Official Inspection Station has been forced to go from eight to two stations while laying off at least a dozen employees.
SAN ANTONIO — Starting Wednesday, non-commercial drivers in Texas will no longer need to get their annual safety inspection for vehicle registration, which comes after lawmakers passed legislation in 2023 doing away with the rule.
Drivers in larger municipalities like Dallas, Harris and Travis counties will be required to pass an emissions test. Bexar County’s emissions test rule will become effective in November 2026.
The $7.50 inspection program replacement fee will automatically go toward a state fund for construction of state highways. The fee will be added when registering your vehicle with the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles.
Official Inspection Station in Bexar County has been in business for 40 years. President and owner Charissa Barnes has prepared for this day, although she stressed it’s been anything but easy.
“It’s been a pretty big impact on our company, our employees, our families that work for us,” Barnes said. “So at this location here on Culebra, we do about 1,600-1,800 inspections every single month.”
Barnes said Official Inspection Station has gone from eight to two stations. As a result, at least a dozen employees were let go.
“Very difficult, it’s out of our control but it doesn’t make it any less painful,” Barnes said.
In 2023, Barnes testified alongside others in Austin, hoping a majority of lawmakers would understand their side of the argument as to why inspections should continue to be mandatory.
“It is really about the safety of the vehicle. We are required to maintain the safety of our vehicle for not just ourselves or our families but other people on the road,” Barnes said.
As for the drivers KENS 5 spoke with, they’ll be getting annual inspections anyway despite there being no requirement.