My car registration expires this month (October 2024). Someone told me that I no longer need to get a safety inspection – is that right? Do I still need to get a safety inspection before I can get my vehicle registration renewed?
Yes for now. But you won’t need to next year.
If your vehicle registration sticker shows “10/24”, your registration is valid through the last day of October 2024. You will still need to get a safety inspection before you can get your registration renewed. Vehicle owners must pass the annual safety inspection before being able to register the vehicle through Dec. 31, 2024.
This law will change in 2025. In 2023, the Texas Legislature passed House Bill 3297 and Gov. Greg Abbott signed the bill into law. Starting on Jan. 1, 2025, this new law eliminates the need for non-commercial vehicles to get a vehicle safety inspection. Non-commercial vehicles will still be subject to a $7.50 inspection program replacement fee, which will be automatically added to your annual vehicle registration payment.
There will still be emissions testing in major metropolitan counties even though non-commercial vehicle safety inspections will be eliminated in Texas in 2025. For example, Travis and Williamson counties will still require emissions testing in 2025 in order to get non-commercial vehicle registration renewed. And all commercial vehicles will still be required to pass the vehicle safety inspection in 2025.
This article appears in October 4 • 2024.