New law eliminates most vehicle safety inspections

Austin—Beginning January 1, 2025, Texas vehicle owners will no longer be required to obtain a safety inspection prior to vehicle registration. House Bill 3297, passed during the 88th Legislature in 2023, abolishes the vehicle safety inspection program for non-commercial vehicles.

The new law maintains the annual $7.50 safety inspection fee under a new name: Inspection Program Replacement Fee. The state will collect the fee at the time of vehicle registration. Owners registering a new vehicle will pay a $16.75 Inspection Program Replacement Fee to cover the first two years.

State law will still require vehicle emissions inspections in the following 17 counties prior to vehicle registration: Brazoria, Collin, Dallas, Denton, El Paso, Ellis Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Johnson, Kaufman, Montgomery, Parker, Rockwall, Tarrant, Travis, and Williamson.

SOURCE Texas Department of Motor Vehicles