the new texas safety inspection

This came out on the Escapees Forum today:


I want to bring you the latest information about the single sticker issue. I recently met with the Polk County Tax Office and received some new information.



RVers, military, truckers, college students, and contractors will be able to renew the registration of their vehicles without having to return to the state. The process will be available online or by mail. When renewing the registration, the owners will “self certify” that they are out of state. For the “self certify” by mail, it can be a simple note that you are out of state. For the online registrations, the process hasn’t been worked out yet. The clerks will then override the system to allow the renewal to take place. Once the vehicle re-enters the state, the vehicle will need to be inspected within 72 hours or face the possibility of receiving a citation.



Many DPS driver license offices and motor vehicle inspection sticker stations are not aware of this allowance and are telling motorists that they will have to return to the state for inspection before renewal. They haven’t gotten the word yet, but will in the future.



Another interesting point to the new procedure is that the inspection stations will only collect their fee for the cost of the inspection. The state’s portion of the fee will be collected at the time of registration.



In the next several months, Polk County officials will be attending more meetings on this subject. As I receive any information, I will pass it along to you.

Thanks for the added info BarbaraOK. I was just passing on what I learned from my local inspection person. It makes sense that they would all have computers talking to each other like they do with insurance coverage.

USARMYCW wrote:
I guess the three year registration is dead. I have all my vehicles on a three year registration cycle as of now.

Yes that has gone away for now. Expect that this will be amended in the next session because it impacts gas/oil service industry as well as large trucking firms and, of course, fulltime RVers who use Texas as a domicile.

Barb

I guess the three year registration is dead. I have all my vehicles on a three year registration cycle as of now.

Doug,

You don't have to turn in your inspection sticker if you renew online, as most people do, as the database systems will be talking to each other, so it will be automatic, just like the insurance is automatically checked via the VIN number when you renew online.

For those out-of-state with no inspection, you will certify that you are not in the state and agree to an inspection within x number of days when you return, and the people at the county tax office will be notified that you've renewed and will grant you that exemption. If you are a full timer it will be easier if you 'live' in a county (like Polk county) that knows about fulltimers.

Barb

An explanation: Texas is eliminating the need for an inspection sticker on the windshield (or displayed by the license plate on a motorcycle). Starting in March '15 you will have your vehicle inspected and the inspection station will give you an inspection certificate. When you pay your registration fee and get your new windshield sticker you will have to turn in your inspection certificate. Now you will have only one sticker on your windshield.

Avoid it all, Montana LLC might work for you.

I kept my original state plates when I went full time. Which is a state that does requires testing. But NOT on MH's.

So I was good to go renewing my registration for the MH on line.
UNTIL I added a toad to my set up and now I have to go back every year 4,000 miles round trip just to get the toad tested to get my plates. :R

Escappess offers a SD residency for RV'ers no emissions tests required. You do have to go there once to apply for it. I just couldn't bring myself to drive the steep grades to get there so I never used the service myself.

You should be reading the Escapees forum - they have worked with the DMV and Polk County tax office and already have procedures in place to approve out-of-state renewals. Not only does the new law effect RVers, but it caught truckers and oil/gas field companies completely by surprise, many of whom have fleets of equipment that never make it back to the state.

Barb

You should be able to apply for a waiver time extension. There's a lot of information on this related to the emissions testing done in the metropolitan counties and one section specifically addresses the vehicle being out-of-state. However it is a bit confusing because it seems to say the waiver is for a vehicle that has failed the emissions test. I did find another reference in Texas Code section 114.52(d) that seems to imply a waiver can be obtained for either emissions or Inspection/Maintenance.

Your best bet would be to visit the DPS office nearest you. The waiver process can be used or applied for once in every inspection cycle.