Costs and fees
How much is an emissions test in Texas?
Updated Oct 7, 2026 · sources read Oct 7, 2026 · 8 official sources quoted
Short answer
At the station you pay at most $18.50 in the Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston and (from November 1, 2026) Bexar County areas, and at most $11.50 in Travis, Williamson and El Paso counties. The state’s part is paid later, at registration: TxDMV lists a $2.75 emissions inspection fee, and most non-commercial vehicles also pay the $7.50 inspection program replacement fee.
The station fee is a maximum
The fee is capped by area. DPS publishes the caps as the maximum a station may charge; a station can charge less.
Emissions-only vehicles (DFW/Houston) $18.50
Emissions-only vehicles (El Paso, Travis & Williamson counties) $11.50
Amounts shown are the maximum charge for each inspection type
the motor vehicle emissions inspection fee charged by inspection stations is capped at $18.50 for on-board diagnostic ( OBD ) inspections in the HGB and DFW program areas, $11.50 in the El Paso program area, and $11.50 in the ARR program area
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.
| Program area | Counties | At the station (max) | At registration (most vehicles) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas-Fort Worth | Collin, Dallas, Denton, Ellis, Johnson, Kaufman, Parker, Rockwall and Tarrant | $18.50 | $2.75 + $7.50 |
| Houston-Galveston-Brazoria | Brazoria, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris and Montgomery | $18.50 | $2.75 + $7.50 |
| San Antonio area | Bexar | $18.50 | $2.75 + $7.50 |
| Austin area | Travis and Williamson | $11.50 | $2.75 + $7.50 |
| El Paso area | El Paso | $11.50 | $2.75 + $7.50 |
Station maximums: Texas DPS cost table and TCEQ (Bexar: TxDMV and DPS notices). At registration: the $2.75 emissions inspection fee on TxDMV’s sample renewal notice and in its Bexar notice, and the $7.50 inspection program replacement fee that most non-commercial vehicles pay (a new vehicle pays $16.75 once; the law exempts some vehicles, such as those with antique plates). Your renewal notice is the final word.
The state’s part is paid at registration
The inspection fee is split in two: you pay the station’s share at the station and the state’s share when you register or renew.
At the time of inspection, motorists pay only the inspection station’s portion of the fee. The state’s portion of the inspection fee is collected at the time of registration or renewal.
TxDMV’s sample renewal notice shows the emissions inspection fee as $2.75, and its Bexar County notice gives the same $2.75 "paid to the state at the time of registration renewal". TxDMV adds that the sample amounts are for demonstration and vary by vehicle and county.
Emissions Inspection Fee $2.75
The fee amounts displayed here are for demonstration purposes only. Fee amounts will vary based on your vehicle type, county of registration, and county of inspection.
TCEQ’s program summary describes $2.50 from every emissions inspection as the state administration fee collected at registration. We show both figures because both agencies publish them; the amount on your own renewal notice is the one that applies.
$2.50 from all emissions inspections for the TCEQ/DPS administration of the I/M program.
The inspection program replacement fee
House Bill 3297 replaced the safety-inspection revenue with a fee charged at registration, in emissions counties and elsewhere. Most non-commercial vehicles pay $7.50 a year; a new vehicle pays $16.75 once for its first two years. The law also lists vehicles that do not pay it, such as commercial vehicles and vehicles with antique plates.
Inspection Replacement Fee $7.50
New vehicles (those of the current or preceding model year on the date of purchase) purchased in Texas that have not been previously registered in Texas or another state are required to pay an initial inspection program replacement fee of $16.75 to cover two years.
See the inspection program replacement fee for who pays which amount and the full list of exceptions.
Putting it together: worked examples
These sums use the station maximums and the two state fees on TxDMV’s sample renewal notice. They are our arithmetic, not an agency figure, and they leave out the registration fee itself and county fees, which come on top for everyone.
| Vehicle and county | At the station (max) | At registration | Inspection-related total (max) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 gasoline car, Collin County | $18.50 | $2.75 + $7.50 | $28.75 |
| 2019 gasoline car, Travis County | $11.50 | $2.75 + $7.50 | $21.75 |
| 2019 gasoline car, a county without testing | No test | $7.50 | $7.50 |
| Electric car, Harris County | No test | $7.50 (plus the $200 EV fee) | $7.50 + $200 |
| New car, first Texas registration | No test in its first two years | $16.75 once | $16.75 for two years |
| Car with antique plates | No annual inspection | No replacement fee | $0 |
A 2019 model is inside the 2 through 24 year window in 2026 and 2027, so it is tested in the program counties. If your station charges less than the maximum, your total is lower; if the renewal notice shows a different state fee, the notice wins. The fee calculator does this sum for any county and model year.
Fully electric cars and trucks, with a gross vehicle weight of 10,000 lbs. or less, will be assessed an annual $200 fee at the time of registration renewal starting September 1, 2023.
Vehicles registered as “Antiques” are exempt from annual inspection.
A failed test does not mean paying twice if you return within 15 days: DPS gives a free re-test at the station that did the first test.
You do not have to pay to get your vehicle re-inspected if it fails inspection. If your vehicle fails the inspection, have the item(s) repaired and take it back to the inspection station that originally performed the inspection within 15 days for a free re-test.
Questions
Is the Texas emissions test $18.50 everywhere?
No. $18.50 is the maximum in the Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston areas and in Bexar County. In Travis, Williamson and El Paso counties the maximum is $11.50.
Did inspection fees go up when safety inspections ended?
Since January 1, 2025 a non-commercial vehicle in an emissions county gets the emissions test only, with no safety inspection, and the inspection program replacement fee is charged at registration. DPS says that fee is not an increase in the cost of your vehicle registration: it replaces the revenue the state used to collect through safety inspections. For today’s amounts, use the station maximums and state fees above.
While comprehensive vehicle safety inspections are eliminated for all non-commercial vehicles, Texans whose vehicles are registered in emissions counties are still required to have emissions tests.
the inspection program replacement fee is not an increase in the cost of your vehicle registration
this fee simply replaces the revenue source for state programs and operations—like the construction and expansion of state highways—once supported by vehicle safety inspections.
How much does a commercial vehicle inspection cost?
DPS lists a maximum of $40.00 for a commercial inspection.
Commercial $40.00
Sources
- Texas DPS, Cost of Inspectionpage as published May 19, 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, Bexar County Emissions (notice dated 2026-09-15)read Oct 6, 2026
- TxDMV, Register Your Vehicleread Oct 6, 2026
- TCEQ, Highlights of the Vehicle I/M Programpage as published Jun 16, 2026 (archived copy), read 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, Unique Vehicles (vehicle inspection)page as published Jul 30, 2026 (archived copy), read Oct 6, 2026
- Texas DPS, General Inspection (FAQ)page as published May 19, 2026 (archived copy), read Oct 7, 2026
TX Emissions Guide is an independent guide, not a government site. Spotted something out of date? Report a correction.