Smog & Emission Checks

Once upon a time, no one in the big wide state of Texas worried much about smog and pollution. It seemed ungracious to suggest that the wildcat oil wells and the vast oil fields and refineries could be producing much of anything but profits.

That's all changed now, and while much of Texas still enjoys very clean air, annual emissions testing for many of the millions of vehicles on the Texas highways is a reality that won't go away and will likely increase over time. This program is called AirCheckTexas.

But you may luck out. If you live in a nonemissions county in Texas, you won't have to have the smog checks. But if you live in an emissions county, it's a different story and you will be subjected to a smog check every year when you get your safety inspection.

Those counties that require emissions testing also have higher titling fees: $33 rather than $28.

You can use the handy online inspection station finder to find your nearest facility. The lookup tool is sorted according to nonemissions and emissions counties.

Annual Inspections

All cars in Texas undergo an annual safety inspection. Where mandated, an emissions inspection is added to this process.

There are several different types of emissions testing. Each county has decided which method or combination of methods it will employ (this map illustrates which counties do what).

The three smog inspection methods available are:

• Two-speed idle (TSI)

• On-board diagnostic (OBDI)

• Acceleration simulation mode (ASM)

The ASM and TSI methods are usually used only for older cars―those initially registered before about 1995, depending on county. The new standard is the OBDI testing, which downloads information from your vehicle's on-board diagnostic computer.

Detailed descriptions of how each method works, what it tests for, what the results mean, and rules for how the findings must be interpreted are included in the state's new emissions manuals.

Out-of-State Inspections

If you are a Texas resident who is out of state when your inspection sticker is set to expire, you must follow the laws of the state you are in. If that state has emissions inspection laws in place requiring a valid inspection sticker, you should visit a local inspection station to get inspected.

Similarly, if drivers from another state are in Texas when their inspection sticker expires, they need to get their vehicle inspected at a local inspection station as soon as possible to stay legal. Your car does not have to be registered in Texas to be tested, but you do need to show proof of financial responsibility.

Most importantly, keep your registration up to date and, if you are a Texas resident who has your car inspected outside the state, you should have your vehicle retested within three days of returning home to ensure that you're within the law.

If Your Car Fails the Test

If your car fails the emissions test, you will need to get the problem diagnosed and fixed at your expense. The inspection facility may advise you on this, but their word is not final. Instead, you will be provided with a list of recognized emissions repair facilities.

You do not have to use only these repair shops. But―and this is important―if you do use a recognized emissions repair facility, then all costs of labor and parts will be counted toward the total you are required to spend to fix the problem before a waiver may be issued.

If you can't get your car to pass the inspection, you may be able to have the inspection waived if the repair costs get too high. If you do the repairs yourself, or use a shop that's not among those recognized by the state for emissions repairs, the money you spend will not be counted toward your total. This could amount to hundreds of dollars.

You can apply for a waiver based on several criteria. You may be granted an exemption from having to pass the emissions inspection if you drive your vehicle very little or if the failing vehicle really won't produce much smog anyway. You might also be granted more time to make the repairs if you're low-income of if the parts you need aren't available.

In addition to waivers, various forms of financial assistance are possible from the AirCheck Texas Repair & Replacement Assistance program.

In all counties, cars older than 24 years are considered antique and are exempt from emissions testing.

Report a Gross Polluter

To report a smoking vehicle, visit www.smokingvehicle.org or call (800) 453-SMOG (7644).