New law eliminates most vehicle safety inspections
December 17, 2024 - Beginning January 1, 2025, Texas vehicle owners will no longer need to obtain a safety inspection prior to vehicle registration. House Bill 3297, passed during the 88th Legislature in 2023, eliminates the safety inspection program for non-commercial vehicles.
The new law maintains the annual $7.50 safety inspection fee collected at the time of vehicle registration. Texans will see this fee labeled as the Inspection Program Replacement Fee on their registration renewal notice. Owners registering a new vehicle will pay a $16.75 Inspection Program Replacement Fee to cover the first two years of registration.
State law will still require obtaining a passing vehicle emissions inspection in the following 17 counties prior to vehicle registration: Brazoria County, Fort Bend County, Parker County, Collin County, Galveston County, Rockwall County, Dallas County, Harris County, Tarrant County, Denton County, Johnson County, Travis County, El Paso County, Kaufman County, Williamson County, Ellis County, and Montgomery County
Informational Links
- Vehicle Registration (Texas Department of Motor Vehicles)
- Vehicle Safety Inspection (Texas Department of Public Safety)
- Vehicle Emissions Inspection (Texas Commission on Environmental Quality)
- House Bill 3297 (88th Legislature)
Editor's Note:
The fee funds State programs and operations: (construction and expansion of state highways)
- Texas Mobility Fund: $3.50
- State General Fund: $2
- Clean Air Account: $2
