Vehicle Inspection in Texas: What You Need to Know

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A vehicle inspection is an important part of owning and operating a car in the state of Texas. It’s a requirement for all vehicles registered in the state, and it helps ensure that your vehicle is safe and running efficiently. In this blog post, we’ll discuss what you need to know about vehicle inspections in Texas and how to get your car checked out.

Table of Contents

What Is Vehicle Inspection?

In general terms, a vehicle inspection is an examination of a motor vehicle’s condition by an authorized inspector. The purpose of a vehicle inspection is to make sure that the car complies with safety standards set by the state of Texas. During an inspection, the inspector will look at all parts of the vehicle including the interior, exterior, tires and brakes, as well as any mechanical components like the engine or transmission. They will also check for any existing or potential problems such as fluid leaks or worn parts that could lead to major issues down the road. At the end of the inspection, you will receive either a pass or fail based on whether or not your car meets state requirements.

Who Needs A Vehicle Inspection?

Any person driving a motor vehicle on public roads within the State of Texas must have their car inspected every 12 months regardless of whether they’ve recently purchased or leased it. This includes cars, trucks, vans, SUVs and other passenger vehicles as well as commercial vehicles such as buses and delivery vans. Motorcycles are exempt from annual inspections but all other types must be inspected regularly.

When Should You Get Your Vehicle Inspected?

The best time to get your car inspected is during its one-year anniversary since its last inspection date (or since it was purchased/leased). That means if you just bought a new car last month you should have it inspected this month before you take it out on the roads again; if you got it inspected last year then it should be done again this year before its 12-month anniversary passes. It’s important to make sure that you don’t miss your deadline in order to avoid getting penalized for driving with an expired inspection sticker (more on this later).

How To Prepare For Your Vehicle Inspection

Before taking your car in for its annual inspection there are some steps you can take to help make sure everything goes smoothly:

1) Check Your Fluids

Make sure all fluids including oil, transmission fluid, coolant/antifreeze and brake fluid are at their proper levels before taking your car in for its checkup. If any are low then top them off before heading out so that they won’t distract from what needs to be checked during your visit (and could potentially cause more issues down the road!).

2) Check Your Lights

Test each light on your vehicle including headlights (low/high beam), brake lights and turn signals before taking it in for its examination; if any don’t turn on properly then replace them before heading out so that they don’t cause issues when being tested by the inspector.

3) Check Your Tires

Make sure each tire has proper air pressure and tread depth prior to going in so that they won’t be flagged during testing; most auto parts stores have machines available where you can quickly check these two items without having to put much effort into it!

4) Clean Up Your Car

A little bit goes a long way here – simply wiping down surfaces inside/outside of your car with some cleaning solution can do wonders when trying to make sure everything looks presentable for inspection day!

Where Can You Get A Vehicle Inspection?

Most cities/towns throughout Texas offer their own local vehicular safety inspections stations where drivers can get their cars checked out; however, some areas may require drivers to travel further away depending on availability (especially rural areas). You can find out which locations offer inspections near you by either searching online or calling up local shops – many times they will even provide pickup/dropoff services if requested!

What Happens During The Vehicle Inspection?

During a typical safety inspection process technicians will examine both visual aspects of your automobile such as paint condition and tire wear/tread depth along with internal components such as brakes & suspension systems; they may even take measurements using specialized tools depending on which items need further testing (e.g., suspension height checks).

Afterward they will review their findings with you so that any necessary repairs can be made ahead of time prior to finalizing everything with them signing off on your paperwork once complete!

What Happens If My Vehicle Fails Its Inspection?

If after reviewing all results from an examination technicians determine that certain components do not meet minimum safety requirements then unfortunately your automobile will fail its test until these items are addressed properly – most commonly these include faulty brakes systems or worn tires which require replacement before passing again!

Fortunately though most shops will give customers extra time beyond normal closing hours so that repairs can be completed & retested accordingly without having worry about paying additional fees due delays caused by unforeseen circumstances (e.g., parts ordering delays).

What Happens When My Vehicle Passes Its Inspection?

Once technicians sign off on all required paperwork following successful completion of examinations customers will receive their updated registration sticker which shows current expiration date along with printed document outlining results from tests performed during visit – please keep both these items safe since they may need presented again if ever stopped by police while driving!

Additionally customers may also receive additional recommendations regarding future maintenance tasks which should be taken into consideration when creating upcoming service schedules moving forward!

References:

https://www.dps.texas.gov/rsd/vi/inspection/inspectionCriteria.aspx

Originally posted 2022-12-23 12:54:53.