AUSTIN (KXAN) — Gov. Greg Abbott on Tuesday signed a bill that will eliminate the annual vehicle inspection requirement for most vehicles in Texas.

Texas lawmakers passed House Bill 3297 earlier this month, eliminating the safety inspections for vehicles.

Texans living in the most-populated counties will still have to appear annually for an emissions test. The 17 counties that require emissions inspections include those surrounding the major metro areas, other than San Antonio: Harris, Fort Bend, Brazoria, Montgomery, Galveston, Williamson, Travis, Dallas, Tarrant, Denton, Collin, Rockwall, Kaufman, Ellis, Johnson, Parker, and El Paso.

In 2025, vehicle safety inspections will be replaced by an annual $7.50 fee — the same as the current inspection fee, but without the need to actually take your vehicle into the shop.

Drivers in new vehicles that have not previously been registered will pay $16.75 upon registration. That money will benefit the Texas mobility fund, the clean air fund and the state’s general revenue.

After the bill passed, Travis County Constable Stacy Suits urged Abbott to veto it, citing concerns over road safety and air quality.

Suits joined other law enforcement officials who testified against the bill during the legislative session.

 

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