In March of last year, Governor Greg Abbott issued a temporary waiver allowing Texas motorists to put off registering their vehicles, transferring the vehicle title, or getting initial registration.
Kristy Roe, Brazos County tax assessor-collector, says that waiver will end on April 14, 2021.
“That’s the date that everything needs to be taken care of and after that date everyone is risking penalties for late transfer, penalties for no registration, and possibly a citation,” says Roe.
Roe says you should always double check your vehicle inspection receipt after it has been completed.
“Make sure that all the information on it is correct. It is extremely easy to mistype something like a vehicle identification number or something like that, and if it is wrong, we can’t renew their registration,” said Roe.
According to a news release from the tax office, an estimated 28,799 vehicles in Brazos County are not currently registered.
You can renew your registration online, by mail, in person at the Brazos County tax office or at a local HEB or Kroger store if the registration is not expired more than five days.
Click below to hear comments from Kristy Roe visiting with WTAW’s Chelsea Reber.
Listen to “Temporary waiver of vehicle title & registration requirements ending” on Spreaker.
News release from Brazos County Tax Office:
The temporary waiver of certain vehicle title and registration requirements will end at 11:59 p.m. on April 14, 2021. The Brazos County Tax Assessor-Collector’s Office is ready to serve motorists who have until then to complete their transactions.
If you have not renewed your expired vehicle registration sticker, you should make plans to renew on or before April 14, 2021. It is not necessary to wait until the deadline to complete any overdue transactions.
Texas Department of Motor Vehicle (TxDMV) Executive Director Whitney Brewster stated, “I commend Governor Abbott for balancing the safety of Texans with the need to continue vital state services by offering the waivers to registration and titling requirements during the pandemic. Fortunately, many Texans are already in compliance with these requirements. We continued to offer registration renewal and other important services throughout the waiver period.”
“Brazos County offers several convenient options to renew your registration and complete other transactions that were temporarily waived due to the pandemic,” said Brazos County Tax Assessor-Collector Kristeen Roe. “If you need to visit our office, we have health and safety measures in place to protect our customers and employees.”
Options for renewing your vehicle registration:
1) Online: Visit www.TxDMV.gov. There is a $1 discount if you renew online. Online renewal is available up to nine months past your registration expiration date.
2) Mail: Return the bottom portion of your registration renewal form, payment and other required information to the Brazos County Tax Assessor-Collector’s office.
3) In Person: Brazos County Tax Office, 4151 County Park Ct., Bryan, TX. Residents can also place their registration transaction in an envelope (as if mailing) and drop it in either of the external drop boxes. The boxes are in lane 1 of the drive through area, and the second box is located near the entrance door of the office.
4) Local Grocery Stores: Simple vehicle registration renewal is available at all Brazos County HEB and Kroger locations. The registration cannot be expired more than 5 days, you must have had your vehicle inspected at least 24 hours prior, and you need the green and white registration renewal form mailed from the State. Contact the Brazos County Tax Office for more information.
Reminder: Before renewing registration, Brazos County residents will need to obtain a passing vehicle inspection at the state vehicle inspection station of their choice, unless their vehicle is exempt from inspection requirements.
The expiring temporary waiver covers the following services:
• Initial vehicle registration.
• Vehicle registration renewal.
• Vehicle titling.
• Renewal of permanent disabled parking placards.
• 30-day temporary permits.
If you need assistance with completing your transaction, please contact the Brazos County Tax Assessor-Collector’s office at 979-775-9930.
The following is a maximum estimate of Brazos County vehicles that may not have current registration. The estimate is based on the number of registration notices mailed for the time frame of March through December, 2020: 28,799.
The waiver for certain vehicle registration, titling and parking placard regulations in Texas allowed Texans to avoid penalties for failure to timely title or register a vehicle or renew a parking placard. With the end of the waiver on April 14, any applicable penalty fees will be assessed, and citations may be issued. It is important for Brazos County residents to understand that failure to get your vehicle inspected, pass inspection, and register on or before April 14, 2021 can result in law enforcement issuance of a ticket.
Both the lobby and drive through windows at the Tax Office are open, however limitations for access due to the pandemic are still with us. Residents are urged to contact the tax office and discover the remote options available to them to take care of their vehicle registration. Any and all title transfer processes are still required to be handled in person inside the tax office.