A new Missouri resident has 30 days from becoming a resident to title a vehicle, according to the Department of Revenue, and the state does not print a deadline for swapping an out-of-state license on the pages we read. Registering to vote closes with a postmark by the fourth Wednesday before an election.
This is the paperwork side of a move, taken only from state pages we read on October 30, 2026. Rules and fees change; follow each link before you act. We do not give legal or tax advice.
Driver License
A new resident with a valid out-of-state license (or one expired no more than 184 days) uses the new-resident process at the Department of Revenue. You need proof of identity, lawful status, your Social Security number and a Missouri residential address. Any license office will do; the department does not require a particular one.
- The pages we read print $29 for a 3-year license and $38 for a 6-year license, and $24 for a nondriver ID. The fee table lists other classes that were hard to read, so check the page for yours. Written and road test fees are separate.
- Terms as printed: ages 21 to 69 get 6 years; ages 18 to 20 and 70 and older get 3 years.
- A REAL ID, commercial license or commercial permit needs two documents proving Missouri residency and domicile.
- A deadline for new residents to switch licenses is not stated on either page, so we print none. See the license page and the documents checklist.
Vehicle Title and Registration
Title your vehicle within 30 days of becoming a Missouri resident. The department lists the out-of-state title or proof of ownership, Form 108, an odometer or identification inspection, proof of insurance and a statement of non-assessment from your county or City of St. Louis assessor.
- Fees printed: $8.50 title and $9.00 processing, with a possible $2 electronic fee. No sales tax is due on a vehicle you owned or operated elsewhere for 90 or more days.
- A safety inspection not more than 60 days old is needed at titling. Vehicles are exempt from it for the first 10 years after the model year when under 150,000 miles.
- An emissions test is also required (60 days) in St. Louis City, Jefferson, St. Charles and St. Louis counties; that program runs through the Gateway Vehicle Inspection Program, not the Department of Revenue.
- A personal property tax declaration deadline is not stated on the pages we read. Ask your county assessor. See titling and registration.
Voter Registration
The Secretary of State lists four ways: online, a printed form mailed in, in person, or a form requested by mail (3 to 5 business days). The form must be postmarked by the fourth Wednesday before the election. You must be a U.S. citizen and a Missouri resident; you can register at 17 and a half and vote at 18. The office phone is (573) 751-2301. Register to vote.
Property Tax and Schools
The State Tax Commission says the assessor sets market value and levies are then applied; its pages do not say in so many words who bills and collects, so ask your county. Its site has sections for assessors, collectors, clerks and appeals. See how bills are calculated.
For schools, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education offers a Data Dashboard for individual districts, a school directory and the Missouri Comprehensive Data System portal on its school data page. We do not rank districts. DESE school data.
Costs by City Before You Pick One
Compare rent, home values and cost of living from Census data for 38 cities. Jobs and pay by metro are on the Living in Missouri hub.
What We Could Not Verify
- A deadline for new residents to get a Missouri license: not stated on the pages we read.
- The personal property tax declaration deadline and which office bills property tax.
- The Conservation Department’s definition of a resident for hunting and fishing permits: its resident-qualifications pages did not load.
- The rest of the license fee table: the page text was garbled for some classes.
- Any fee, rule or deadline that changed after October 30, 2026.
More Missouri Guides
Questions People Ask
How long do I have to title my car in Missouri after moving?
The Department of Revenue says 30 days from the date you become a Missouri resident.
How much is a Missouri driver license?
The Department of Revenue prints $29 for 3 years and $38 for 6 years, and $24 for a nondriver ID. Check the page for other classes.
How do I register to vote in Missouri?
Online, by mail, or in person; the form must be postmarked by the fourth Wednesday before the election, per the Secretary of State.
Sources
- Missouri Department of Revenue: driver license
- Missouri Department of Revenue: required documents
- Missouri Department of Revenue: new to Missouri
- Missouri Department of Revenue: titling and registration
- Missouri Department of Revenue: inspections and help
- Missouri Secretary of State: register to vote
- Missouri DESE: school data
- Missouri State Tax Commission
- State Tax Commission: how property tax bills are calculated
Checked October 30, 2026 by It’s Missouri. Cite this page: It’s Missouri (https://itsmissouri.com/living/moving-to-missouri/), checked October 30, 2026. Free to quote with a link.