News and Updates

September 4, 2020

Updates to Vehicle Inspection Connection (VIC) - “Bring Your Own Device” (BYOD) 

April 24, 2024

Enhancements to VIC BYOD include:  

  • Single Session Sign-On: If an inspector is logged into the BYOD application, they will be prevented from logging-in to the BYOD application on any other device, browser, or tab until they sign-out of the first session.   

  • Select Station Update: Inspectors assigned to only one station will no longer be required to select their station upon login. 

  • Scanning Functionality Upgrade: Inspectors will experience improved scanning functionality.  

  • User Support: Inspectors can now access BYOD training and FAQs directly from the BYOD login page.  

  •  A Spanish version of the BYOD walkthrough video is available on the DPS website. 

  • BYOD FAQs are available here.   

  • Questions? Please contact our VIC Call Center, open daily from 7:00 am to 8:00 pm Central Time at (855) 845-0842 or your DPS representative with questions. 

Vehicle Safety Inspection Program Changes

April 12, 2024

House Bill 3297 (88th Legislative Session, 2023), effective January 1, 2025, abolishes the Vehicle Safety Inspection Program for non-commercial vehicles, eliminating most safety vehicle inspections statewide. This means if you live in a non-emissions county and are currently not required to obtain an emissions inspection on your vehicle, you will not be required to have your vehicle inspected prior to registration beginning January 1, 2025. However, the $7.50 fee remains intact under a new name: the inspection program replacement fee. This fee will be added to your vehicle registration fee.  For owners of new cars, either the current model or preceding model year that has not been previously registered in Texas or another state, there will instead be an initial fee of $16.75 to cover two years.  

The bill does not eliminate vehicle emissions inspections. Emissions inspections will also still be required in the following Texas counties: 

  • Brazoria, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, and Montgomery Counties
  • Collin, Dallas, Denton, Ellis, Johnson, Kaufman, Parker, Rockwall, and Tarrant Counties
  • Travis and Williamson Counties, and
  • El Paso County

Please note, in November 2026 Bexar County will be added to the above list of counties required to have an emissions inspection.  Those motorists with vehicles registered in Bexar County will have to obtain a passing emissions inspection in order to renew their vehicle's annual registration.

The safety inspection fee will also be eliminated for vehicle owners in emissions counties; however, those in emissions counties will also be subject to the inspection program replacement fee.

All commercial vehicles, regardless of county, will still be required to have a safety inspection. Commercial vehicles will be exempt from the inspection program replacement fee as they will still be required to pay for a safety inspection.
 
All vehicles will still be required to be registered; the registration process will continue to be managed by the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles.
 

FMCSA Amends the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs)

03/11/2024

FMCSA has amended the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) to include rear impact guards on the list of items that must be examined as part of the required annual inspection for each commercial motor vehicle (CMV).  Operation of a CMV with a missing or noncompliant rear impact guard is a violation of the FMCSRs.

Rear Impact Guards:
Must be permanently marked or labeled.

Inspect for and reject if:

  1. Label is missing or unreadable.
  2. The label does not contain the manufacturer’s name and address.
  3. The label does not state “Manufactured in __” (inserting the month and year the guard was manufactured); and,

  4. The label does not contain the letters “DOT”, constituting a certification by the guard manufacturer that the guard conforms to all requirements of FMVSS No.223.

Trailers and semitrailers manufactured on or after January 26, 1998 (except pole trailers, pulpwood trailers, low chassis vehicles, special purpose vehicles, wheels back vehicles, and road construction controlled horizontal discharge trailers, and trailers towed in driveaway-towaway operations).

Inspect for and reject if:

  1. Missing guard. 
  2. Guard is not securely attached to trailer, including broken or missing fasteners, any welds or parent metal cracked, or other damage that compromises secure attachment of the guard. 
  3. Guard horizontal member does not extend to within 100 mm (4 inches) of each, or extends beyond either, side extremity of the vehicle.
  4. Guard horizontal member is more than 560 mm (22 inches) above the ground. 
  5. Guard horizontal member is more than 305 mm (12 inches) forward of the rear extremity of the vehicle. 
  6. Guard horizontal member does not have a cross sectional vertical height of at least 100 mm (4 inches) across its entire width.

