Moving to Texas from abroad means landing in one of the fastest-growing, most business-friendly states in the US — with no state income tax, housing that is markedly cheaper than the coasts, and three very different city economies in Houston, Dallas and Austin. This guide covers the two things that actually matter to an international mover: getting your household goods into Texas by sea and air, and setting yourself up as a new resident once you arrive. Figures are current as of 2026; always confirm fees with the official authority before you travel, as rates change.

Key takeaways

• Household goods arrive through the Port of Houston — the nation’s largest port by waterborne tonnage and the busiest container gateway on the US Gulf Coast, handling a record 4.3 million TEU in 2025.
• US customs is federal, not Texan. Your used household goods clear under US Customs and Border Protection rules using CBP Form 3299 regardless of which US city you move to — see the [pillar guide] for the full customs walkthrough.
• Texas has no state income tax, per the Texas Comptroller — and since 2019 a personal income tax is prohibited by the Texas Constitution (Article 8, §24-a), one of the biggest financial draws for international movers.
• Sales tax is 6.25% state, plus up to 2% local, for a maximum combined rate of 8.25%, per the Texas Comptroller.
• You have 90 days to get a Texas driver licence and 30 days to register a vehicle — see the Texas DPS and TxDMV.
• Housing is comparatively affordable: the statewide Zillow average home value sits near $303,000 in 2026, with Houston around $265,000 — far below coastal metros (Zillow figures are aggregator estimates; see §6).
• Three international airports — Houston’s IAH (United hub), Dallas–Fort Worth’s DFW (American hub) and Austin’s AUS — give strong long-haul connectivity for you and later air-freight.

1. Getting your household goods to Texas

Texas is a coastal state, which is a genuine advantage for an international move: your container can sail directly into the state rather than being trucked inland from another coast.

Sea freight via the Port of Houston. The Houston Ship Channel complex is the natural entry point for household-goods containers. It is the largest US port for waterborne tonnage and handles roughly 75% of all US Gulf Coast container traffic, with a record 4.3 million TEU moved in 2025. For a full 20ft or 40ft container (an FCL move), plan realistically on 5–8 weeks door-to-door from Europe and 8–12 weeks from Asia or Australasia, including sailing time, US customs clearance and final delivery. Shared-container (LCL/groupage) shipments take longer because they wait for consolidation and deconsolidation.

Air freight for the essentials. If you need a subset of belongings quickly, air freight into George Bush Intercontinental (IAH) in Houston, Dallas–Fort Worth (DFW) or Austin–Bergstrom (AUS) typically clears in days rather than weeks. IAH is United’s hub with strong Europe, Asia and Latin America service; DFW is American’s global hub with 70-plus international destinations — so most origin cities connect without difficulty.

Customs is federal — the city does not change it. This is the single most misunderstood point for international movers. Whether you settle in Houston, Dallas or Austin, your goods clear under the same US Customs and Border Protection process. Used personal effects owned and used for at least a year are generally admitted duty-free under CBP Form 3299 (Declaration for Free Entry of Unaccompanied Articles). Texas adds no state-level customs layer. The full document checklist — Form 3299, a valued inventory, your passport and visa, and restrictions on food, alcohol and certain woods — is in the [pillar guide]. For the wider US picture, see https://flytorelocation.com/usa/.

2. Your driver licence and vehicle

Texas is a driving state. Outside central Austin and a few Houston and Dallas pockets, life assumes a car.

Driver licence — 90-day deadline. New residents must obtain a Texas driver licence within 90 days of moving, per the Texas Department of Public Safety. If you hold a valid, unexpired licence from another country or US state, Texas generally waives the written and road tests on transfer, though the DPS can require them at its discretion — this is more likely with a licence from a country without a reciprocity arrangement. A standard adult (18–84) licence costs $33 and is valid for eight years (confirm the current fee with the DPS). Book a DPS office appointment in advance; walk-in waits can be long. You will need proof of identity (passport and visa), proof of Texas residency (a lease or utility bill), and your Social Security number or proof of ineligibility.

Vehicle registration — 30-day deadline. If you ship or buy a car, you must register it within 30 days. The state portion of registration is $51.75, with county fees on top. You complete Form 130-U at your county tax-assessor–collector office, show proof of Texas insurance (minimum 30/60/25 liability coverage) and, in the 17 emissions counties — including Harris (Houston), Dallas, Tarrant, Travis (Austin) and Collin — pass a vehicle inspection first. Electric vehicles pay an additional $200 annual fee.

3. No state income tax and how Texas taxes you instead

The headline draw is real. Texas levies no personal state income tax, per the Texas Comptroller, and since 2019 the Texas Constitution (Article 8, §24-a) prohibits the legislature from introducing one without a statewide constitutional amendment. For a professional relocating on a solid salary, that can be a meaningful uplift versus California or New York.

Texas recovers revenue elsewhere, and newcomers should budget for it:

• Sales tax: 6.25% state, up to 2% local, for a maximum 8.25% on most goods and taxable services.
• Property tax: among the highest effective rates in the country. If you buy rather than rent, this is where the "no income tax" saving is partly offset — model your specific county carefully.

Note that "no state income tax" does not exempt you from federal income tax, which is the same in every state. And your home country’s tax residency rules may still apply in your first year abroad — take cross-border tax advice; nothing here is personal financial advice.

