Every state has a government agency responsible for regulating vehicles and drivers. In many states, this agency is called the DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles) or the MVC (Motor Vehicle Commission). In Texas, these services are handled by the Department of Public Safety, or DPS.  In addition to being responsible for issuing driver's licenses, Texas DPS is also responsible for disaster response and for law enforcement at the state level. To accomplish these functions, the department is carved up into 6 divisions: Administration, Driver License, Criminal Law Enforcement, the Highway Patrol, the Texas Rangers and the Governor’s Division of Emergency Management.

DPS History

The Texas Department of Public Safety was created in 1935, when the Texas Rangers and the Highway Patrol were organized into a single department. Read more...

DPS Office Locations

Find a DPS Office in your area. Read more...

DPS Services

Each division of the Texas DPS has a different set of duties and performs a different set of services for the public. For example, the Administration Division handles employee training, maintains criminal records and handles criminal record requests, and screens applicants for concealed handgun licenses. Read more...

Online DPS Services

Many common requests can be completed online at the Texas DPS website, if you have a credit card to pay the associated fees. For example, you can request a copy of your driving record online, renew your license or change your address,  renew your  vehicle registration, pay driver responsibility surcharges, apply for a concealed handgun permit, and more. Read more...

Texas Drivers License Guide

The most common reason for the average person to interact with the Texas DPS is to get a driver's license. If this is your fist time ever applying for a driver’s license, you will need to pass a vision test, written exam and a road test to receive a license. Read more...