Austin help guides for real resident tasks.

All resident guides

• Do you need an emissions test in Austin? - Figure out whether your Travis or Williamson County vehicle needs an emissions inspection before you renew registration.
• Choose an Austin toll pass: one tag for every toll road - TxTag, EZ TAG, and Mobility Authority bills look alike but behave differently. Pick one tag for every road; if a bill is here, start the toll-bill rescue.
• Where to vote in Austin - Find your current polling place and deadlines using the official Texas voter lookup and your county’s election information.
• Texas change-of-address checklist - The address records worth updating first, the ones that can cost you late fees, missed notices, or a wasted trip to a government office.
• Change a Texas vehicle registration address - Separate the vehicle owner’s address from the renewal-recipient address before a move causes missed notices or toll mail.
• Austin live entertainment, sorted by genre - Compare genre, date, venue, price, and the official event details to land on a night out that actually fits.
• Austin utility bill help - Where Austin residents can check utility discounts, emergency bill help, and the current official assistance paths.
• Austin property tax exemptions - A source-backed starting point for Travis County homestead and property tax exemption questions.
• Austin property tax help and assistance: who handles what - Payment plans, homestead installments, over-65 and disability deferrals, exemptions, and protests: which Travis County office handles what.
• Austin 311 help: report and track a city issue - Need Austin 311 help? Learn what to include, how to submit a non-emergency city request, and how to track it with your service number.
• How to request Austin public records - A practical, source-backed route to an Austin public-information request, filed for you.
• How to look up an Austin permit - Where to start when you’re checking Austin permits, project records, or whether your project even needs one.
• Austin high water bill? Leak checks and the adjustment - A sudden jump usually points to a leak or a meter read issue. What to check first, what Austin Water's adjustment covers, and the deadline to apply.
• How to protest a Travis County appraisal - A practical starting point for reviewing your appraisal notice, gathering evidence, and finding the official protest path.
• Texas vehicle title transfer in Austin - Prepare an Austin-area private sale, purchase, gift, or other Texas vehicle title change with the current county and TxDMV checklist.
• Texas DPS appointment: book the free official slot - The official DPS scheduler is free, and slots reopen all day as people cancel. How to book, find earlier dates nearby, or skip the office online.
• Austin childcare assistance and waitlist help - Apply for a Texas childcare scholarship, check the Austin-area waitlist, and build a provider backup plan without sharing a child’s private records.
• Free food help in Austin - Find a current Austin pantry, meal, or mobile distribution, confirm it before leaving, and connect SNAP or produce benefits when useful.
• Start, stop, or transfer Austin utility service - Confirm the provider, move date, final reading, and official City of Austin utility handoff before a move creates a duplicate or missing bill.
• Find Texas and Austin unclaimed property - Search the free Texas and City of Austin ledgers, compare a possible match, and claim only through the current official channel.
• CapMetro Reduced Fare vs. Equifare - Compare CapMetro Reduced Fare and Equifare eligibility, application routes, fare media, and the no-smartphone path before paying full fare.
• Austin landlord won't fix a serious problem? Your options - Document the condition, notify in writing, then report to Austin 311 or Austin Code - you can report anonymously, and retaliation is prohibited.
• Austin home-repair assistance programs - Route a safety, accessibility, plumbing, roof, HVAC, electrical, or structural repair to the current City, County, or Habitat intake.
• Austin Transportation User Fee: who gets the exemption - The fee can come off your City utility bill when the payer is 65+, uses no private vehicle, or the property is vacant. The rules, the form, and what to expect.
• Free tax help in Austin - Find current IRS-certified Austin tax preparation for an in-scope return, amendment, ITIN need, or IRS letter without sharing tax records here.
• How to dispose of bulky items in Austin - Finding the right Austin Resource Recovery path for bulk, brush, hazardous, reusable, and other hard-to-dispose-of items.
• Renew Texas benefits and send missing proof - Keep a SNAP, Medicaid, TANF, or other HHSC renewal moving by matching the exact notice, due date, requested proof, and official submission receipt.
• Texas security deposit not returned after move-out - Document a missing or reduced rental deposit, the forwarding-address notice, the 30-day checkpoint, and the next official legal-help route.
