Free Guide · Moving to Texas
Moving to Texas
from out of state?
Here's what surprises people.
Vehicle registration, the driver's license switch, school enrollment, the homestead exemption and utilities are now part of my San Antonio Relocation Guide, together with the 12 areas around the city, property taxes and how to buy a home while you still live somewhere else.
Get the Relocation Guide ↓Quick Answer
Moving to Texas from out of state starts two clocks: 30 days to register your vehicle and 90 days to switch to a Texas driver's license. Buy a home, and there's a third deadline new homeowners often miss: the homestead exemption, which lowers your property taxes only if you apply (generally by April 30). The free San Antonio Relocation Guide on this page covers those steps, the documents schools ask for at enrollment and setting up utilities, along with the 12 areas around San Antonio and their 2026 tax rates. It's written by Tiffany Reed, a San Antonio REALTOR® and MRP.
Data current as of October 2026 · Texas rules and deadlines change, so confirm current requirements with each agency before you go.
Send me the Relocation Guide.
Drop your name and email in the form below to get the San Antonio Relocation Guide, with its Moving to Texas section. You can stop the emails at any time.
San Antonio Relocation Guide, 2026 Edition
Key Takeaways
What does Texas require
after you move here?
- New residents have 30 days after moving to register a vehicle at the county tax assessor-collector's office, with proof of insurance and proof of ownership, such as the title or registration from your previous state.
- Non-commercial vehicles no longer need a safety inspection; an inspection replacement fee is collected at registration instead. Emissions testing applies in certain counties, and Bexar County's begins November 1, 2026, for gasoline vehicles 2 to 24 years old.
- Active duty members of the U.S. Armed Forces aren't required to register or title their vehicles in Texas.
- You can drive on a valid out-of-state license for up to 90 days after moving. Register your vehicles before you apply, and expect to surrender your old license.
- The school district homestead exemption is $140,000 since Texas voters approved Proposition 13 in November 2025. Apply with the county appraisal district once you own and live in the home; the general deadline is April 30.
- Texas has no state personal income tax. Property taxes are local, and your rate is the total of every taxing unit for your address: city, county, school district and any special district.
- In most of San Antonio, CPS Energy provides electricity and natural gas, and SAWS provides water and sewer.
Data current as of October 2026 · Sources: TxDMV · TCEQ · Texas DPS · Texas Comptroller · Texas Constitution, Art. 8 · CPS Energy · SAWS
About This Guide
What catches people off guard
after a move to Texas?
Mostly the deadlines. The registration clock starts the day you move, the license clock runs right behind it, and the homestead exemption saves you nothing until you file. The guide puts each step in order, so you aren't learning the rules at the counter.
These steps are now one section of my San Antonio Relocation Guide, so the paperwork, the neighborhoods and the buying process come in a single download. Moving on military orders? My PCS to San Antonio Guide has the same section with the active-duty rules. Questions about the move? Send me a message any time.
What's Inside
What does the
Relocation Guide cover?
- Vehicle registration in Texas: the 30-day timeline, the documents you need, and the order that keeps the steps moving
- Your Texas driver's license: when you need one and how the switch from an out-of-state license works
- School enrollment: the documents Texas schools ask for, how districts and campuses are assigned, and TEA's published ratings for each campus in 21 area districts
- Property taxes and the homestead exemption: how a tax bill is built, how to file, and how a protest works
- Utilities: who supplies power, gas and water at your address, and whether you can choose an electric plan
- The 12 areas around San Antonio, with communities, school districts, 2026 tax rates and home values
- How buying works in Texas: the inspections I recommend, title insurance, the survey and homeowners insurance
- Buying from a distance: video tours, signing from where you are, and a checklist for the months before you arrive
Ready for the full guide?
Send Me the Relocation Guide →Common Questions
What do out-of-state movers ask
before they arrive?
How long do I have to register my vehicle in Texas?
Thirty days from the day you move. Take proof of insurance, proof of ownership (your previous state's title or registration works) and a completed Form 130-U to your county tax assessor-collector's office. Non-commercial vehicles no longer need a safety inspection; you pay an inspection replacement fee at registration instead. Some counties also require an emissions test, and Bexar County adds one on November 1, 2026, for gasoline vehicles 2 to 24 years old, so check TxDMV's New to Texas page for the current steps before you go. On active duty? You aren't required to register or title your vehicle in Texas.
When do I need to get a Texas driver's license?
Within 90 days of moving. Register your vehicles first, then bring proof of identity, your Social Security number, two documents showing your Texas address, proof of U.S. citizenship or lawful presence, and proof of insurance for each vehicle you own. You'll surrender your out-of-state license at the office. DPS asks applicants to schedule an appointment online before visiting a driver license office. On active duty and keeping your home state as your legal residence? Your valid home-state license still works in Texas, and so do your spouse's and children's.
What is the homestead exemption, and how do I apply?
A homestead exemption lowers the taxable value of the home you live in. School districts must exempt $140,000 of a homestead's value since Texas voters approved Proposition 13 in November 2025, and counties, cities and other taxing units may add their own. You can apply with your county appraisal district once you own and live in the home. The general deadline is April 30, and a late application can still be filed up to two years after the tax delinquency date. In Bexar County, that's the Bexar Appraisal District.
How do I set up utilities in San Antonio?
CPS Energy provides electricity and natural gas across most of San Antonio, and SAWS (San Antonio Water System) provides water and sewer. Set up both before move-in day. Some suburbs and unincorporated areas use other providers, so confirm by address. For internet, look up the address on the FCC National Broadband Map to see which providers serve it.
What are property taxes like in San Antonio?
Texas has no state personal income tax, and property taxes are set locally. Your total rate adds up the rates of every taxing unit for the address, so two homes a mile apart can have different rates. The county appraisal district lists the taxing units for any address. If you disagree with your appraised value, you can protest to the appraisal review board, in most cases by May 15 or 30 days after the district mails your notice, whichever is later.
Data current as of October 2026 · Sources: TxDMV · Texas DPS · Texas Tax Code ch. 11 · Texas Comptroller, protests
Tiffany Reed, REALTOR® | MRP | Real Broker LLC
(919) 800-9870 | tiffany@tiffanyreedtx.com | tiffanyreedtx.com