MJP –
Looking back, I can still see the days when a Texas inspection sticker was required for every vehicle. A sticker for your vehicle’s registration was then required. You were required to show both of those stickers on the lower left corner of your front windshield.
Even though inspections were still required, the inspection sticker was eventually removed. Vehicle inspections in Texas will be optional beginning in January 2025. There are two major caveats, though, as there are with most excellent things.
The Expense of an Examination
Getting your car inspected used to cost $14. Since they didn’t make any money and had to use their employees for it, I’m sure many stores refused to do them.
After the inspection sticker requirement was eliminated, the price increased to $7.50, with an additional $7.50 added to the registration fee. Are we then exempt from paying either of those fees? Not at all. First Catch: The state isn’t trying to hide the fact that we still have to pay those fees.
On your registration bill, you will see the “Inspection Program Replacement Fee” (KHOU) labeled. Is that so?! Texas, you have to admit that this is a tax without representation.
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However, I’m getting off track here. In January, I must renew my vehicle’s registration. It is my intention to verify the existence of the “Inspection Program Replacement Fee” as soon as I receive the necessary documentation.
Is it the second catch?
Also, not all counties in Texas will do away with inspections, so there is that second caveat. In order to register a car in some counties, an annual emissions test is still necessary. Among these counties is Kaufman County, which is located in eastern Texas.
The towns of Mabank, Kemp, Kaufman, Forney, Terrell, and every other community in Kaufman County require that emissions test. El Paso, Collin, Dallas, Denton, Ellis, Johnson, Parker, Rockwall, Tarrant, Travis, Williamson, and Fort Bend are among the other counties that will be subject to this rule. In essence, the counties that contain major metropolitan areas (KHOU).
The bright side, I suppose, is that we won’t have to stress over whether or not our tires have enough tread to last until next year or waste time trying to locate a shop that handles state inspections (as not all of them did). It will be sufficient for us to independently verify the condition of our turn signal bulbs.
