Moving to Texas: what is different for newcomers

Most first steps are the same in every U.S. state, and our first 30 days checklist covers them. A few things work differently in Texas, and it helps to know them early.

Your license comes from DPS, not a “DMV.” In Texas, the Department of Public Safety (DPS) issues driver licenses and ID cards (Texas DPS), while the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles handles vehicle registration and plates (Texas DPS). Once you become a Texas resident, DPS says you must apply for a Texas license within 90 days to keep driving legally (Texas DPS). If you bring a car, you have 30 days from your move to register it (TxDMV). Texas has license reciprocity with France, Germany, South Korea, the United Arab Emirates and Taiwan (Texas DPS). Documents, tests and each step: Texas driver license and ID.

No state income tax, but other taxes. “Texas has no state income tax,” the state Comptroller writes (Texas Comptroller). There is no state property tax either: local taxing units set the rates and use the money for schools, roads, police and fire protection (Texas Comptroller). Texas has a state sales and use tax, and cities, counties, transit authorities and special purpose districts can add their own (Texas Comptroller). How this fits together: state and local taxes.

Prepare for hurricanes, floods and heat. The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30 (Ready.gov). The National Weather Service office for Houston/Galveston recalls that the 1900 Galveston hurricane was the deadliest natural disaster in U.S. history (NWS), and it publishes a 2026 hurricane guide in English and Spanish (NWS). If you live in a mandatory evacuation zone and local officials tell you to leave, Ready.gov says to do so immediately (Ready.gov). Never walk, swim or drive through flood water: six inches of moving water can knock you down, and one foot can sweep your vehicle away (Ready.gov). In extreme heat, don’t rely on a fan as your main way to cool down, and never leave people or pets in a closed car (Ready.gov). Make your plan with our emergency preparedness guide.

One number for local help. 2-1-1 Texas, a program of the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, is a free, anonymous line that helps you find food, housing, child care, crisis counseling and other local services, 24 hours a day; dial 2-1-1 or (877) 541-7905 (2-1-1 Texas). More numbers: emergency numbers and helplines.