Texas bill passed to eliminate annual vehicle inspections for drivers

HOUSTON - A new law is to be enacted as a way to end the need for Texas drivers to get their vehicles inspected.

Texas House Bill 3297 was passed in the Senate and is headed to the Governor's Desk. The bill would eliminate regular mandatory vehicle safety inspections for noncommercial vehicles and the imposition of replacement fees.

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Most states have got rid of their mandatory vehicle inspection programs since the federal government ended the program requirement in 1976. Texas, however, is one of the 11 states that still require annual vehicle safety inspections.

According to the bill, the impact of the mandatory vehicle safety inspection program on road safety is not strong enough to justify the program's existence.

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Under the bill, a person applying for initial registration or renewal of registration of a motor vehicle, trailer, semitrailer, pole trailer, or mobile home to pay an annual fee of $7.50 due at the time of registration, which is in addition to any other fees imposed at the time of registration. The bill requires the comptroller to deposit each $7.50 fee as follows:

$3.50 to the credit of the Texas mobility fund;
$2 to the credit of the general revenue fund; and
$2 to the credit of the clean air account.

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If you are buying a new car or from the preceding year, during the initial registration of the passenger car or light truck sold in Texas or purchased for use in Texas by a qualifying commercial fleet buyer to pay instead a one-time fee of $16.75 if the vehicle is, on the date of sale, of the current model year or preceding model year and has not been previously registered in Texas or any other state. The bill establishes that an applicant required to pay the $16.75 fee is not required to pay the $7.50 fee for the next registration year for the same vehicle. The bill requires the comptroller to deposit each $16.75 fee as follows:

$12.75 to the credit of the Texas Mobility Fund;
$2 to the credit of the general revenue fund; and
$2 to the credit of the clean air account.

If the bill is signed by Abbott, it would take effect on January 1, 2025. Emissions inspections would still be required in 17 counties in the Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, Austin and El Paso areas.

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To read the full bill from the Texas House, click here.