Starting Jan. 1, Texas drivers will no longer be required to take an annual safety inspection to register their vehicles.
However, vehicles must pass a metropolitan emissions test, and all drivers will pay a $7.50 test replacement fee when renewing their vehicle registration. The state Legislature approved the policy change, spearheaded by Rep. Cody Harris (R-PA), during the 2023 session.
“Removal of the requirement is long overdue, as Texas remains one of the few states that still requires annual safety inspections,” Harris said in a statement to Community Impact. “As more than 40 other states have proven, these tests do not make our roads safer.”
Here’s what Texans need to know before registering a vehicle in 2025.
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A new state law, House Bill 3297, would eliminate mandatory safety inspections for non-commercial vehicles.
The $7.50 “Inspection Program Replacement Fee” will be donated to the state’s General Fund, Clean Air Account, and Texas Mobility Fund, which supports construction and expansion of state highways. Drivers who register a new car will pay a $16.75 fee for two years of coverage, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety.
Texas residents whose vehicles are registered in the following 17 metropolitan counties are required to undergo an emissions test before renewing their registration.
BrazoriaColindallasDentonEllisEl PasoFortBendGalvestonHarrisJohnsonKaufmanMontgomeryParkerRockwallTarrantTravisWilliamsonBexar County will begin requiring emissions testing in 2026, according to DPS.
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During an emissions test, the inspector checks the vehicle’s engine and electronic systems to see if the vehicle is emitting significant amounts of pollutants. According to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, vehicle registration will be denied in the above counties if the individual does not have the emissions system inspected or if the vehicle fails the inspection.
Electric vehicles will continue to be exempt from emissions testing, and commercial vehicles such as delivery trucks, buses and taxis will still have to pass safety inspections, DPS said.
Texans are still required to register their vehicles with the Texas Department of Transportation annually.
DPS encourages drivers to maintain their vehicles regularly to keep Texas roadways safe. This includes making sure your vehicle’s headlights, taillights, horn, mirrors, wipers, tires, etc. are working properly. According to DPS, it is against the law to operate a vehicle without a working safety feature.
“Texans are responsible (and) very independent, and I trust them to keep their cars and trucks safe on the road. … 40 million hours a year to Texas drivers I’m proud to author this bill that will free up more time than ever before,” Harris said.