• Austin Municipal Court options for a criminal citation - Confirm an Austin criminal citation, protect the response date, and compare payment, hearing, dismissal, deferral, or judge-approved affordability options.
• MAP insurance in Austin: eligibility, application, renewal - Often called MAP insurance: Central Health MAP covers doctor visits, prescriptions, and dental for uninsured Travis County residents. Qualify, apply, renew.
• Dispose of batteries and hazardous waste in Austin - Keep batteries, paint, chemicals, and other household hazardous waste out of ordinary carts and match each item to a safe Austin collection or drop-off route.
• Austin ISD special education evaluation: every checkpoint - From the written request to consent, evaluation, and the ARD decision: every checkpoint in plain language, without putting your child’s record anywhere.
• Update records after a Texas court name-change order - Turn a signed Texas name-change order into a certified-copy and agency-by-agency update plan for Social Security, DPS, voter, passport, and other records.
• Travis County jury duty: respond, reschedule, and prepare - Answer the summons, ask about moving the date, plan the trip and the pay, and spot the payment-call scams. The official steps in plain language.
• How do you fight a parking ticket in Austin? - Look up the citation, compare paying with requesting a hearing, and act before the date printed on the ticket.
• Missed trash, recycling, or compost pickup in Austin - Missed collection? Check the deadline and prepare your Austin 311 report. Already reported it? Keep the same request number for follow-up.
• Find my towed car in Austin: official lookup, lot, and fees - APD's official tow lookup shows if your car was towed, which lot holds it, and today's charges. Same-day pickup is cheapest; know your deadlines.
• How do you report a noise problem in Austin? - Document the pattern first, then use the right official channel: 911 only for emergencies, 311 or Austin Code for ongoing noise.
• How do you get a birth certificate in Austin? - Order through Austin Public Health’s Office of Vital Records or the state, with the right ID and eligibility.
• How do you register to vote in Austin, Texas? - Texas registration means a signed paper form to your county voter registrar, at least 30 days before the election.
• How do you dispute a high Austin Energy bill? - Check the meter read, usage, and rate details first, then use the City of Austin Utilities dispute path.
• Austin Energy rebates and efficiency help - Which Austin Energy rebates apply to thermostats, weatherization, and home efficiency work, and how to apply through the official program pages.
• Austin Water rebates and free conservation tools - Austin Water pays for approved conservation projects like landscape conversion, rainwater systems, and irrigation upgrades, and gives away free tools.
• How to apply for an Austin building permit - The official path for a residential building permit in Austin: check the property record, prepare plans, apply through Austin Build + Connect, and track review.
• How do you file a police report in Austin? - File most non-emergency Austin police reports online. Phone: 3-1-1 or 512-974-2000. 911 only for crimes in progress.
• How do you find a lost pet in Austin? - Report it on Petco Love Lost, check Austin Animal Services daily, and move fast: stray holds last 72 hours.
• Where do you apply for a passport in Austin? - Austin Public Library runs four appointment-only passport offices. An adult passport book costs $165 with the city fee.
• How do you find something lost at the Austin airport? - File the airport's lost item form or call 512-530-5678. Checkpoint items go to TSA; items on the plane go to your airline.
• Where can you get a document notarized in Austin? - Austin Public Library notarizes by appointment for the Texas max fee. Online notarization is legal statewide.
• How do you look up an Austin traffic ticket? - Search the Austin Municipal Court portal by name and birth date or license number. Parking tickets search by plate or VIN.
• Austin curbside composting: green cart rules and schedule - What goes in the green cart, set-out rules, extra-item limits, and how to find your Austin compost collection day or report a miss.
• Report illegal parking in Austin: 311 and enforcement - A car blocking your driveway, the sidewalk, or a bike lane goes to Austin 311, which dispatches city parking enforcement.
• Austin recycling rules and pickup schedule - Austin recycling is biweekly and single-stream. What goes in the blue cart, what stays out, set-out time, holiday slides, and missed pickups.
• Report an abandoned vehicle in Austin: 311 and abatement - Report an abandoned or junk vehicle on an Austin street or private property to 311 or APD Vehicle Abatement. What qualifies and what happens next.