A Texas license plate lookup retrieves a 17-character vehicle identification number (VIN), year, make, model, and history from 22,656,338 VINs with Texas records. Enter the plate, choose Texas, and get the basics free, including the record count; the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (TxDMV) provides official title records.
Looking for the VIN?
Here is where you'll find it:
A Texas plate search shows the basics free, while a full vehicle history report adds title brands, auction records, odometer readings, recalls, and market value. The license plate lookup links the plate to a VIN and checks related records as a third-party lookup tool. These results illustrate what a license plate lookup can provide.
A license plate may change when a vehicle moves to another state, but its VIN stays with the car. A plate number may produce multiple matches if the same number was later assigned to a different vehicle. When identifying vehicles, a VIN decoder helps compare vehicle specs against the physical car and confirm the make and model.
A license plate search does not reveal a registered owner's name, address, telephone number, email, live location, driver's license number, registration expiration date, or toll account details. Public results do not establish the identity of an individual, and owner information is protected even when a vehicle match is found.
For official title history or registration verification, TxDMV accepts Form VTR-275 when the applicant has a permissible use. Our vehicle owner lookup by VIN explains the owner count and states that may appear in vehicle history, not personal identities. These reports are not consumer reports under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) and should not be used for eligibility decisions.
Following a hit-and-run incident, law enforcement agencies and insurers can request protected records through TxDMV for an authorized investigation. For the initial report, a plate search can help document the year, make and model while officials pursue information about the person involved.
TxDMV and its authorized vendor handle personalized plate availability, official vehicle record requests and registration services. An EpicVIN history search serves a different purpose. These government agency resources show where to complete a state-specific request and what each route provides.
Data as of October 2026 · Source: EpicVIN Vehicle Data Research
Among VINs with Texas records, 21.7% have at least one problem in history, versus 19.6% for all 50 states. This indicator includes salvage auction, salvage or rebuilt title, flood, fire, theft loss, odometer rollback or a not-actual odometer brand. The flags reflect available history entries rather than a direct inspection of a vehicle's present condition.
Hail damage appears in 0.9% of VINs with Texas records, compared with 0.3% across all 50 states, a threefold difference. Flood damage is 0.9% versus 0.5%; salvage-auction history, 20.9% versus 18.9%; odometer rollback, 1.6% versus 1.2%. Pickups account for 21.4% versus 16.2%, while multistate records account for 10.0% versus 15.2%. Ford leads at 14.8%, followed by Chevrolet at 12.9% and Toyota at 12.1%.
of VINs with Texas records have at least one problem in history (All 50 states: 19.6%)
Texas against All 50 states where the gap is 1.5x or more, or 3 percentage points or more. Bars are scaled within each pair.
| Indicator | Texas | All 50 states |
|---|---|---|
| VINs with records | 22,656,338 | 232,695,729 |
| Average vehicle age | 9.4 years | 9.8 years |
| Median last odometer reading | 53,429 miles | ≈53,400 miles |
| Average miles per year | 12,347 miles | 11,320 miles |
| Appeared at a salvage auction | 20.9% | 18.9% |
| Salvage title | 10.7% | 12.0% |
| Odometer rollback | 1.6% | 1.2% |
| Odometer reported as not actual | 1.3% | 1.5% |
| Flood damage | 0.9% | 0.5% |
| Hail damage | 0.9% | 0.3% |
| Records in more than one state | 10.0% | 15.2% |
| At least one problem in history | 21.7% | 19.6% |
Also in the data: rebuilt title 0.1% (All 50 states 0.2%); sold at auction as a theft loss 0.2% (All 50 states 0.2%); model year covered by an NHTSA recall campaign 77.6% (All 50 states 79.0%).
Shares are calculated over VINs with auction and listing records in the EpicVIN database, not over all cars registered in Texas.
Texas here means the location of a VIN's latest record (an auction lot or a listing), not the state of registration.
A theft loss means the vehicle was sold at auction as a theft loss. It is not a police theft record and not a count of cars stolen in Texas.
Title, flood, hail, odometer and theft figures come from auction lots and listings, not from official NMVTIS title brands.
Source: EpicVIN Vehicle Data Research: 22,656,338 VINs with records in Texas, data as of October 2026.
The preview shows the basics of a vehicle match, while the full report presents available title, accident, auction and odometer history.
Year 2013
Make INFINITI
Model M37
Fuel Type Gasoline
Engine 3.7L V-Shaped
Made in JAPAN
TxDMV assigns general-issue plate combinations, so a driver cannot personalize their characters. The Texas Classic design was introduced in July 2012, after the seven-character Lone Star Texas format arrived in June 2009. Since November 1, 2016, there has been no automatic replacement when a plate issued in Texas reaches seven years of age. Learn about current license plate designs at txdmv.gov.
Texas Transportation Code §504.943 generally requires two TxDMV-assigned plates for a vehicle. Under 43 TAC §217.27(b), one goes at the front and one at the rear, and a vehicle registration plate must sit horizontally, remain readable and be at least 12 inches above the ground. Failure to display the required plates is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $200. Digital plates are restricted to commercial fleets, government agencies and non-passenger vehicles (§504.154); a physical front plate remains mandatory.