4. Healthcare and setup

The US has no universal healthcare, so health insurance is essential from day one. Most professional relocations come with employer-sponsored cover; if yours does not, arrange private international or marketplace cover before you arrive, as an uninsured hospital visit can be financially serious. You will also want a Social Security number (via the Social Security Administration, if your visa permits work), a US bank account — easier to open once you have a local address and SSN — and a US mobile number, which many services treat as ID.

5. Houston, Dallas or Austin — a newcomer’s read

The following is practical guidance, not a ranking; the right city depends on your work and lifestyle. Home-value figures below are Zillow aggregator estimates and move month to month — treat them as a rough guide, not a valuation.

Houston is the most international of the three — vast, diverse, and the centre of the global energy industry, plus a major medical hub (the Texas Medical Center). It is the most affordable major metro, with a Zillow average home value around $265,000 in 2026. International newcomers often gravitate to the Energy Corridor and Katy (energy sector, good schools), The Woodlands (master-planned, family-friendly) and Sugar Land / Fort Bend (one of the most diverse counties in the US). Houston is humid and car-dependent; flood history is worth researching by neighbourhood.

Dallas–Fort Worth is a corporate and finance powerhouse with the strongest job breadth and DFW’s unrivalled flight connectivity. Popular landing spots include Plano and Frisco (corporate relocations, top-rated schools), Las Colinas / Irving (central, international) and Uptown for those wanting a walkable, urban base. DFW home values sit near the state average and the market has softened, favouring buyers in 2026.

Austin is the tech and lifestyle draw — younger, greener, and the most walkable core, though pricier per square foot and hotter in summer. After a sharp pandemic-era run-up, Austin values corrected and have been comparatively flat, which can suit a patient buyer. Newcomers cluster in North/Northwest Austin and suburbs like Round Rock, Cedar Park and Leander for schools and value.

6. Cost of living, framed honestly

Texas is cheaper than the US coasts but no longer "cheap." The statewide Zillow average home value of roughly $303,000 in 2026 is well below California or the Northeast, and the market has shifted buyer-friendly. Zillow’s numbers are modelled aggregator estimates, so treat them as directional. Renting first is sensible: it lets you test a neighbourhood’s commute and, crucially, its property-tax and flood profile before committing. Offsetting the housing and no-income-tax advantages are high property taxes, car dependence (insurance, fuel, parking) and summer cooling costs — air conditioning runs hard from May to September. For authoritative, regularly updated cost and wage data, cross-check the US Bureau of Labor Statistics and US Census Bureau rather than relying on aggregator sites.

How Flyto handles your move to Houston, Dallas or Austin

Overseas relocations to the US are handled as Flyto Platinum, our fully managed door-to-door service — because an intercontinental move has too many moving parts to leave half-managed. That means one coordinator for the whole chain: export packing and collection at origin, sea freight into the Port of Houston (or air freight into IAH, DFW or AUS for priority items), US customs clearance with your Form 3299 paperwork prepared for you, inland transport to your Texas address, and delivery, unpacking and debris removal at the far end. You get a single point of contact across time zones and a clear plan for the 5–12 week transit rather than a stack of separate invoices. We coordinate the shipping and customs; local steps that must be done in person — your DPS licence appointment and county vehicle registration — remain yours, and this guide tells you exactly what each requires.

Frequently asked questions

How long does shipping household goods to Texas take?
For a full container, plan on roughly 5–8 weeks from Europe and 8–12 weeks from Asia or Australasia, door-to-door via the Port of Houston, including customs. Shared-container groupage takes longer.

Do I pay customs duty on my used belongings?
Generally no. Used personal effects owned and used for at least a year are typically admitted duty-free under CBP Form 3299. See the [pillar guide] for the full checklist and exceptions.

Is there really no income tax in Texas?
Correct — Texas levies no state personal income tax, per the Texas Comptroller, and a personal income tax is constitutionally prohibited. You still pay federal income tax, and Texas has relatively high property and sales taxes.

How quickly must I get a Texas driver licence?
Within 90 days of becoming a resident, per the Texas DPS. A valid foreign or out-of-state licence usually transfers with the tests waived, at the examiner’s discretion.

How much does registering my car cost?
The state portion is $51.75 plus county fees, with registration due within 30 days. Emissions-county residents (Harris, Dallas, Tarrant, Travis and others) must pass inspection first; EVs pay an extra $200 a year.

Which city is cheapest for housing?
Houston is currently the most affordable of the three major metros, with a Zillow average value around $265,000 in 2026, versus roughly $303,000 statewide (aggregator estimates).

Do I need health insurance before I arrive?
Yes. The US has no universal system, so arrange employer or private cover before day one; an uninsured medical event can be very costly.

Sources

• Port Houston — Port Statistics
• Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts — Taxes
• Texas Comptroller — Sales and Use Tax (6.25% + up to 2%)
• Ballotpedia — Texas Proposition 4 (2019), constitutional prohibition on a personal income tax (Art. 8 §24-a)
• Texas DPS — Moving to Texas: Driver Licenses and IDs
• TxDMV — New to Texas (vehicle registration)
• US Customs and Border Protection
• Zillow — Texas Home Values
• Zillow — Houston Home Values
• US Bureau of Labor Statistics
• US Census Bureau

Freshness note: figures verified against official sources in 2026. Fees, tax rates and deadlines change — always confirm with the linked authority (Texas DPS, TxDMV, Texas Comptroller, US CBP) before acting. Home-value figures are Zillow aggregator estimates and shift monthly.