Texas Form VTR-346: Protecting Yourself After Junking a Car in League City

You sold the car. The flatbed left. You're done — right? Not until the state knows the car left your name. Form VTR-346 (the Texas Seller's Report of Sale or Transfer of a Motor Vehicle) is the single piece of paper that protects you from toll bills, red-light tickets, and worse, committed by a vehicle you no longer own.

What Form VTR-346 Actually Does

The VTR-346 tells TxDMV that you sold or transferred your vehicle and on what date. From that date forward, official liability for the vehicle shifts to the buyer. Without it, the state's records still point at you — and that's who gets the toll notices, parking tickets, and impound letters.

Filing Step-by-Step

1. Complete the form — buyer name (or business), vehicle identification number, odometer reading, and date and price of sale. For a sale to a licensed junk car buyer, their dispatcher will handle this with you at pickup.
2. Submit it to TxDMV — you can file the seller's report of sale online through the TxDMV website, or mail the paper form. There is no filing fee.
3. File promptly — get it in within 30 days of the sale so the record is clean from the start.
4. Keep your confirmation — a screenshot or copy of the filed report is your proof if a toll authority or city ever comes knocking.

The Physical Loose Ends People Forget

The form is only half the job. Before the flatbed arrives:

• Remove the license plates. In Texas, plates belong to the owner, not the vehicle. Never let a buyer drive or tow away with your plates on the car — that's your registration they're wearing.
• Pull the toll tag. Peel the TxTag (or EZ TAG, if your vehicle carried one from Harris County) off the windshield, and call the toll authority to deactivate or transfer it. An active tag on a towed car can keep billing your account.
• Cancel or reassign your insurance once the transfer is confirmed — no reason to keep paying for a car that's leaving.

⚠️ Warning: The most expensive mistake in junk car sales is leaving plates and a live toll tag on a vehicle. A towed scrap car passing toll readers can generate months of charges on your account before you untangle it.

Selling to a Licensed Buyer Makes This Easy

When we buy a junk car anywhere in League City or Galveston County, the driver completes the VTR-346 details with you at pickup and the business files as the buyer of record. You keep your plates, your cash, and a clean legal exit.

FAQ

Q: Is the VTR-346 the same as a title transfer? A: No. The title signature transfers ownership; the VTR-346 is your report of the sale, which protects you from liability after the fact. You do both.

Q: Can I file the VTR-346 online? A: Yes — TxDMV accepts online seller reports of sale, and it's the fastest way to get a confirmation on file.

Q: What if the buyer said they'd "handle the paperwork"? A: The buyer files their side; the seller's report is your responsibility and yours alone. File it yourself, every time.