Vehicles manufactured after December 31, 1952 (except trailers or semitrailers manufactured on or after January 26, 1998). Vehicles manufactured after December 31, 1952, (except truck tractors, pole trailers, pulpwood trailers, road construction controlled horizontal discharge trailers, or vehicles in driveaway-towaway operations).

Inspect for and reject if:

  1. Missing guard. 
  2. Guard is not securely attached to trailer by bolts, welding, or other comparable means. 
  3. Guard horizontal member is more than 762 mm (30 inches) above the ground. 
  4. Guard horizontal member does not extend to within 457 mm (18 inches) of each side extremity of the vehicle. 
  5. Guard horizontal member is more than 610 mm (24 inches) forward of the rear extremity of the vehicle.

eCFR :: 49 CFR 393.86 -- Rear impact guards and rear end protection.

**Enter fails/repairs under “FRAME” in the vehicle inspection system.
 

Vehicle Inspection Connection (VIC) - “Bring Your Own Device” (BYOD) is LIVE 

February 12, 2024

BYOD is an inspection entry alternative for the VIC units. Inspectors will be able to record vehicle inspections using a cell phone, tablet, laptop or desktop computer. Safety or commercial inspection stations currently using a VIC unit may now utilize BYOD. Inspectors can access BYOD here (vic.portal.texas.gov) and log-in with their existing username and password.

  • Stations may transition to VIC BYOD at any time before January 1, 2025. All VIC units will remain active until January 1, 2025.  Beginning January 1, 2025, non-commercial safety-only inspections are no longer required for registrations (HB 3297). Stations performing commercial inspections must transition to BYOD by January 1, 2025. VIC units do not need to be returned to DPS. Stations are responsible for following local electronic waste guidelines to manage disposal of their VIC units if no longer in use.
  • BYOD FAQs are available here.  

Key Details & Reminders:

  • BYOD can be accessed at vic.portal.texas.gov. Please note that the BYOD URL is different from the VIC unit URL.
  • Inspectors can utilize a built-in scanning feature to quickly capture VINs using their device camera or handheld scanner. Manual entry of the VIN will still be an option if the inspector prefers to use that method.  
  • BYOD is not replacing emissions analyzers and does not impact emissions stations.
  • All stations using BYOD should confirm that their printer is compatible with the devices used to complete inspections. DPS will not supply printers and does not endorse any specific model.
  • Training videos and user guides are available on the DPS website under “Vehicle Inspection Connection - Bring Your Own Device (VIC-BYOD).”
  • Questions? Please contact our VIC Call Center, open daily from 7:00 am to 8:00 pm Central Time at (855) 845-0842 or your DPS representative with questions.

We appreciate your involvement in the Texas Vehicle Inspection Program as we modernize our processes via VIC BYOD. 
 

License Expiration Date Update

January 4, 2024

ATTENTION STATION INSPECTORS AND STATION OWNERS:

License expiration dates are changing for all inspectors, including government inspectors.  The new expiration date for current inspector licenses will be December 31, 2024.  This change will be permanent going forward, inspector licenses will need to be renewed by December 31 in even numbered years.

The license renewal window opened on January 1, 2024.  The expiration date at that time will still reflect August 31, however, this will automatically be updated to December 31 at a future date.

Station License expiration dates will change to December 31 of odd number years.  This will automatically be updated by DPS at a later date. 


When the updates occur, DPS will send messages through the inspection systems, and will also post on our website in the News & Updates section. https://www.dps.texas.gov/section/vehicle-inspection/news-and-updates 
 

Updates to Texas Administrative Code

November 17, 2023

Recent amendments to Texas Administrative Code Chapter 23 Vehicle Inspection, Effective September 14, 2023:

1. Make various changes to the requirements relating to emissions inspections and the related conduct of inspectors and station owners and

2. Clarify the department’s authority to immediately suspend or revoke the certificate of an inspector or inspection station if the action is found to be necessary to prevent or remedy a threat to public, health, safety, or welfare.

