Texas?!? I'm shocked.

[CFerguson]

"...An annual safety inspection is required as a prerequisite to registering a vehicle. Valid out-of-state safety inspection certificates will not be honored on vehicles that are required to be registered. Every motor vehicle, trailer, pole trailer, or mobile home registered in the state must be inspected at an inspection station or by an inspector annually...."

I didn't know TX had an annual inspection requirement for anything. Last I knew, some metro areas had smog inspection requirements, but never this. I had always classified TX as one of the Freedom States.


eta: oops, forgot the link: https://drivinglaws.aaa.com/tag/emissions-inspection/

[twodownzero]

zcookiemonstar wrote:
I live in Illinois and safety inspections at about $30 each were required twice a year for my truck registered at 12000lbs. Inspection requirement was changed to once a year as of 1-1-19. All vehicles registered over 8000lbs in Illinois require safety inspection. I don't know what the inspection cost is for bigger trucks. In the Chicago area most gas powered vehicles do require emission testing. No fee for emission testing. I do wish they would check people light when there.

I had mine registered for 12k pounds in Illinois for 5 years and never had an inspection and never even realized that was required. Oops.

[Airdaile]

Sun City Center near Ruskin FL has annual golf cart inspections. Nothing worse than octogenarians running around the streets in unsafe golf carts.

[pnichols]

Dtank wrote:

pnichols wrote:
Huuuuh....surprise, surprise....good old California doesn't have "annual vehicle inspetions" - only bi-annual smog inspections.

I guess CA is a "freedom place" in some respects after all. :B

However, CA *does* require an endorsement ("restriction 41") for a 5th Wheel between 10K & 15K and a NonCommercial Class A for over 15K.

Also for a TT over 10K.

The "freedom" you will lose - is LOTS of your time at specific DMVs to
take (& pass) the driving test for a NonCommercial Class A (if you need one).:W

CHP will check vehicles (especially toy haulers) for same in and around where folks take their toys to play - dunes, etc. Also folks in So.CA towing large boats to the CO. River.

WE (in CA) have the freedom to pay the highest gasoline prices in the USA - - or...walk or ride a bike, LOL.

Also to pay at (or close to) ten percent sales tax on new vehicles, and VERY exorbitant registration fees for pickups. (Compare CA to SD - Yikes!)

However if you've been here a while and have owned a home, low property taxes (due to Prop 13) - are a bonus.
Ditto for low heating & cooling costs in So. CA.

:W

Well, I guess that we're under the CA RV drivers license radar with our Class C and as such aren't exposed to what the TT/5'er folks are having to put up with.

FWIW, regarding our particular unique heating (heat pump and fireplace) and cooling (heat pump) costs: PG&E just last year reduced our electric rates (affecting our heat pump's consumption) via renewable energy sourcing, and our gas rates for the fireplace just got reduced due to a special district we're in.

More proof that there is more than one California.

[D_E_Bishop]

Has nothing to do with Texas but when I was in the canoe club in Hawaii, I found out they had safety inspections. That was in 1959.

[sempka]

^ X2

[malexander]

I'm proud to be an Okie.
OK did away with the state inspection in 1982 IIRC.
OHP said they never investigated an accident that the "safety inspection" would have prevented.

[Dtank]

pnichols wrote:
Huuuuh....surprise, surprise....good old California doesn't have "annual vehicle inspetions" - only bi-annual smog inspections.

I guess CA is a "freedom place" in some respects after all. :B

However, CA *does* require an endorsement ("restriction 41") for a 5th Wheel between 10K & 15K and a NonCommercial Class A for over 15K.

Also for a TT over 10K.

The "freedom" you will lose - is LOTS of your time at specific DMVs to
take (& pass) the driving test for a NonCommercial Class A (if you need one).:W

CHP will check vehicles (especially toy haulers) for same in and around where folks take their toys to play - dunes, etc. Also folks in So.CA towing large boats to the CO. River.

WE (in CA) have the freedom to pay the highest gasoline prices in the USA - - or...walk or ride a bike, LOL.

Also to pay at (or close to) ten percent sales tax on new vehicles, and VERY exorbitant registration fees for pickups. (Compare CA to SD - Yikes!)

However if you've been here a while and have owned a home, low property taxes (due to Prop 13) - are a bonus.
Ditto for low heating & cooling costs in So. CA.

:W

[patperry2766]

Texas trailer inspections

Per the state's website, it is only on trailers with gross weight exceeding 7500 lbs. No need to bash the state without knowing the regulations. I've got a 3500 lb pop-up and have never been asked for proof of inspection to get it registered.

[down_home]

suprz wrote:
In RI, because of the weight of the RV I have to get an inspection every year. Luckily it's only 15.00. For a regular car it's every 2 years and costs $58.00. And "supposedly" that money goes to improve the roads :R

Having been on R I road last October, they are spending the money on something else. I believe every bit of my spine was loosened up on that one road.

[suprz]

In RI, because of the weight of the RV I have to get an inspection every year. Luckily it's only 15.00. For a regular car it's every 2 years and costs $58.00. And "supposedly" that money goes to improve the roads :R

[zcookiemonstar]

I live in Illinois and safety inspections at about $30 each were required twice a year for my truck registered at 12000lbs. Inspection requirement was changed to once a year as of 1-1-19. All vehicles registered over 8000lbs in Illinois require safety inspection. I don't know what the inspection cost is for bigger trucks. In the Chicago area most gas powered vehicles do require emission testing. No fee for emission testing. I do wish they would check people light when there.

[pnichols]

Huuuuh....surprise, surprise....good old California doesn't have "annual vehicle inspetions" - only bi-annual smog inspections.

I guess CA is a "freedom place" in some respects after all. :B

[Lynnmor]

bobsallyh wrote:
I would suggest you try Pennsylvania State Vehicle Inspection on for size.

I could write a book about the damage done to my vehicles by the PA State Inspection Stations. On many occasions the vehicles were returned to me completely unsafe to operate.

[colliehauler]

Dutch_12078 wrote:

colliehauler wrote:
Just add another fee to go along with the new tag upgrade fee and vehicle theft prevention fee that was just added. Far more accidents from stupidity of drivers then from vehicle failures.

Perhaps you can enlighten me to how many deaths from vehicle failure out of the 380 that died last year. Could not find data from the MN state on any mechanical failure fatalities.

I doubt that there's any accurate reporting of accidents caused by worn tires or brakes that prevented a vehicle from stopping the few feet shorter that could have made the difference between a hit and a miss unless the wear is so extensive that it's obvious.

To use your example of tires, they could barely pass inspection and be worn out way before the next inspection. I looked at MNDOT reports and statistics for deaths for 2017, 72 were drunk driving, 88 speed related, 25 distracted driving, 72 unbelted. If mechanical failure was a issue I'm sure it would be listed. Like I said the money could be spent to fix real problems instead of imaginary ones.