How do I register to vote or check my registration?

County Voter Registrar (county level - each of Texas's 254 counties; in most counties this is the County Tax Assessor-Collector; in some counties it is a designated voter registrar) / Texas Secretary of State, Elections Division (state level)

Step by Step

How to do it

Confirm eligibility: Must be a U.S. citizen, Texas resident, at least 18 years old on or before Election Day (may register at 17 years and 10 months old to be prepared to vote when turning 18), NOT currently serving a felony sentence including incarceration, parole, or supervision (see State Notes), and not been declared mentally incapacitated without the right to vote by final court judgment
Choose your registration method:
ONLINE (online registration available but requires printing and mailing): voterregistration.sos.texas.gov - Texas offers an online form but YOU MUST PRINT, SIGN, AND MAIL it to the county voter registrar; it is NOT fully electronic; requires Texas driver's license or personal ID number
BY MAIL: Print the voter registration application from sos.state.tx.us; complete, sign, mail to your county voter registrar (in most counties: County Tax Assessor-Collector); must be POSTMARKED by 30 days before election
IN PERSON: County voter registrar's office; Texas Department of Public Safety (driver's license offices - motor voter); many public assistance offices; high school campuses; libraries; deadline: 30 days before election (form must be received, not just submitted, 30 days before election)
NOTE: Texas does NOT offer same-day voter registration
Submit registration by 30 days before Election Day; county voter registrar must RECEIVE (not just postmark for in-person) application 30 days before election; mail-in: postmarked at least 30 days before election
Receive your Texas Voter Registration Certificate (issued by the county)

Details

What you need to know

Required Docs

Texas driver's license number or Texas personal identification number; OR last 4 digits of SSN; OR check "I do not have a Texas DL/ID or SSN" box
Current Texas address

Fee

Free REGISTRATION DEADLINE: 30 days before Election Day (postmark deadline for mail; receipt deadline for in-person) NO SAME-DAY REGISTRATION: Texas does NOT offer same-day voter registration CHECK YOUR REGISTRATION: My Voter Portal at teamrv-mvp.sos.texas.gov or voterregistration.sos.texas.gov EARLY VOTING: Texas offers no-excuse in-person early voting; begins 17th day before Election Day; ends 4 days before Election Day (for primary and general elections); no excuse required; at designated early voting locations; photo ID required NO-EXCUSE ABSENTEE MAIL BALLOT: EXCUSE REQUIRED for most voters; qualifying reasons: age 65+ (any reason), disabled (cannot appear in person without risk of injury), outside county on all election days, or confined in jail but otherwise eligible; application must be RECEIVED by county by 7th day before election; voted ballot must be postmarked by 7 PM Election Day and received by 5 PM day after election ONLINE OPTION: Yes - voterregistration.sos.texas.gov (online form to print and mail); My Voter Portal for status check WHERE TO GO: County voter registrar (in most TX counties: County Tax Assessor-Collector); TX DPS (driver's license offices); libraries, high schools, public assistance agencies

Online Option

Yes - voterregistration.sos.texas.gov (online form to print and mail); My Voter Portal for status check

Where to Go

County voter registrar (in most TX counties: County Tax Assessor-Collector); TX DPS (driver's license offices); libraries, high schools, public assistance agencies

County-specific variations apply

Each of TX's 254 counties has its own voter registrar. In most TX counties this is the County Tax Assessor-Collector; some counties have a designated County Elections Administrator. Harris County (Houston - Elections Administrator), Dallas County, Tarrant County, Travis County, and Bexar County have extensive early voting networks with many locations. Small rural TX counties may have very limited early voting sites.

Texas Notes

Important state-specific details

NO SAME-DAY REGISTRATION - 30-day advance deadline.
TEXAS DOES NOT HAVE FULLY ONLINE VOTER REGISTRATION - must print and mail; form must be SIGNED with original ink signature.
EARLY VOTING (no excuse): begins 17 days before election; major voting option; photo ID required.
EXCUSE-REQUIRED ABSENTEE: Texas has limited mail-in voting; age 65+ can vote by mail for any reason.
FELONY VOTING RIGHTS: Restored AUTOMATICALLY upon full completion of sentence including incarceration, parole, and supervision/probation; no application or petition needed; simply register to vote once discharged; rights are NOT automatic upon filing an appeal of conviction.
PHOTO ID REQUIRED for all in-person voting (including early voting): Texas driver's license, Texas personal ID card, Texas handgun license, U.S. military ID, U.S. passport, U.S. citizenship certificate with photo, or Texas Election Identification Certificate (EIC - free from DPS); ID must not be expired more than 4 years (exceptions for 70+); non-photo IDs not accepted.
FREE ELECTION IDENTIFICATION CERTIFICATE (EIC): Available from Texas DPS at no charge to any eligible Texas voter who does not have qualifying photo ID; also free birth certificate to obtain EIC.
Polls open 7:00 AM - 7:00 PM on Election Day.

Official Source

State office contact

State Office

Texas Secretary of State, Elections - sos.state.tx.us | votetexas.gov | 1-800-252-VOTE (8683); My Voter Portal: teamrv-mvp.sos.texas.gov; County Voter Registrar (varies by county - often County Tax Assessor-Collector)