Vehicle Inspection and Maintenance (I/M) Program

Information and links to documents about the vehicle I/M program under the State Implementation Plan (SIP) for air quality.

Background
Recent Activities
Related Rules
Useful Links
Contact Us

The SIP files on this page are hosted by the Texas Records and Information Locator (TRAIL) web archive . If you need assistance with a file, please contact siprules@tceq.texas.gov.

Background

Areas affected: HGB, DFW, ELP, ARR

End date: None

Applicability period: Year-round

Source type: On-road mobile source

Emissions targeted: Nitrogen oxides (NO_X), volatile organic compounds (VOC), carbon monoxide (CO)

Rule/Citation: 30 Texas Administrative Code (TAC) 114, Subchapter C ( PDF )(HTML )
Description: Texas first established a vehicle emissions testing program on January 1, 1995, meeting the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's requirements for I/M programs. The I/M program has been implemented in 15 counties in the Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston-Galveston-Brazoria, and El Paso nonattainment areas, and in Travis and Williamson Counties in the Austin-Round Rock area.

The I/M program requires the annual inspection of gasoline-powered vehicles 2–24 years old in the affected counties. Vehicles must be inspected through Department of Public Safety–certified inspection stations for emissions of NO_X, VOC, and CO.

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Recent Activities

On June 12, 2024, the commission will consider a proposed rulemaking and corresponding revisions to the State Implementation Plan to implement two bills passed during the 88th Texas Legislature, 2023, Regular Session: House Bill 3297 eliminates the mandatory annual vehicle safety inspection program for noncommercial vehicles, effective January 1, 2025; and Senate Bill 2102 extends the initial registration and inspection period for rental vehicles to three years. This proposed rulemaking would also adjust the maximum fee inspection stations are allowed to charge for an emissions inspection. Backup documents for this proposed rulemaking are linked below.

On November 29, 2023, the commission adopted revisions to 30 Texas Administrative Code (TAC) Chapter 114, Control of Air Pollution from Motor Vehicles, and to the Texas I/M SIP implementing a new I/M program in Bexar County that will start on November 1, 2026. The rule and SIP revisions require all vehicle emissions inspection stations in Bexar County to offer On-Board Diagnostics (OBD) tests and set a maximum fee of $18.50 for a vehicle emissions inspection conducted in Bexar County. The rule and SIP revisions maintained the current I/M program requirements for other areas.

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