Tax Office

Texas vehicle inspection changes

New law eliminates most vehicle safety inspections

(AUSTIN, Texas – September 9, 2024) Beginning January 1, 2025, Texas vehicle owners will no longer be required to obtain a safety inspection prior to vehicle registration. House Bill 3297, passed during the 88th Legislature in 2023, abolishes the vehicle safety inspection program for non-commercial vehicles.

The new law maintains the annual $7.50 safety inspection fee under a new name: Inspection Program Replacement Fee. The state will collect the fee at the time of vehicle registration. Owners registering a new vehicle will pay a $16.75 Inspection Program Replacement Fee to cover the first two years.

State law will still require vehicle emissions inspections in the following 17 counties prior to vehicle registration:

Brazoria County, Fort Bend County, Parker County
Collin County, Galveston County, Rockwall County
Dallas County, Harris County, Tarrant County 
Denton County, Johnson County, Travis County
El Paso County, Kaufman County, Williamson County 
Ellis County, Montgomery County 

Informational Links

• Vehicle Registration (Texas Department of Motor Vehicles)

• Vehicle Safety Inspection (Texas Department of Public Safety)

• Vehicle Emissions Inspection (Texas Commission on Environmental Quality)

• House Bill 3297 (88th Legislature)

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About The Texas Department of Motor Vehicles

• Registers and titles motor vehicles
• Licenses motor vehicle dealers
• Credentials motor carriers
• Issues oversize/overweight permits
• Investigates complaints against dealers and motor carriers
• Awards grants to law enforcement agencies to reduce vehicle burglaries and thefts. 

Learn more at Texas DMV Website.

Vehicle title transfers

• Title Check - Look before you buy | TxDMV.gov
• Forms | TxDMV.gov

Vehicle and trailer registrations

• New to Texas | TxDMV.gov
• Texas Department of Motor Vehicles - Vehicle Title and Registration Services (txdmv.gov)

Specialty license plates

• My Plates

Disability parking placards and plates

• Disabled Parking, Placards and Plates | TxDMV.gov

Texas Parks and Wildlife title transfers and renewals

Boat and motor titles cannot be processed after 4:30 pm

• Boat Title, Registration and ID Requirements - Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
• References, Tools and Forms for Boat Titling/Registration - Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

As of October 1st, 2012, all Rockwall County property taxes and their collections will be handled by the Central Appraisal District. All Rockwall County residents should now only receive one tax bill with all entities listed.

• SB 2 Sec 106 - Truth in Taxation - Tax Rate Information for past 5 years
• TNT Information - Rockwall Central Appraisal District (rockwallcad.com)
  
  The Central Appraisal District is located at 841 Justin Road, Rockwall. (972-771-2034