Which counties
Bexar County emissions testing: what changes on November 1, 2026
Updated Oct 7, 2026 · sources read Oct 6, 2026 · 7 official sources quoted
Short answer
From November 1, 2026, gasoline vehicles 2 through 24 years old that are registered in Bexar County need a passing emissions test before the registration can be renewed. The test costs up to $18.50 at the station, plus $2.75 paid to the state when you renew.
The start date
TCEQ, the Department of Public Safety (DPS) and the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (TxDMV) all give the same date.
Enhanced inspections will begin in Bexar County on November 1, 2026.
Bexar County will begin emission inspections on Nov 1st, 2026.
Beginning November 1, 2026, vehicles registered in Bexar County must pass an emissions test as required under House Bill 3297
Bexar County is joining Texas’ emissions program to comply with federal air quality standards
Who has to test
The rule is the same as in the other program counties: gasoline vehicles in the 2 to 24 year window, tested with the on-board diagnostics (OBD) test.
Yes, a passing emission inspection is required for registration of gasoline powered vehicles 2-24 years old in Bexar County.
Model-year 1996 and newer vehicles are subject to OBD inspections.
Vehicles statutorily exempt from emissions inspections, including electric vehicles and classic cars, will remain exempt.
Vehicles exempt from emissions inspections, including electric-only vehicles, continue to be exempt.
When your first test is due
Nothing has to happen on November 1 itself. DPS says a vehicle with a registration that has not expired needs a passing test only when it is time to renew. TxDMV notes that you can renew up to 90 days before expiration and get the test within that period.
Drivers with unexpired vehicle registration are not required to obtain a passing emissions test until it is time to renew their registration.
Vehicle registration renewals can be completed up to 90 days in advance of expiration; a passing emissions test can be obtained within that period.
Beginning November 1, 2026, motorists with vehicles registered in Bexar County will not be eligible to renew their vehicle's annual registration if the vehicle has not passed its annual emissions inspection or complied with the vehicle emissions inspection program requirements.
What it costs
The emissions test fee in Bexar County will be $18.50, paid to the inspection station at the time of the test, plus $2.75 paid to the state at the time of registration renewal.
In November 2023, TCEQ established a fee of $18.50 for the forthcoming Bexar County program area
Most non-commercial vehicles also pay the $7.50 inspection program replacement fee at registration, as they already do in counties without testing. For a typical gasoline car the inspection-related total of a Bexar renewal is therefore at most $18.50 + $2.75 + $7.50 = $28.75 (our arithmetic on the quoted fees). Use the fee calculator to add up a renewal.
Inspection Replacement Fee $7.50
Where to test
Only businesses with a Bexar County address can be certified as Bexar emissions stations, and TCEQ says every inspection station in the area is to offer the OBD test. Old safety-only licenses expired at the end of 2024, so stations and inspectors need a new license first. The official list is the DPS station locator; the businesses we found in map listings that list vehicle inspections are on the Bexar County page, and none of them can be confirmed as a certified emissions station before the program starts.
Only businesses with a Bexar County address are eligible to become a certified emissions station.
Testing Network: All inspection stations will be required to offer OBD inspections.
all safety only licenses expired on December 31, 2024, and are no longer valid.
Both stations and inspectors must apply and be approved for a new license in order to conduct vehicle inspections.
Getting ready
DPS and TxDMV both suggest having the vehicle serviced before the first test. The OBD test checks whether the check-engine light is commanded on and whether the readiness monitors have run; a recent battery change or repair can reset those monitors.
The department encourages drivers in Bexar Co. to begin preparing for emissions testing requirements now by taking their vehicles in for service.
Bexar County drivers are encouraged to plan ahead and ensure their vehicles are ready for emissions testing to avoid delays in the registration process.
See how to prepare for an emissions test and readiness monitors.
Questions
My Bexar County registration expires in December 2026. Do I need a test?
Yes. A renewal after November 1, 2026 needs a passing emissions test if the vehicle is subject to the program. TxDMV says renewals can be done up to 90 days before expiration and the passing test can be obtained within that period.
Vehicle registration renewals can be completed up to 90 days in advance of expiration; a passing emissions test can be obtained within that period.
Are classic cars and electric cars tested in Bexar County?
No. TxDMV says vehicles statutorily exempt from emissions inspections, including electric vehicles and classic cars, will remain exempt.
Vehicles statutorily exempt from emissions inspections, including electric vehicles and classic cars, will remain exempt.
Do Schertz, Selma and Fair Oaks Ranch need testing?
Only for vehicles registered in Bexar County. Of the San Antonio-area counties, only Bexar is in the program, and the Census places parts of Schertz and Selma in Guadalupe and Comal counties and part of Fair Oaks Ranch in Comal and Kendall counties. What matters is the county where the vehicle is registered; see cities that cross a program county line.
San Antonio Area: Bexar County (beginning on November 1, 2026)
Sources
- TCEQ, Vehicle Emissions Inspections in Texaspage as published Sep 23, 2026 (archived copy), read Oct 6, 2026
- Texas DPS, Bexar County Emission Inspections (FAQ)page as published Aug 22, 2026 (archived copy), read Oct 6, 2026
- TxDMV, Bexar County Emissions (notice dated 2026-09-15)read Oct 6, 2026
- TCEQ, Highlights of the Vehicle I/M Programpage as published Jun 16, 2026 (archived copy), read Oct 6, 2026
- Texas DPS, DPS news release (Bexar County emissions inspections)page as published Jan 6, 2026 (archived copy), read Oct 6, 2026
- TCEQ, 2024 Fee Analysis for AirCheckTexas Vehicle Emissions Inspection Programpage as published Oct 5, 2025 (archived copy), read Oct 6, 2026
- TxDMV, Register Your Vehicleread Oct 6, 2026
TX Emissions Guide is an independent guide, not a government site. Spotted something out of date? Report a correction.