Texas Legislature Creates a New State Agency

The 2009 Texas Legislature created the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) in House Bill 3097. The new agency officially opened for business on November 1, 2009.

Divisions and functions moving from TxDOT to the TxDMV:

Division Functions Transferring
Automobile Burglary & Theft Prevention Authority
  • Auto theft reduction initiatives
  • Auto theft reduction education
  • Public awareness of auto theft reduction efforts
  • Auto burglary initiatives
Motor Vehicle
  • Licensing of dealers, manufacturers, distributors, converters, representatives, lease facilitators and lessors
  • Investigating complaints against all those listed above
  • Arbitrating disputes between new motor vehicle dealers and manufacturers
  • Enforcing lemon laws
  • Motor vehicle dealer e-Tags
Motor Carriers
  • Motor carrier registration and enforcement
  • Consumer protection, household goods movers
  • File/search motor carrier complaints
Vehicle Titles  & Registration
  • Issuance of vehicle titles and registration through the county tax offices
  • Distribution of license plates and disabled parking placards through the county tax offices
  • Verification of vehicle insurance in coordination with the Department of Public Safety (DPS)
  • Consumer protection for those who are buying or selling a vehicle.
  • Licensing of salvage vehicle dealers
  • Put Texas in Your Corner�
  • Protect Your Title, Texas
  • Vehicle transit permit
  • Vehicle transfer notification
  • TexasSure (Vehicle Insurance Verification)
  • Flood-damaged vehicle database
  • Standard Presumptive Value Calculator