Particularly, §23.62 (c)(3) has been amended as:

(D) Emissions testing the exhaust or electronic connector of one vehicle, or using an electronic device to simulate or emulate a vehicle, for the purpose of enabling another vehicle to pass the emissions test (clean piping or clean scanning), or allowing a certified inspector or other individual under the person’s employment or supervision to emissions test the exhaust or electronic connector of one vehicle, or an electronic device that simulates or emulates a vehicle,  for the purpose of enabling another vehicle to pass the emissions test (clean piping or clean scanning). And

(M) violating a prohibition described in §23.57 of the chapter (relating to Prohibitions) not otherwise provided in this section.

In addition, the penalty schedule has been updated to reflect these changes. Category C violation §23.62(c)(3)(D) now indicates a penalty of Revocation for 1st violation, and Lifetime Revocation for 2nd violation.

The penalty schedule is a guide only and does not limit the department's authority to impose additional penalties, sanctions, or both, should the department determine the scheduled penalty insufficient under the specific circumstances presented. Such circumstances may include a significant number of similar violations in a brief period, a pattern of conduct established by repeated as yet unadjudicated violations, or a violation determined to constitute a threat to public health, safety, or welfare under Texas Transportation Code, §548.407.

Please refer to §23.62 Violations and Penalty Schedule for additional information.

Moratorium on New Emission Station Applications

March 23, 2023

The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), Regulatory Services Division (RSD), is implementing a moratorium on new emission station applications effective immediately through June 30, 2023. Processing will resume July 1, 2023. Applications for safety only stations, including motorcycle and commercial stations, will continue to be processed during this time. Any emission station applications submitted during this time will not begin processing until the moratorium ends. 

Vehicle Inspection Connection - Bring Your Own Device Project launching Spring of 2023

January 27, 2023

The Texas Department of Public Safety is proud to announce that the next evolution of the Texas Vehicle Safety Inspection Program. The Vehicle Inspection Connection (VIC) Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) Project is going to be launching in the Spring of 2023. Below are a few details and reminders to help stations and inspectors prepare for this transition.  

Key Details & Reminders: 

  1. Internet Browser - The software is a web-based solution designed to work on the following internet browsers - Chrome, Edge, Safari and Firefox. 

  1. Equipment - The new evolution of VIC empowers stations owners to now choose the equipment in which they perform vehicle inspections that support their working environments. Required vehicle inspection information can now be captured using your Computer, Mobile Device, or Tablet. Please consider what device or devices you and your station plan to use now so that you are prepared for launch as the current VIC units will be disconnected from the system later this year. 

  1. Printed Reports - You are still required to print the Vehicle Inspection Report at the conclusion of the inspection. Please make the necessary accommodations at your inspection station to ensure that your printer can print from your device of choice by the launch date. DPS doesn’t recommend any specific type of printer.  

  1. Scan VINs - Stations can continue using the current USB scanner with your computer, or leverage the flexibility offered by a mobile device/tablet camera to capture the VIN. 

  1. Training - As we near system launch, we will release training videos and guides. Please check your email along with the DPS website for those materials. If your email has changed or the point of contact for your station be sure to update your information on file with DPS. 

  1. Questions - Please contact our VIC Call Center, open daily from 7:00 am to 8:00 pm Central Time at (855) 845-0842 or your DPS representative with questions you may have prior to launch. 

Thank you for your participation in the Texas Vehicle Inspection Program as we eagerly approach switching to the bring your own device solution.  

Station Renewal Year - All Vehicle Inspection Station Licenses Expire September 1, 2023

January 4, 2023

Attention Station Owners – All Vehicle Inspection station license renewals must be completed by August 31, 2023.  Stations that fail to renew by August 31st, will expire September 1, 2023. 

Steps to Renew Station License in the Vehicle Inspection Connection (VIC) Website 

  1. VIC Login: An authorized buyer or owner will need to login to VIC to complete and submit the renewal application, URL: https://dpsdirect.portal.texas.gov/VICStation/login/auth?format, 
  2. Select:    “Station Renewal” in the upper right-hand corner of the page, 
  3. Select:      Station(s) to renew,
  4. Review station information, and update as needed, 
    1. Email address,  
    2. Website, 
    3. Phone number, and  
    4. Mailing address. 
  5. Payment: Pay for your renewal with credit card, debit card or electronic check, 
  6. Confirmation Number: Will be generated once renewal application has successfully been submitted. 

Help Desk: If you have forgotten your User ID, password, or experience problems, please contact the help desk at 1-855-845-0842. 

