On Veterans Day, a simple thank-you to the veterans and military families who call San Antonio home. Now the practical part. If you are stationed in Texas temporarily, TxDMV says you may keep your vehicle registration from your home state. What you still need is car insurance coverage for your vehicle that meets the Texas limits of 30/60/25 while you drive here.
That is the short answer. The longer one involves your driver license, what happens to your policy when you deploy, and how a coverage gap can follow you to your next duty station. Below is what the state agencies actually say, with sources, plus how to handle it from a Texas auto policy without overpaying.
Do you have to register your car in Texas if you are stationed in San Antonio?
No, not necessarily. The Texas Department of Motor Vehicles says that if you are temporarily stationed in Texas, you may keep your vehicle registration from your home state. The flip side also applies. A Texas resident serving out of state can keep the Texas title and keep renewing the Texas registration from wherever the orders send them.
Two things worth sorting out before the first drill weekend:
- Keep your out-of-state registration current. Staying registered at home only works if that registration stays valid.
- Your insurance has to work where you drive. The car may carry plates from another state, but the policy needs to respond to Texas liability limits while you are behind the wheel here.
Spouses and family vehicles
The registration rule is tied to the service member’s situation. If a spouse, an adult child or anyone else in the household establishes residency in Texas and drives their own car, treat that vehicle on its own terms. Do not assume it falls under the same exception.
What about your driver license after a PCS to Texas?
The Texas Department of Public Safety says new residents can drive on a valid out-of-state license for up to 90 days after moving to Texas. After that window, you are expected to carry a Texas license. The 90 days start when you move, not when you get around to the paperwork.
There is a provision that saves time for service members. DPS says active-duty military members, or people discharged within the last 90 days, who have an expired out-of-state license may be exempt from the knowledge and skills exams. That means no written test and no road test in those cases, though you still complete the application and the documentation DPS asks for.
Why this matters for your premium: a license and a policy that do not match up can complicate a claim. Keep the name, the address and the vehicle information consistent across the registration, the license and the policy.
How much auto insurance does Texas require?
Texas requires liability limits of 30/60/25. That is $30,000 for injuries per person, $60,000 per accident and $25,000 for property damage, according to the Texas Department of Insurance in its auto insurance guide. Those are the floor, not a recommendation. A single hospital bill or a newer pickup can pass $25,000 quickly.
Two coverages come attached by default. TDI’s Consumer Bill of Rights for Personal Automobile Insurance states that personal injury protection and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage must be included in your policy unless you reject them in writing. PIP pays medical costs regardless of fault. UM/UIM covers you when the other driver has nothing or not enough. TDI sets a $250 deductible for UM/UIM property damage, and the coverage is usually sold in $5,000 increments.
| Item | Reported figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum liability (30/60/25) | $30,000 per person / $60,000 per accident / $25,000 property damage | TDI, Auto insurance guide |
| Fine, first conviction for driving uninsured | Up to $350 plus court costs | TDI, Auto insurance FAQ |
| Fine, second or later conviction | Up to $1,000 and license suspension | TDI, Auto insurance FAQ |
| SR-22 after two or more convictions | 2 years of financial responsibility proof | DPS, form DL-176 |
| License reinstatement fee | $100 | DPS, form DL-176 |
| PIP and UM/UIM | Included by law unless rejected in writing | TDI, Consumer Bill of Rights |
| UM/UIM property damage deductible | $250 | TDI, Uninsured motorist coverage |
| Nonrenewal notice (policies bought or renewed in 2024) | 60 days | TDI, Auto insurance guide |
What driving uninsured costs in Texas
A first conviction carries a fine of up to $350 plus court costs, according to the TDI auto insurance FAQ. A repeat conviction can reach $1,000 with a license suspension. With two or more convictions, DPS form DL-176 explains the suspension stays in place until you file and keep an SR-22 for two years, plus a $100 reinstatement fee. An SR-22 on your record is the kind of thing that follows you through a transfer.
Deploying? What TDI says about suspending your coverage
If nobody will drive your car while you are deployed, the Texas Department of Insurance says you might be able to suspend your coverage and save money. The condition is strict: to suspend liability coverage, you have to store the car so no one else can drive it. Not parked on the street, not loaned to a cousin for errands.
Three details to settle before you leave:
- The lender. If the car is financed, TDI notes the lender usually still requires collision and comprehensive coverage. Suspending everything is generally not an option on a loan.
- The gap risk. TDI warns that companies may charge higher rates if you have had coverage lapses longer than 30 days. A suspension handled through your insurer is not the same as letting the policy die.
- Who reinstates it. Decide, before the deployment, who contacts the company to restart coverage and when. Put a date on it, so the car never leaves storage without a policy behind it.
Military discounts and how to compare in San Antonio
TDI puts it plainly: “Ask your insurance company if it offers discounts for military members. Many companies do.” No state agency sets the amount. Each company files its own rates with TDI. The only way to know what a military discount is worth to you is to ask and compare the final premium, not the advertised percentage.
A few things move the number in San Antonio: the ZIP code where the car is parked overnight, your annual mileage and the deductible you pick on collision and comprehensive. Whether you keep or reject PIP and UM/UIM moves it too. If you are shopping on price alone, look at what you would be left with after a crash with an uninsured driver before you cut coverage. There are ways to lower a car insurance premium that do not involve dropping protection you would miss.
Univista Insurance has two offices in San Antonio, one at 78217 and one at 78221. Bring your orders and your registration, and an agent goes over the policy with you line by line, in English or Spanish, whichever you prefer.
Frequently asked questions
More answers on coverage, claims and paperwork are in our auto insurance FAQ section.
What is the minimum car insurance required in San Antonio, Texas?
The same as everywhere in the state: 30/60/25. That is $30,000 for injuries per person, $60,000 per accident and $25,000 for property damage, according to the Texas Department of Insurance. Your policy also includes PIP and uninsured motorist coverage unless you reject them in writing.
What is the fine for driving without insurance in Texas?
Up to $350 plus court costs on a first conviction, and up to $1,000 with a license suspension if it happens again, according to the Texas Department of Insurance. After two or more convictions, DPS requires an SR-22 filing for two years and a $100 license reinstatement fee.
Are there military discounts in Texas?
There is no statewide figure. Each insurance company sets its own military discount in the rates it files with the Texas Department of Insurance. TDI advises drivers to ask their company directly, because many offer one. Comparing final premiums across several companies tells you more than any advertised percentage.
Before you deploy or after you move, Univista Insurance’s licensed agents compare more than 20 companies in a free quote. By phone, online or at a Univista Insurance office: get a free quote and compare in minutes.
Vehicle 
Home & Property 
Commercial 
Life 
Health