For personalized plates, use the availability route listed in the official resources section. Specialty license plates may be issued for 1, 3 or 5 years. If renewal is more than 60 days late, the selected combination is canceled and becomes available to other applicants.
The official resources section explains how to replace a lost or damaged plate. You can transfer your plates to another vehicle you own at no charge, but TxDMV limits eligibility: "General issue plates may ONLY be transferred to passenger vehicles and trucks weighing one ton or less." This rule does not mean every type of truck is eligible.
| Action | Fee | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Annual registration (passenger vehicles and trucks up to 6,000 lb, 2026) | $50.75, plus local fees | TxDMV fee chart |
| Personalized plate | $40.00 per year | 43 TAC §217.185 |
| Replacement plates | $6.00 + $0.50 | TxDMV License Plates page |
| Plate transfer | $0 | TxDMV License Plates page |
| Title application (vehicle from another state) | $28 or $33, by county | Transportation Code §501.138(a) |
| Inspection program replacement fee (replaces the safety inspection ended January 1, 2025) | $7.50 per year at registration; $16.75 one-time for a new passenger car or light truck at first registration | Transportation Code §548.510 |
| Emissions inspection (only in emissions counties: 17 counties, plus Bexar County from November 1, 2026) | Amount not listed | TxDMV bulletin RTB 003-26 |
| Sales tax (only for a vehicle bought outside Texas) | 6.25% | Tax Code §152.022 |
| New resident use tax (vehicle already registered in your name in another state) | $90 | Tax Code §152.023 |
| Dealer-issued buyer's plates | $10 | 43 TAC §215.155 |
| TxDMV record, Form VTR-275: title history | $5.75 (certified $6.75) | Form VTR-275 |
| TxDMV record, Form VTR-275: title and registration verification | $2.30 (certified $3.30) | Form VTR-275 |
Fees per TxDMV fee chart, Form VTR-275, Texas Transportation Code, Tax Code and 43 TAC §217.124 and §217.185, checked October 2026: fee chart, VTR-275, TAC Chapter 217, Transportation Code Chapter 501, Chapter 548, Tax Code Chapter 152.
Looking up a Texas plate is legal; protected owner details require authorization. Federal DPPA applies through 18 U.S. Code Chapter 123 and Texas Transportation Code §730.002. Chapter 730 restricts disclosure (§730.004), requires specified safety, theft and recall disclosures (§730.005), and permits qualifying requests (§730.007). TxDMV has no opt-out. Public Information Act §552.130 does not open vehicle records.
EpicVIN does not display or sell personal details about individuals, and its report is not intended for FCRA decisions such as employment or credit eligibility. Within this legal framework for license plate lookups, access to personal information through TxDMV remains reserved for permitted purposes, including a qualifying investigation, under federal and state law.
Texas
JM78Y
2013 GMC TERRAIN
Texas
MLT7888
2000 FORD F-150
Texas
RMB-9507
2012 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA
Texas
264C960
2009 WABASH NATIONAL CORPORATION WABASH NATIONAL CORPORATION
Texas
GSZ1029
2007 TOYOTA 4-RUNNER
Texas
SDR0784
2011 CHEVROLET SILVERADO
Texas
1179671
2008 DODGE CARAVAN/GRAND CARAVAN
Texas
YDX 1783
2024 TOYOTA COROLLA
Texas
MDS8995
1997 CHEVROLET GMT-400
Yes. A Texas plate search can return a VIN, year, make, model, record count, and available vehicle history. It does not disclose the owner's name or other protected details.
Yes, the vehicle preview is free. A complete history report requires payment; see the EpicVIN pricing page for the current price and report options.
No, a public plate search does not identify the owner. Form VTR-275 allows certain requests based on permissible use; see the vehicle owner lookup for the scope of vehicle-history information.
Yes, most vehicles require plates front and rear (Transportation Code §504.943; 43 TAC §217.27). Motorcycles, trailers, semitrailers, road tractors and antique vehicles use a single rear plate.
Search the proposed combination at myplates.com. It is the state's designated service for personalized plate availability, and TxDMV must approve the message before issuance.
They ended July 1, 2025, under HB 718. Dealers now issue metal plates at sale; an out-of-state buyer receives a 60-day Out-of-State Buyer Plate displayed at the rear.
Yes. Enter the license plate and select its state to retrieve a matching VIN and available vehicle history. Choosing the correct state matters because plate combinations repeat across jurisdictions.
Repairs exceeding pre-damage actual cash value (ACV), or another state's salvage title, qualify (§501.091(15)). Rebuilt titles read "Rebuilt Salvage"; hail or theft repairs alone do not qualify. 10.7% of VINs with Texas records show salvage titles in lots or listings.
Within 30 days. Title application fee: $28/$33 by county; $90 for a car already registered to you in another state. No safety inspection for a non-commercial vehicle since January 1, 2025 (House Bill 3297); emissions inspection only in emissions counties.
After online renewal, use TxDMV's Where's My Sticker? with your plate and the last 4 VIN digits to see when the sticker was mailed. A renewal receipt proves registration up to 31 days; EpicVIN does not show registration status.
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