Thank you for your attention to the renewal deadline and for your continued participation in the Texas Vehicle Inspection Program. 

Texas Department of Public Safety 

Bexar County - Public Information Meeting on Expansion of Vehicle Inspection and Maintenance (I/M) Emissions Program

January 4, 2023

On December 15, 2022, the following notification was sent to all Station Owners, Managers, and Inspectors.

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) will hold a virtual public information meeting to provide information on implementation of the Bexar County Vehicle Inspection and Maintenance (I/M) program. The meeting is an opportunity for interested parties to learn about the TCEQ’s planning efforts to develop an I/M program for Bexar County and ask questions about I/M requirements.

Date: Tuesday, January 17, 2023
Time: 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. CST
Location:  Microsoft Teams Virtual Meeting
Join Meeting:  To find the link to join the meeting, please visit https://www.tceq.texas.gov/events

If you wish to participate in the meeting and have special communication or other accommodation needs, please contact Jamie Zech at 512-239-3935.

  • Requests should be made as far in advance as possible in order to allow adequate time to set up accommodations.
  • The meeting will be conducted in English, with a Spanish language interpreter available.

If you have any questions, please email aqp@tceq.texas.gov or call 512-239-4939.

Thank you for your continued participation in the AirCheckTexas Emissions Program.
Texas Department of Public Safety

Center High Mounted Stop Lamp (3rd Brake Lamp) Inspection Information

November 23, 2022

ATTENTION ALL STATION OWNERS AND INSPECTORS
On January 1, 2017, to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 571.108, State Law and Texas Transportation Code Section 547.323, the inspection requirements for stop lamps on motor vehicles were revised to include a visual inspection of the Center High Mounted Stop Lamp (3rd brake lamp).
The 3rd brake lamp is a lamp mounted high and possibly forward of the tail, stop, and rear turn signal lamps.
The 3rd brake lamp is required on:  

  • 1986 and newer passenger cars   
  • 1994 and newer Light trucks/SUVs less than 80” wide with a GVWR of 10,000 pounds or less

Recently, a new type of 3rd brake lamp has been approved in use of passenger vehicles, light trucks and SUVs less than 80” wide. This 3rd brake lamp, which uses light emitting diodes (LEDs), flashes or pulses briefly and remains lighted when the vehicle’s brake pedal is pressed.

For a short video about this new type of 3rd brake lamp, please view the link below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9C3Z8EwThNg

Please ensure that you and your team are aware of the inspection requirements for a vehicle’s 3rd brake lamp including the information about the new type of 3rd brake lamp referenced above.    

NOTES:

  1. Center High Mounted Stop Lamp (3rd brake lamp) condition is entered in the Stop Lamp section of the vehicle inspection sequence on VIC and Emissions Analyzer units.
  2. References: Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 571.108; TX Inspection Procedure Chapter 4, 04.20.28

Thank you for your continued participation in the Texas Vehicle Inspection Program. Please contact your department representative for any questions.
Texas Department of Public Safety

CREDIT CARD FEES BULLETIN

July 7, 2022

Attention all station owners:

The Department has received questions from inspection stations regarding the charging of credit card fees to motorists who use a credit card when paying for a state inspection.

The inspection station must list any credit card fees separately from the inspection fee on the invoice or bill provided to the customer.

In addition, charging additional fees in a manner that is misleading or deceptive is prohibited. It is therefore recommended that the stations:

  • ensure that the credit card fee does not exceed the fee charged by the credit card company for the transaction; and
  • provide the motorist the option to pay in cash for the inspection to avoid credit card fees.
  • clearly display signage informing motorists of the additional fees if a credit card will be used to pay for the inspection to avoid misunderstandings.

The following are the relevant violations provided in Texas Administrative Code Rule 23.62(c)(2):

(F) Acting in a manner that could reasonably be expected to cause confusion or misunderstanding on the part of an owner or operator presenting a vehicle regarding the relationship between the statutorily mandated inspection fee and a fee for any other service or product offered by the vehicle inspection station.

(G) Failing to list and charge for any additional services separately from the statutorily mandated inspection fee.

(H) Charging a fee, convenience fee or service charge in affiliation or connection with the inspection, in a manner that is false, misleading, deceptive or unauthorized. 

