Costs and fees
Commercial vehicle inspections in Texas after 2025
Updated Oct 7, 2026 · sources read Oct 6, 2026 · 7 official sources quoted
Short answer
House Bill 3297 did not touch commercial vehicles. They still need a passing safety inspection every year in every Texas county, DPS lists the commercial inspection at up to $40.00, and they are exempt from the $7.50 replacement fee.
Still inspected, in every county
Inspection requirements for commercial vehicles have not changed. All commercial vehicles must continue to obtain a passing commercial inspection regardless of county of residence.
All commercial vehicles in all counties are still required to obtain a passing vehicle safety inspection. Because they still need to pay for a safety inspection, commercial vehicles are exempt from the inspection program replacement fee.
The bill does not eliminate safety inspections on commercial vehicles.
Commercial $40.00
No replacement fee
Because commercial vehicles still pay for an inspection, the law that created the $7.50 replacement fee excludes commercial motor vehicles that must be inspected.
(7) a commercial motor vehicle that is required to be inspected under Subchapter D or that is subject to fees under Section 548.203(c);
At registration a commercial vehicle pays the state’s portion of its safety inspection fee instead.
For commercial vehicles the state portion of your vehicle's safety inspection fee will be due at this time.
In the emissions counties
The emissions program is defined by fuel and age, not by whether a vehicle is commercial. If you run commercial vehicles in a program county, ask the inspection station which test the vehicle receives and what it charges; DPS publishes only the $40.00 maximum for a commercial inspection.
All non-commercial vehicles registered in Texas that reside in one of the 17 non-attainment counties will need to receive an annual emissions inspection.
Related 2025 changes for trailers and rental fleets
Two other 2025 laws changed inspection-related rules for vehicles that are often run as part of a business. DPS summarizes them on its legislative page: travel trailers no longer need an owner inspection to be registered, and rental fleets lost a three-year inspection fee.
The bill sets an annual fee for travel trailer registration and strikes the owner inspection of a travel trailer requirement as part of a travel trailer registration.
Repeals the three-year safety inspection fee for rental vehicles and amends fees.
If you are unsure whether a vehicle is registered as commercial, the registration receipt and the county tax office can tell you. The answer decides whether you owe a safety inspection or the $7.50 replacement fee. Ask before the registration is due, so a missing safety inspection does not hold up the renewal.
Questions
Did HB 3297 end inspections for commercial vehicles?
No. DPS says the bill does not eliminate safety inspections on commercial vehicles, and TxDMV says commercial inspection requirements have not changed.
Do commercial vehicles pay the $7.50 replacement fee?
No. Because they still pay for a safety inspection, commercial vehicles are exempt from it.
All commercial vehicles in all counties are still required to obtain a passing vehicle safety inspection. Because they still need to pay for a safety inspection, commercial vehicles are exempt from the inspection program replacement fee.
Sources
- TxDMV, Register Your Vehicleread Oct 6, 2026
- Texas DPS, Vehicle Safety Inspection Program Changes Now in Effectpage as published Dec 16, 2025 (archived copy), read Oct 6, 2026
- Texas DPS, 88th Legislation (vehicle inspection)page as published Mar 6, 2026 (archived copy), read Oct 6, 2026
- Texas DPS, Cost of Inspectionpage as published May 19, 2026 (archived copy), read Oct 6, 2026
- Texas Legislature, H.B. No. 3297 (88th Legislature), enrolled versionpage as published Jun 11, 2026 (archived copy), read Oct 6, 2026
- TxDMV, New to Texasread Oct 6, 2026
- Texas DPS, 89th Legislation (vehicle inspection)page as published Jan 14, 2026 (archived copy), read Oct 6, 2026
TX Emissions Guide is an independent guide, not a government site. Spotted something out of date? Report a correction.