Texas requires vehicle inspections — How many other states do it?

by: Kelsey Thompson
KXAN

TEXAS (KXAN) -- With many new residents moving to the Lone Star State, vehicle registrations and inspections might not be top of mind. But with each state governing safety and emissions inspections individually, here's a status update on all of the inspections you need to know about while living in Texas.

Nearly 20 states require some form of periodic vehicle safety inspections, including Texas. This applies to all registered vehicles statewide, per the Texas Department of Public Safety.

While every vehicle must receive an annual, comprehensive safety inspection, some are required to have an emissions test.

Which Texas vehicles are required to have an emissions test?

Seventeen counties are deemed designated regions where emission tests are required:

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

Additionally, all gasoline-powered vehicles must also have an emissions inspection, with diesel powered-vehicles and motorcycles exempt.

What are registration fees here in Texas?

The Texas Department of Motor Vehicles established statewide registration fees for 2023, based on vehicle type. The following fees are incurred on an annual basis:

• Passenger vehicles, trucks (6,000 pounds or less): $50.75
• Trailers, travel trailers (6,000 pounds or less): $45
• All vehicles (6,001-10,000 pounds): $54
• Motorcycles, mopeds: $30

Vehicles that weigh more than 10,001 pounds are required to pay the following registration fees, in addition to local county fees:

• 10,001-18,000 pounds: $110
• 18,001-25,999 pounds: $205
• 26,000-40,000 pounds: $340
• 40,001-54,999 pounds: $535
• 55,000-70,000 pounds: $740
• 70,001-80,000 pounds: $840

More information on local fees collected at the time of vehicle registration, by Texas county, is available online.