Thank you for your continued participation in the Texas Vehicle Inspection Program. Please contact your department representative for any questions.
 

"VIC - BRING YOUR OWN DEVICE" PROJECT TO ROLL OUT IN 2023

June 13, 2022

Attention all station owners and inspectors: 

The Texas Department of Public Safety is excited to announce the “VIC - Bring Your Own Device” project, which will allow certified inspectors to use their cell phone, tablet, laptop or desktop computer to enter vehicle inspection information at the time of the inspection.

A certified inspector will be provided a website address where they will log in with their inspector credentials and enter the required inspection information for each vehicle that is inspected. After the inspection data entry is completed, the certified inspector will print the Vehicle Inspection Report (VIR) to provide to the motorist.

The station will be able to use any printer that is compatible with their cell phone, tablet, laptop or desktop to print the VIR.

Currently, DPS is expecting the VIC Bring Your Own Device project will be rolled out to all VIC stations in Texas in mid-2023. DPS will be providing more details about the project closer to the rollout date.

The VIC units will no longer be utilized for inspections once the process is moved to a web format.

Thank you for your continued participation in the Texas Vehicle Inspection Program. Please contact your Department representative for any questions.


The latest Station & Inspector Bulletin is available: Inspector License Renewal Period Ending 8/31/2022.

March 1, 2022

ADDITIONAL SAFETY RECALL INFORMATION INCLUDED IN VEHICLE INSPECTION REPORT
August 5, 2021

Effective August 7, 2021, the Vehicle Inspection Report (VIR), which is provided to motorists at the conclusion of an inspection, will include safety recall information to bring motorists' attention to open recalls on their vehicles. This information is provided in order to improve driver awareness of urgent safety recalls with the goal of increasing recall completion rates.

If the vehicle has an open safety recall, the recall information will be provided on the back or second page of the VIR. For open safety recalls, the motorist should contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) at the number provided or visit the website provided at the top of the VIR. They may also contact their vehicle’s manufacturer for additional information.

Safety recalls can be repaired free of charge by the vehicle’s manufacturer.

You may see the following responses on the Vehicle Inspection Report:

  1. Open Recall Information. (See example below.)
  2. No Open Recalls.
  3. Manufacturer does not provide information. Check with NHTSA or vehicle manufacturer.
  4. Communication issue. Check with NHTSA or vehicle manufacturer.

Example of Vehicle Inspection Report with Safety Recall information

RECALL INFORMATION ADDED TO VEHICLE INSPECTION REPORT EFFECTIVE 9/11/2020

September 11, 2020

The non-emission Vehicle Inspection Report (VIR), which is provided by the inspection station at the conclusion of the vehicle inspection, has been updated to provide general recall information. This information is provided in order to improve motorist awareness of urgent safety recalls with the goal of increasing recall completion rates.

The VIR will include the following information at the top of the report:

“Recall information details can be found by visiting the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s website at www.nhtsa.gov or calling the Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236.”

A bulletin was sent by DPS to all safety inspection stations on September 9, 2020, notifying them of the change.

Below is the revised portion of the VIR with the new recall information.

 

Vehicle Inspection Report

 

INSPECTOR LICENSE RENEWAL UPDATE

June 1, 2020

ATTENTION STATION INSPECTORS AND STATION OWNERS:

All inspectors, including government inspectors, must complete the renewal process by August 31, 2020. If you have not already completed your inspector renewal, please follow the steps below to submit your application:

  1. Login to the VIC Inspector License Renewal Application.
  2. Update your email address, phone number and address as needed.
  3. Choose your payment method – Self Pay or Employer Pay.
  4. Complete by paying the $27 renewal fee with credit card, debit card or by completing the employer payment submission.

If you choose Employer Pay, you must notify your employer to complete the payment in the system before August 31, 2020 or the renewal process will not be complete.

NOTE: Inspectors at Government Inspection Stations must also complete the renewal process and choose Employer Pay.

Be sure to renew your license BEFORE the expiration date.  Failure to do so will cause you to lose access to the VIC and/or emissions analyzer systems and you will no longer be able to conduct inspections without getting recertified.

If you have forgotten your password, please contact the help desk at 1-855-845-0842.  For all other assistance, contact your DPS representative.

Thank you for your attention to the renewal deadline.


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