Does Texas Have Car Inspection Laws?

Vehicle inspections aim to minimize the risk to those who are on the road, but laws change. In Texas, House Bill 3297 eliminated the requirement for Texas residents to have their vehicles inspected. So, does Texas have car inspection laws at all? Speak to a Houston car accident lawyer today.

Consider the Current Texas Laws

Under House Bill 3297, the legislature eliminated the requirement for drivers to have vehicle inspections. That means that starting in 2025, drivers do not need to take or pass an inspection of their vehicle to operate that vehicle legally on the roadway. You do not have to take your vehicle into the shop any longer.

Note that this new bill does not eliminate the requirement for drivers to register their vehicle with the state and pay the $7.50 fee to do so. If this is the first time the car is registered with the state, you must pay for two years the first time for a total cost of $16.75.

Emission Testing in Texas

Emission testing is a process many communities require to minimize the amount of pollution entering the air while a person is operating a vehicle. For many years, most states and counties had such rules in place.

Currently, in Texas, there are 17 counties that have emission testing requirements on drivers and their vehicles. That means that, before registering their vehicle with the county, they must take the vehicle to the emission testing center and ensure it passes. Emissions testing is not the same as a full vehicle inspection, but if you live in one of these 17 areas, you will need to complete the emissions test and then bring your test documentation to the license bureau to obtain registration.

Previous Testing Requirements

Now that you are in 2025, you no longer have to worry about these inspection requirements. Prior to that, though, inspectors looked at a variety of components of a vehicle to ensure the car was safe to drive on the road. That included all of your license and turn signals, the lamp on your license plate, airbags and seatbelts, as well as the wheel assembly and steering wheel. Brakes, horns, gas caps, and other requirements were also in place.

What You Have to Do in 2025

The new rules for 2025 apply to noncommercial drivers who register their vehicle to a Texas address. Note that there are about 26 million registered vehicles in Texas. The annual inspections across the state – those that you have been doing for years – no longer need to be completed.

When it comes time to renew your vehicle registration, you will need to have an emissions test completed if you live in one of the 17 counties that still require it. If not, you do not need to do anything but come into the license bureau to register your vehicle with proper identification and payment for fees.

In situations where you may not follow these laws, you could face fines and, over time, the loss of driving privileges on the roadways in the state. That is why it can be so important to keep your license and registration up to date. Avoiding fines like this is easier now that you do not have to worry about a full inspection requirement from the state any longer.