• Welcome to the Two Wheeled Texans community! Feel free to hang out and lurk as long as you like. However, we would like to encourage you to register so that you can join the community and use the numerous features on the site. After registering, don't forget to post up an introduction!

Texas Plates

I don't think it is right that you have to get the bike checked by dps because you bought it new. Total bull poop in my opinion. I had to get the 68a on my 500 I bought in Alabama that had never been registered. I was ok with that although it took me a while to get an appointment. All the inspectors in my area were at the same convention in Austin for a week when I found out I needed the inspection. I got mine in Guadalupe County. Two guys looked at my bike. They were pretty cool but they did check it out very thoroughly.

Stickers ??? We don't need no stinking STICKERS !
 
the police actually came to my house and inspected the bike in my driveway, they checked the VIN numbers and made sure nothing had been altered and then gave a fairly quick eye check and weighed the bike and issued the inspection certificate. They where both really nice and we had a great time discussing motorcycles whilst they performed the inspection. Only had to do this once for a bike that had no title as it was required to get a title, as the original poster has a title (off road) this inspection should NOT be required, but we do what we have to to make the system work for us!!

Gary
 
OP, hoping to highjack here a bit (sorry in advance) - I have a non-op (CA) bike that I want to street register here. How do you get one inspected when there's no plate for it? I can't seem to find anything online, figuring someone here has dealt with this....
 
OP, hoping to highjack here a bit (sorry in advance) - I have a non-op (CA) bike that I want to street register here. How do you get one inspected when there's no plate for it? I can't seem to find anything online, figuring someone here has dealt with this....

Not the OP but, inspections are done by VIN, it's the unique identifier for the veh. The assigned p late is attached to the VIN during registration.

ETA: the inspection database is connected to the registration system so the vin is what is "searchable" if you will.
 
Yes that i can understand, but do i have to trailer the darn thing 2 blocks to the inspection station? Doubt it's legal to ride without a plate....
 
Yes that i can understand, but do i have to trailer the darn thing 2 blocks to the inspection station? Doubt it's legal to ride without a plate....
Correct, it is a violation to operate a mv on public roads without valid registration or ins.
 
Ya, just pointing out the absurdity of this inspection process (this from someone who's coming from CA of all states).... You can't register a vehicle without an inspection, but you can't get it inspected without a registration...sure, i have a truck and can deal with the headache but what if it was something a little bigger or my only vehicle...
 
The Tax office also told me that you can make an appointment with the inspection office (they must write it down) and you can then ride directly to and back from the inspection center. If the police stop you they can confirm with the inspection center and should not issue a ticket (as long as you are going directly there!! No deviations) and if they do issue a ticket, you go to court, show that you had a written appointment and the ticket will be dismissed!! I have never had to try this, I have just risked it and ridden the 3 miles to the inspection center. But thought it might give another option.

Gary
 
The Tax office also told me that you can make an appointment with the inspection office (they must write it down) and you can then ride directly to and back from the inspection center. If the police stop you they can confirm with the inspection center and should not issue a ticket (as long as you are going directly there!! No deviations) and if they do issue a ticket, you go to court, show that you had a written appointment and the ticket will be dismissed!! I have never had to try this, I have just risked it and ridden the 3 miles to the inspection center. But thought it might give another option.

Gary

Okay, that's actually good to know - honestly I'd probably be willing to take my chances (it's literally right down the street and I've yet to see a cop rolling around here) but not that hard to make an appointment, either!
 
If you bring a motor vehicle into the state you have 30 days to have it inspected and then registered in that order. You also will need liability insurance to get the inspection, and an out of state title and a completed 130U to get the plate. In most situations the person transferring the vehicle has it licensed in their state which makes it legal to operate on the road. Plating past competition or off-road vehicles are pretty rare situations. Once the vehicle is in the Texas system TexasSure will keep up with the insurance and registration status. TexasSure is optional for tax assessors and inspection stations, so take your paperwork. A LEO is required by law to check TexasSure before he writes a ticket for no financial responsibility.

The inspection criteria for a motorcycle is pretty limited. A lot of inspectors review things that are not covered by the manual. Monica has referred to the Motor Vehicle Title Manual. There is also an inspection manual RDS-87. In section 05.07 the 13 things the inspector is meant to check are listed. (There are no turn signal requirements during a general motorcycle inspection.) There is also an Assembled Vehicle Manual that may be relevant to plated dirt bikes and customs.

I have no experience with plating a dirt bike, but have transferred an out of state barn find and a Florida boat without a title. In both cases I used the Bruce Van Sant system. Study up on the rules and then go in and ask the clerk how to do it. Never argue, just asked directional questions. Those clerks are going to be there today until five, and the next day and the next. They have no reason to hurry or put up with people being rude or impatient. Time and a big smile are your best tools.
 
Only had to have the auto theft inspection when applying for assembled mc trike.

One can get a temporary transport tag, that doesn't require inspection, but you have to pay fee.
 
I went through this exactly once in my lifetime. When I returned from Germany and brought home a US-legal and certifed Opel I'd bought there, I got a ton of runaround from the Grapevine tax office (one guy), who clearly had no love for returning soldiers (post-Vietnam era. so he was basically being a butthead). After I jumped all the other hurtles, he told me I had to have a PD inspection. I drove over to the Grapevine PD, which was pretty sleepy operation in those days. They obviously thought the tax office guy was nuts. Finally, a sergeant came out, walked around my car, kicked the tires, looked at the brand new inspection sticker, and pronounced it roadworthy. They didn't even have an official form for the process, so they just typed something up on letterhead paper and called it good.

There's more with regard to Grapevine's one-man tax czar, but it doesn't pertain to this thread.
Dont worry, we can imagine the "right hand", "left hand" bureaucratic stories.
 
Well after 6 trips to the tax office I was finally able to get a license plate for my 450 EXC. Below were the documents required. Hope this helps someone else down the road trying to do the same.

Texas Vehicle Safety Inspection Report
VTR-68-A Law Enforcement Inspection
VTR-64 ASE Safety Inspection for Assembled Vehicles
VTR-61 Rebuilt Vehicle Statement
Texas Liability Insurance Card
Texas Certificate of Title
Form 130-U Application for Texas Title of Registration

Mike P
 
Glad you finally made it through the hoops.
 
As stated, they really made you work for this, I have never had issues like that. Glad you persisted and got it sorted!! Now go and have a couple of great rides to make it all worth while!!

Gary
 
Mike I am glad you didn't give up. I have done three dirt bike conversions and not once was I required to have the additional inspection other than the routine yearly inspection. One of the bikes I had tagged was a KDX220 2stroke. I did two bikes in Travis county and one in Bastrop county.
 
Wow..well, glad you got it done. Mine wasn't that extensive.
 
Glad you got it plated. As for the gentleman from Cali, I would just ride it without a plate. I ride my wife’s with expired AK plates to get it inspected.

Have a great weekend.
 
Back
Top