Texas Revising Inspection Procedure

[DougE]

Texas is changing their inspection procedure. Now when you get your vehicle inspection the inspection station notifies the DMV that your inspection has been satisfactorily completed. The DMV in turn will not issue a new registration (license renewal) until this notice has been received. The net result is that you will now only have one windshield sticker required for operating the vehicle on the road (and motorcycles will be able to get rid of that tacky inspection sticker holder).
There is an initial problem, probably quite common among the older RV community, that your inspection is not in the same sequence (expiration month) that your license registration is. Trying to determine the rules of getting these two requirements in sync is confusing but there is a solution. On the Texas Two-Step One-Sticker Resource website, on the right side of the page, there is a calculator. If you put in your registration and inspection expiration dates it will give you the date your next inspection is required.

[Dutch_12078]

PawPaw_n_Gram wrote:

Dutch_12078 wrote:
Yes, the Escapees advocacy folks were very instrumental in getting this straightened out when the new regs were first announced. One point though, if you check my previous post, you'll see that the grace period is 3 days, not 5 days.

Another group which Escapees point out to the legislature is active duty military from Texas - who are also out of the state for long periods of time, sometimes years. They need the same consideration as RV folks.

Active duty military is covered in the quote included in my previous post.

[Dtank]

DownTheAvenue wrote:

DougE wrote:
Texas is changing their inspection procedure. Now when you get your vehicle inspection the inspection station notifies the DMV that your inspection has been satisfactorily completed. The DMV in turn will not issue a new registration (license renewal) until this notice has been received.

I wonder how this will affect the full timers who call Texas home but may not be in the state for several years. How will they renew their registration?

That question is answered & discussed on Escapees forums.
Lots of TX full timers - who call TX home, but are traveling.

.

[camp_monkey]

Guess I'll have to get my fiver inspected for the first time in it's life when the registration needs to be renewed next year...

[mlts22]

Thanks for the link. At least I got my rig registered until next year.

[mbrower]

This has been going on in NC for a few years now. No more stickers. No inspection, no tag. Now the great state of NC has tied your property tax to your tag. You now pay your property tax when you purchase your renewal sticker. When they went to the new E sticker, all windshield stickers were ignored. They actually recommend scraping it off. Cars purchased out of state get a one year grace period.

[PawPaw_n_Gram]

Dutch_12078 wrote:
Yes, the Escapees advocacy folks were very instrumental in getting this straightened out when the new regs were first announced. One point though, if you check my previous post, you'll see that the grace period is 3 days, not 5 days.

Another group which Escapees point out to the legislature is active duty military from Texas - who are also out of the state for long periods of time, sometimes years. They need the same consideration as RV folks.

[Dutch_12078]

2gypsies wrote:

For full-timers, this has all been taken into consideration thanks to the Texas-based Escapees RV Club who went to bat for us with government officials.

You do not have to have an inspection done if you're traveling out of Texas. If and when you return you have a 5-day grace period to have it done. This initial process can be done online.

Yes, the Escapees advocacy folks were very instrumental in getting this straightened out when the new regs were first announced. One point though, if you check my previous post, you'll see that the grace period is 3 days, not 5 days.

[CavemanCharlie]

Leave it to Texas to come up with something called "Texas two-step one-sticker" . Sounds like one of those lame country dances.

I'm sure the people from Texas will thank you for the link though. I mean no offense to you.

[Carb_Cleaner]

...upon payment of the state’s portion of the inspection fee...

Nobody cares if you live or die. It's all about the money.
Our registration stickers are on the license plate, renewable for up to 3 years at a time for vehicles and Permanent tags available on trailers. Yearly inspection sticker is on the windshield. Counties with Emissions Inspection have held registrations hostage for decades. They (the County and DMV), literally, know your vehicle passed/failed before you do. I tip my inspection guy 5 bucks, every visit, seven times a year. We're on a first-name basis.

[2gypsies1]

DownTheAvenue wrote:

DougE wrote:
Texas is changing their inspection procedure. Now when you get your vehicle inspection the inspection station notifies the DMV that your inspection has been satisfactorily completed. The DMV in turn will not issue a new registration (license renewal) until this notice has been received.

I wonder how this will affect the full timers who call Texas home but may not be in the state for several years. How will they renew their registration?

For full-timers, this has all been taken into consideration thanks to the Texas-based Escapees RV Club who went to bat for us with government officials.

You do not have to have an inspection done if you're traveling out of Texas. If and when you return you have a 5-day grace period to have it done. This initial process can be done online.

[NMDriver]

Will be interesting to see if they enforce this on TTs and 5ers and any other trailer over 5,000 lbs rating. They are already supposed to be inspected, but seems few actually do.

They may not check often but.....A few years back (2010 maybe) I was on US 277 between Del Rio and Sonora when I was waved into an inspection station being ran by the Sheriff, and State Police (no Border Patrol). They were inspecting all trailers and commercial trucks. They ask for my Drivers License, insurance, and registration but then waved we on through because I had NM plates. The TX 5er in front of me was being sent over for the full inspection along with all the oil field trucks.

[BB_TX]

Will be interesting to see if they enforce this on TTs and 5ers and any other trailer over 5,000 lbs rating. They are already supposed to be inspected, but seems few actually do.

[LynnandCarol]

saving this post!

[Dutch_12078]

From the "Texas Two-Step One-Sticker..." website:

Special Circumstances

Out of State Motorists

If your vehicle is out of state and you are unable to complete a Texas vehicle inspection in order to renew your registration, you will be able to self-certify that the vehicle is out of state and will be permitted to register. The self-certification process will be limited to:

Active duty military
Full-time students
Seasonal Texans, RV'ers
Apportioned vehicles
Elected Congressional officials

You will be able to renew your registration using self-certification online, by mail or in-person. Please contact your county tax office for more information about their requirements for out-of-state registration renewal. To find the contact information for your county of residence, please visit the TxDMV website.

If you renew your vehicle registration using the out-of-state self-certification option, a remark will be placed on your vehicle record indicating that an inspection is still due. Once you return to the state, you must complete a Texas vehicle inspection within three days of arrival at your home, duty station, or destination. It is very important that you keep the VIR issued after completing your inspection in case you are stopped by law enforcement before the remark is removed from your vehicle record, which takes about 48 hours. The remark will only be removed upon payment of the state’s portion of the inspection fee and verification of a current, passing inspection.

(emphasis added)