at pickup.
- 04
Sort out your plates and registration sticker
Texas changed its plate rule for private sales on July 1, 2025, and TxDMV’s pages still describe plate removal as the seller’s option. Check TxDMV’s license plate page or your county tax office before you remove or keep a plate. TxDMV says the registration sticker comes off the windshield when you take the plates off.
- 05
File the Vehicle Transfer Notification within 30 days
Submit TxDMV’s Vehicle Transfer Notification (Form VTR-346) within 30 days of the sale. Keep the buyer’s name, address and phone number, because the notice must include them.
- 06
Remove toll transponders and personal items
Peel off your TxTag, NTTA TollTag or HCTRA EZ TAG transponder, and empty the glovebox and cabin.
Protect yourself
Why filing Form VTR-346 matters.
In Texas, handing over the keys and signing the title does not by itself update the state’s record. TxDMV says that when you file the notification within 30 days of the date of sale, you cannot be held responsible for parking tickets and toll violations committed by the person who purchased the vehicle. It also warns that failing to properly transfer a vehicle into the buyer’s name could leave the seller responsible for tickets, toll violations or even crimes committed with the vehicle.
The rule is in Texas Transportation Code § 501.147. The notice must include the purchaser’s full name, address and telephone number, and the department must receive it before the 30th day after you delivered the vehicle. A seller who files as the section requires has no vicarious civil or criminal liability arising out of the use, operation or abandonment of the vehicle by another person. Find the filing page from TxDMV’s buying and selling guide.
Title questions, answered
Your paperwork situation, what Texas says.
What TxDMV and the Transportation Code say about the common cases:
| Your situation | What it means in Texas |
|---|---|
| I have the title in my name | You are ready to sell. Sign the title with the date of sale and odometer reading, sign Form 130-U with the sales price, and file the Vehicle Transfer Notification within 30 days. |
| Lost or destroyed Texas title | Apply for a certified copy with Form VTR-34. TxDMV lists a $2 mail-in fee or $5.45 in person, and all recorded owners must sign. TxDMV also lists a 30-day waiting period after the last certified copy was issued. |
| Active loan or bank lien | If there is a lien, the lienholder receives the title. Once the loan is paid off, TxDMV says the lienholder has 10 days to release the lien. A lien that is paid off but still on the title needs an original release of lien; a fax or photocopy is not acceptable. |
| Spouse died without a will | TxDMV points to the Affidavit of Heirship for a Motor Vehicle (Form VTR-262). If your spouse had a will, the vehicle goes through probate. For other relationships, ask TxDMV or a lawyer before you sign anything. |
| Junk car with no title | TxDMV’s abandoned vehicles page says a recorded owner, or a person who has been transferred ownership, may apply for a Certificate of Authority to dispose of a vehicle to a demolisher on Form VTR-71-2. The listed fee is $2.00, and owners and lienholders get 20 days to claim the vehicle first. |
Sources: TxDMV Buying or Selling a Vehicle, Get a Copy of Your Title, Add or Remove a Lien and Abandoned Vehicles pages; Texas Transportation Code §§ 501.147 and 683.051. Fees and forms can change, so confirm on txdmv.gov. This is general information, not legal advice.
Know before you sell
How to tell a real offer from a bait-and-switch.
A few questions to ask any car buyer, and how JunkStar answers them:
| What to check | How JunkStar works |
|---|---|
| Will the price drop when the tow truck arrives? | You receive one firm written offer upfront. It is honored at pickup as long as the vehicle matches your online description. |
| Are there towing or other deductions? | Towing is free. The dollar figure on your written offer is the amount on your check. |
| How and when are you paid? | Payment is handed to you by check at pickup, in exchange for your keys and signed paperwork. |
| Are there fees you didn’t expect? | If your paperwork needs a notary, that fee is yours and is separate from the offer. |
| Are you pressed to sign before the price is settled? | Sign at pickup, after the amount on your offer is confirmed. |
Ask any buyer: Will your offer change when the tow truck arrives? Are there towing or hookup deductions? Will I be paid by check at pickup? A buyer who can’t answer in writing is a warning sign.
Where we buy
Selling a car in Texas cities.
Request an offer from anywhere in Texas, including the cities below. We confirm pickup for your ZIP code when you request your offer.
- Houston
- San Antonio
- Dallas
- Austin
- Fort Worth
- El Paso
- Arlington
- Corpus Christi
- Plano
- Lubbock
- Laredo
- Irving
- Garland
- Frisco
- McKinney
- Amarillo
- Grand Prairie
- Brownsville
- Killeen
- Pasadena
- Mesquite
- McAllen
- Denton
- Waco
- Midland
Common questions