If you heard that Texas got rid of inspections in 2025, you only heard half the story. House Bill 3297 eliminated the annual safety inspection requirement for most non-commercial vehicles starting January 1, 2025. No more checking brakes, lights, wipers, and horn for the windshield sticker. But here is what a lot of drivers missed: emissions testing did not go away. If you live in one of the 17 Texas counties with smog check requirements, you still need to pass an emissions test before you can renew your registration. The safety part is gone. The emissions part is not. This confusion is everywhere right now. People are searching for whether Texas got rid of inspections completely, and the answer is no. This article explains exactly what changed, what stayed the same, which counties still require emissions testing, and what you need to do at registration renewal in 2025. If you live in or around Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin, or El Paso, keep reading.
What Changed in Texas on January 1, 2025
House Bill 3297, passed by the 88th Texas Legislature in 2023, eliminated the annual safety inspection requirement for most non-commercial vehicles starting January 1, 2025. This applies to standard passenger cars and light trucks that are not registered as commercial and not in special categories like school buses. Commercial vehicles, school buses, and certain other classes still require annual safety inspections under separate statutes. Texas did not make inspections free. The old inspection fee that went toward the windshield sticker was replaced with an inspection program replacement fee collected with your registration. The dollar amount is roughly the same as the old state portion of the inspection fee. The critical point is that this law change only affects the safety part of what used to be a combined safety and emissions inspection in some counties. Emissions testing rules were left completely in place for counties that already had them. So when you hear that Texas got rid of inspections, that only refers to the safety checklist. If you live in an emissions county, you still need a smog check. No more safety sticker does not mean no more emissions test.
Safety Inspection vs Emissions Test: What Is the Difference?
The safety inspection that Texas eliminated checked things like brakes, lights, tires, wipers, horn, mirrors, and sometimes window tint. The goal was roadworthiness and crash safety, not pollution. It answered the question: is your car safe to drive? The emissions test, also called a smog check, focuses on what comes out of your tailpipe or shows up in your vehicle's computer. It measures pollutants like hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen oxides. It also checks system integrity, including your catalytic converter and OBD-II readiness monitors. The question here is different: is your car too dirty to drive in this area without breaking air quality rules? Before 2025, many Texas drivers did both as a single annual inspection tied to registration renewal. That bundle is now broken. Safety dropped. Emissions remains where required. Safety inspections were purely a Texas choice. Emissions testing is tied to federal Clean Air Act compliance in high-pollution urban areas designated as non-attainment regions. Texas can drop safety inspections whenever it wants, but emissions programs are connected to federal air quality standards.
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Where Emissions Testing Is Still Required in Texas
Texas continues to require annual emissions tests in 17 counties concentrated around its largest metro areas. These are the counties where you still need a smog check for registration, even though safety inspections are gone. Houston area counties include Brazoria, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, and Montgomery. Dallas and Fort Worth area counties include Collin, Dallas, Denton, Ellis, Johnson, Kaufman, Parker, Rockwall, and Tarrant. Austin area counties include Travis and Williamson. El Paso County covers the El Paso metro. Bexar County, which includes San Antonio, is scheduled to begin emissions testing in 2026. For all of 2025, San Antonio drivers do not need emissions tests, but that changes next year. These programs exist because these metro areas have struggled to meet federal ozone and pollution standards. They are designated as non-attainment or maintenance areas under the Clean Air Act. Rural counties in Texas generally have no emissions testing requirement at all. At the vehicle level, Texas typically requires emissions tests for gasoline-powered passenger vehicles within a specific age band. Newest vehicles and very old or antique vehicles are often exempt. Check the official program pages for exact model-year cutoffs.
What Texas Drivers Must Do at Registration Renewal Now
What you need to do depends on where your vehicle is registered. If you live in a non-emissions county, registration just got simpler. Before 2025, you needed a safety inspection before renewing. From January 1, 2025 onward, you no longer need any inspection for registration. You just pay the registration fee plus the new inspection program replacement fee. If you live in one of the 17 emissions counties, you still must pass an emissions test as part of registration renewal. Only the safety checklist went away. The emissions requirement stayed. Emissions tests generally have to be completed within a defined window before your registration expires, commonly up to 90 days. Results are transmitted electronically to TxDMV. If you do not complete the required emissions test, the DMV can refuse to renew your registration even though the safety inspection requirement is gone. Here is the 2025 registration flow: first, check if your registration address is in an emissions county. If yes, get an emissions test before your renewal date. Then renew online or in person. Safety inspection is no longer part of the checklist for most private vehicles. The key takeaway: in 2025 Texas dropped safety inspections, not emissions tests in smog check counties.
How to Find Emissions Test Stations in Texas
Texas uses a mix of state-approved private inspection stations and program-specific testing centers. Any shop doing emissions testing must be licensed under the state's inspection program. You cannot just go anywhere. Official station lists and search tools are available on Texas agency sites including DPS, TxDMV, and TCEQ. You can search by ZIP code, city, or county to find approved emissions stations near you. Authorized stations typically display Texas inspection signage and will appear in the official locator. That signage is an easy trust signal when you are looking for a legitimate shop. We recommend a two-step approach. First, check your county's official station finder to confirm that a shop is licensed for emissions testing. Then use our Texas directory to compare stations in your city by location, services, and hours. Before you go, bring your current registration or renewal notice. Have proof of insurance ready if the station requests it. Plan for a short wait at peak times like the end of the month, lunch hour, and after work. Browse our Texas city pages to find emissions testing locations in Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin, El Paso, and surrounding areas.
Key Takeaways
- Texas eliminated annual safety inspections for most non-commercial vehicles starting January 1, 2025.
- Emissions testing remains required in 17 Texas counties covering Houston, Dallas, Austin, and El Paso areas.
- Bexar County (San Antonio) will begin emissions testing in 2026, so 2025 is the last year without it.
- If you live in an emissions county, you still need a smog check before registration renewal.
- The old inspection fee was replaced with an inspection program replacement fee collected at registration.
- Check whether your registration address is in an emissions county before assuming you are inspection-free.
Related Reading
You may also want to read guides on what an emissions test actually is, how to prepare your vehicle for a smog check, what happens if you fail, and how often testing is required. Use our Texas state page to see the full list of emissions counties and find testing stations by city.
