A new type of vehicle inspection will soon be required across San Antonio and Bexar County. The more comprehensive testing must be done before a vehicle can be registered in Texas.
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Texans face a new form of vehicle inspection in just months – one which is more likely to cause a failing grade than bygone iterations – and industry leaders say a “wall” of customers could create long lines as businesses rush to implement emissions testing. So, what should you expect when lining up for your first vehicle registration renewal under these new Texas laws?
While Texas legislators did away with safety inspections last year, it’s a short-lived reprieve for many drivers in San Antonio (or all of Bexar County). Emissions testing means a new form of inspection will be required for drivers. But a short window for certification, challenging bureaucratic hurdles to train qualified technicians and a major blow to the industry after shutting down inspections for nearly two years all mean it could be a frustratingly slow start to the new inspection process.
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“So, on November 1 we’re going to have a wall of influx of motorists who need to get their cars inspected,” Charissa Barnes, the president and owner of Texas Tag & Title (formerly Office Inspection Station), tells MySA.
For those hoping to get a jumpstart on the process, Texas officials won’t actually launch the Vehicle Information Database until November 1 – the state tracking system that monitors vehicles that either pass or fail the emissions test. However, Barnes said her business is offering prescreening ahead of time, allowing drivers to pinpoint any emissions pain points ahead of the new requirement.
Texas Tag & Title is one of a few places across San Antonio ready to begin emissions testing, a new requirement in Bexar, on November 1.
Zachary-Taylor Wright/MySA
Where can I get an emissions test done in San Antonio?
The Texas Department of Public Safety hosts a website that lists certified testing sites in San Antonio. Currently, there are 178 facilities listed in the greater San Antonio area that will offer emissions testing and inspections, including several chains like Jiffy Lube or Valvoline.
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However, it’s unclear how many are actively certified, have the equipment on site and operational or have technicians certified with the state. Barnes previously told MySA training with DPS for emissions testing could take weeks to schedule, despite it being a one-day program. More recently, she said the agency’s offerings all but halted.
Further, a major blow to the industry could mean fewer sites up and running all together. A 22-month gap between the end of safety inspections on January 1, 2025, and the start of emissions inspections in November was a huge challenge for businesses like Barnes’. And the three- to four-week wait time for a DPS training program is prohibitive, she says.
“These blue-collar workers cannot wait four to six weeks just to get a paycheck,” Barnes previously said of the wait times for emissions testing training.
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Cesar Porras, a Tier I field services technician lead with Worldwide Environmental Products, gives MySA a first look at the emissions testing system required in Bexar County November 1.
Zachary-Taylor Wright/MySA
What do I need to do before an emissions test?
Safety inspections in Texas weren’t super difficult or expensive to pass. A windshield wiper or headlight bulb may have needed to be replaced. But an emissions inspection is an automatic fail if any check engine light is on or any mechanical or electrical error is detected during a scan – a major concern for San Antonio drivers preparing for this big change.
“If you have the check engine light on, even if you try to trick the system … the system is going to detect it,” Cesar Porras, a Tier I field services technician lead with Worldwide Environmental Products, told MySA as he gave us a first look at the new systems in place. “Even if you tell the system it’s not on, the system is going to detect if it’s on or not.”
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Check engine light? New rules in Bexar County would cause an autmoatic fail during emissions testing.
Emma Weidmann/MySA
State law says drivers have 15 days to correct anything that caused an emissions test failure. Within that time frame, drivers can go back to the same site and run the test again without charge. But Barnes is not putting a time clock on when her customers can come back to get a redo, noting this new and more comprehensive inspection process could warrant more expensive repairs.
“With our company, Official Inspection Station, we give you an unlimited amount of time,” Barnes said. “If it takes you two months or it takes four weeks, not a problem. We won’t charge you again.”