Texans Should Wait To Modify Their Cars

Texas is just one of 13 states left in the U.S. that makes drivers have annual inspections done on their vehicles. This is all going away now that House Bill 3297 is getting rid of the requirement.

If you have made it this far without doing anything that could make you fail an inspection of your vehicle, good job. If you are planning on tinting your windows too dark or anything else that would cause you to fail an inspection, just wait.

Once Your Car Is Inspected In 2024, Freedom Starts

If you have already gotten your inspection in 2024, then the sky is the limit. In January 2025, that step goes away, and you will have a little more freedom when it comes to expressing yourself with a vehicle.

If you get pulled over for having an issue with your car, you could still get a ticket. The laws aren't going away, just the physical act of the inspection.

The amount you pay isn't going down either. The new registration will still cost the same, they are just rolling all of the fees into a one-time yearly transaction and officially getting rid of the Texas two-step.

Emission Testing Will Continue In Some Big Texas Cities

Some places like Austin will still have emissions testing because of city laws, not state laws. Engine modifications that would cause you to fail an emissions test in those areas would still be an issue for you.

Don't end up like Texas Tiktoker Baleigh Moore. She lamented on the social media platform that if she had waited to tint her windows just a few months later, she wouldn't have had to worry about failing the inspection.