TEXAS — Vehicle inspections for non-commercial vehicles will soon be a thing of the past for Texas drivers. Here’s everything you need to know about the upcoming changes that take effect in 2025.

Starting Jan. 1, 2025, the Texas Department of Public Safety will no longer require non-commercial vehicles in Texas to undergo annual safety inspections.

The change was first introduced through House Bill 3297, which Gov. Greg Abbott signed during the 88th legislature in 2023. The bill eliminates vehicle safety inspections for non-commercial vehicles and imposes a replacement fee.

Non-commercial vehicles are vehicles that are not intended for commercial use like carrying goods or passengers for hire.

Commercial vehicles will still have to undergo annual state inspections.

Despite not having to undergo annual inspections, owners of non-commercial vehicles in the state will still have to pay a $7.50 inspection program replacement fee. The fee will be added to the total fee for registering a vehicle with the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles.

Revenue from the fee will go toward the Texas mobility fund, the state’s general revenue fund and the clean air account.

Those with new vehicles purchased in Texas that haven’t already been registered must pay a $16.75 fee to cover two years. 

Those living in the following emissions counties will have to undergo an emissions test in addition to paying the inspection program replacement fee:

• Collin

• Dallas

• Denton

• Ellis

• Johnson

• Kaufman

• Parker

• Rockwall

• Tarrant

• Travis

• Williamson

• El Paso

Bexar County will require emissions tests starting in 2026.