After March 1, 2015 Texans will be begin seeing fewer vehicles with two stickers on the windshield. This will be due to a new law that is eliminating inspection stickers. “Two Steps, One Sticker” refers to this new law, but it does not mean that you will no longer have to get your vehicle inspected, nor does it mean you’ll no longer have to shell out nearly $40 (as of the date of this article) to get your vehicle inspected.
Passing vehicle inspections are still going to be required to keep your car on the road in the state of Texas, and the fee to do so is not being changed by the new one sticker law. The law is simply requiring you to have a passing inspection before you can renew your vehicle registration. Then your registration sticker will serve as proof of both your registration and your passing vehicle inspection.
“Two Steps One Sticker”: What are the two steps?
Step 1:
From March 1, 2015 through February 29, 2016: If your vehicle has a current and passing inspection, you can renew your registration as normal, with one exception. If your vehicle’s inspection and registration both expire in the same month, your vehicle will still need to pass inspection before you can renew your registration. To locate an inspection station convenient for you, visit the Texas Department of Public Safety’s (DPS) website.
Step 2:
Renew your yearly vehicle registration by mail, online or in-person at your county tax office. When you go in to renew your registration, the staff will verify your vehicle’s inspection status electronically. As long as you have a current and passing inspection, you will be able to renew your vehicle’s registration. If you do not have a current, passing inspection, then you will need to obtain one before you can renew your registration.
Beginning March 1, 2016, you must complete both your registration renewal and your vehicle’s inspection within 90 days. Your registration is always valid through the last day of the month it expires.
Fees
As we stated earlier in this article, the “Two Steps, One Sticker” law will not affect any fees you currently pay to have your vehicle inspected or registered. The inspection fee remains the same. The inspection station still gets its part, while the state of Texas still receives its share of your inspection fee.
However, if your vehicle is inspected on or after March 1, 2015, you will actually pay for your inspection in two steps, one for each part of the fee..
- When you get your vehicle inspected, you will pay the inspection station’s portion.
- When you renew your vehicle registration, in addition to the registration fee, the state will collect their portion of your vehicle’s inspection fees. You will see line items for these fees on your renewal notice.
If you need any assistance preparing your vehicle to pass inspection, or you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact Ripley’s Muffler and Brakes online or by phone.