The Record Newspapers - Hometown News For Orange County, Texas

Beginning March 1 vehicles will no longer be issued an inspection sticker.

The registration sticker will serve as proof of both registration and inspection.

For most motorists the thing to remember is that when you come in to renew your registration your vehicle has to have a current inspection.

If your inspection & registration are “in-sync” in the same month, great, just get a passing inspection first before coming in to register. At the inspection station the motorist will receive a Vehicle Inspection Report (VIR) but no sticker. So when you come in or mail in your registration the system will show you have a current inspection and you will be issued a sticker.

Now here is where it gets a little confusing.

If your inspection and registration are not in the same month.

Say your registration expires in March but your inspection doesn’t expire until July.

When you renew your registration in March your inspection is current and our system shows it is eligible for registration so you will be issued a sticker.

But then what do you do when your inspection expires in July.

Just remove the expired inspection sticker and enjoy basically free months of no inspection from August thru February.

Just remember when it’s time to register in March 2016 you will need to have a current inspection or we cannot issue you a MARCH sticker.

Beginning March 2016, you have a 90 day window (Dec-Feb) in which to get it inspected.

Inspection Verification: If your vehicle passed inspection but the system is unable to electronically verify it, simply present your passing Vehicle Inspection Report (VIR) and we will be able to register it.

Inspection Fees: The inspection fees have not changed but where Motorist pays them has. Motorist will pay the inspection station its portion of the fee at the time of inspection and the state’s portion of the inspection fee will now be collected at the time of registration in the tax office.

Trailers: In accordance with the Transportation Code trailers OVER 4500 lbs GROSS WEIGHT are required to be inspected. This includes but not limited to lowboys, travel trailer, etc. A letter will be sent at renewal time explaining that inspection will be required before registration is issued.

Exemption: There are some vehicles and trailers such as farm trailers and fertilizer truck that are exempt. For information on vehicle inspection and exemption visit: www.dps.texas.gov

Vehicles Temporarily Out of State at time of Renewal:

Groups Impacted:

Active Duty Military

Full-time Students

Seasonal Texans (RVer’s)

Vehicles in TxIRP

Elected Congressional Officials

Self-Certification

Self-certify on line, by mail, or walk-in

“Verify Inspection” remark to be placed on vehicle record

Vehicles that return to Texas with an expired inspection are required to obtain an inspection within THREE days of return to the state

Traffic Enforcement

First Year – March 2015 through February 2016

After March 1, 2015, a vehicle passing the annual inspection will not be issued an inspection certificate. If the vehicle’s registration renewal is not due until some month after March 2015, it is possible LAW Enforcement Officers will see vehicles with no inspection certificate displayed. The registration decal issued to the vehicle will serve as the visual indicator that the vehicle is in compliance with the vehicle inspection requirements in Transportation Code, Chapter 548.

Texas Transportation Code 548.602, “Failure to Display Inspection Certificate,” and 548.605, “Dismissal of Charge; Administrative Fee,” have been repealed effective March 1, 2015. It will no longer be a violation of the Transportation Code to operate a motor vehicle without a valid inspection certificate on or after March 1, 2015.

Second Year – March 2016 and going forward

Effective March 1, 2016, before a vehicle may be registered or have its registration renewed, it must pass the required inspection within 90 days prior to the registration expiration date.

For more information, visit www.twostepsonesticker.com.