Abilene residents react to Texas law ending annual vehicle inspections

ABILENE, Texas ( KTAB/KRBC ) — Some Abilene residents and local auto shops are concerned after Governor Greg Abbott signed House Bill 3297 into law, eliminating the annual safety inspection requirement for Texas drivers.

The legislation was signed by Governor Abbot back in 2023 and will not take effect until January 1, 2025. This new law only applies to non-commercial vehicles registered in the state of Texas, and commercial vehicles will still follow the same legal guidelines for operations as they have previously. However, this new law has some stipulations for Texas residents living in larger cities. Texas Department of Public Safety Sergeant Marc Couch explained this distinction.

“So larger counties like El Paso, Dallas, Bexar County, Houston, some of those that are on that list are still doing emission testing. So, if you’re at a county that requires emission testing, whenever you’ve got your safety inspections before, you’ll still have to get the emissions testing done to be able to operate in those counties.”

Couch explained that under the new law, vehicle owners have increased responsibility for vehicle maintenance. If there is an increase in the number of vehicles that are not properly maintained, law enforcement will take action to address the safety issue.

“We may have to see that law enforcement steps up and starts doing some more enforcement.  If we start seeing vehicle condition that’s going down in some way,” Couch explained.

While this new law may make registering vehicles easier for Texas motorists, some of the side effects are hurting people’s pocketbooks. Many local auto shops offer safety inspections as one of their services and anticipate an upcoming pinch because of this law. Roy Wakefield, owner of Ridgemont Super Lube, said inspections at his shop generate a good percentage of income and that he has already heard concerns regarding the law from his customers.

“It’s going to impact me as far as revenue. On average, we’re doing about $4,000 a month. It’s two people’s salary. I’ve had people ask me if it’s not required, can I still come in and have you inspect my vehicle? And I said yes, I’d be happy to look it over,” Wakefield said.

It is now more the responsibility of vehicle owners to ensure they drive safely and legally. In addition to providing continued services for soon-to-be outdated practices at his shop, Wakefield also advises drivers to be more diligent in performing their own “walk around” inspections before hitting the road. Wakefield mentioned that conducting regular checks on tires, windshield wipers, headlights, and brake lights is a good way to ensure vehicle safety.

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