Starting November 1, 2026, Bexar County becomes Texas's 18th emissions county. If you live in San Antonio or anywhere else in Bexar County and drive a gasoline car or truck, you will need a passing emissions test before you can renew your registration. This guide explains exactly what changes, what it costs, and how to avoid surprises, using only information published by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (TxDMV) and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ).
Check your own situation in 20 seconds with our Do I need a test? tool, or jump to the Bexar County page for the short version.
Why this is happening
Texas ended routine safety inspections for non-commercial vehicles on January 1, 2025, under House Bill 3297. The same law did not end emissions testing. Counties that have to meet federal air-quality standards still require gasoline vehicles to pass an emissions test before registration. Bexar County is joining that list. The other 17 emissions counties are Brazoria, Collin, Dallas, Denton, Ellis, El Paso, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Johnson, Kaufman, Montgomery, Parker, Rockwall, Tarrant, Travis and Williamson.
DPS put it plainly in its January 2026 reminder: emissions tests are different from the comprehensive safety inspections that ended in 2025. Safety inspections are gone for personal vehicles. Emissions tests are not, and in Bexar County they are new.
Which vehicles need a test
According to TxDMV's bulletin to county tax offices, effective November 1, 2026, gasoline-powered vehicles 2 through 24 years old that are registered in Bexar County must pass an emissions inspection before initial registration or registration renewal. TCEQ says gasoline vehicles are inspected annually beginning with the vehicle's second anniversary.
Not required to be tested, per TCEQ:
- Electric vehicles
- Diesel vehicles
- Motorcycles
- Mopeds
Very new vehicles are also outside the test window. New vehicles (current or preceding model year on the date of purchase) that have never been registered pay a two-year initial inspection replacement fee of $16.75 instead. Vehicles older than 24 years are outside the 2-through-24 range.
If your vehicle is a hybrid or flex-fuel model and you are not sure how it is classified, ask the station or check the DPS emissions FAQ before your renewal month.
What it costs
There are three separate charges, and they are paid in two places:
- $18.50 at the inspection station for the emissions test. DPS announced this price for Bexar County, and it matches the maximum charge for emissions-only inspections in the Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston areas.
- $2.75 to the state at registration, the state emissions inspection fee, collected by the county tax office (TxDMV bulletin 003-26). Vehicles exempt from emissions testing are not charged this fee.
- $7.50 inspection program replacement fee at registration, which DPS says applies to all non-commercial vehicles in the state. It replaced the state's share of the old safety-inspection fee and is not an increase in registration cost.
So a typical gasoline car renewing in Bexar County after November 1 pays $18.50 at the station and the state fees at registration, on top of the normal registration fees. The station fee is a maximum; some stations may charge less.
The November and December 2026 exception
Bexar County stations cannot run emissions tests before November 1, 2026. TxDMV's bulletin addresses the overlap:
- If your registration expires in November or December 2026 and you renew before November 1, 2026, you do not need an emissions test or the $2.75 emissions fee for that renewal. Only the $7.50 inspection replacement fee applies.
- DPS also notes that drivers with unexpired registration are not required to get a passing emissions test until it is time to renew.
That means many drivers will not need their first Bexar County emissions test until their 2027 renewal. If your sticker expires in November or December, renewing early in October is a legitimate way to push your first test out a year. Renewal notices mailed in September 2026 for November expirations include information about the new requirement.
Where to get tested
Use the official DPS Vehicle Inspection Locator to find certified emissions stations. Only businesses with a Bexar County address can become certified emissions stations there. Because every station had to apply for a new license (safety-only licenses expired December 31, 2024), the list may grow during the first months. Call ahead if you are planning a test in early November.
AutoAnvil's Bexar County page also has space for featured local stations and repair shops. Featured listings are labeled as paid placements.
What happens at the test
Texas emissions inspections use the vehicle's on-board diagnostics (OBD) system, according to TCEQ. OBD is the computer system the manufacturer installed to monitor the emission controls, fuel metering and ignition system. The station connects to your car's diagnostic port and reads what the computer reports.
In practice, that means a few things matter more than anything else:
- The check engine light. If the malfunction indicator lamp is on, expect a problem. Get the code read and fixed first. Our diagnostics hub explains common codes.
- Readiness monitors. If you recently disconnected the battery, replaced it, or had codes cleared, the car's self-tests may not be complete yet. Drive normally for several days, including some highway driving, before you test.
- Basic maintenance. A healthy engine, good spark plugs, no exhaust leaks and a tight fuel cap help.
If you fail
DPS says that if your vehicle fails the initial inspection, you can have the failed items repaired and take the vehicle back to the same station within 15 days for a free re-test. Go to a different station, or come back after 15 days, and you pay again.
If repairs get expensive, TCEQ describes several waivers and extensions:
- Low Mileage Waiver: for a vehicle that failed both the initial test and the retest, had at least $100 in emissions-related repairs, was driven less than 5,000 miles in the previous inspection cycle, and is expected to be driven fewer than 5,000 miles before the next one.
- Parts Availability Time Extension: when a needed part is not readily available.
- Low-Income Time Extension: for qualifying owners, valid for one inspection cycle.
- Individual Vehicle Waiver: after at least $600 in emissions-related repairs (in most areas) without a pass.
DPS handles the waiver applications; start at TCEQ's waivers page. The old AirCheck Texas repair-assistance program is closed, according to TCEQ.
A simple plan for Bexar County drivers
- Look at your registration sticker. Note the expiration month.
- If it is November or December 2026, consider renewing before November 1.
- Otherwise, a few weeks before renewal, fix any check engine light and avoid clearing codes right before the test.
- Find a station with the DPS locator and test early in your renewal window so there is time for a free retest.
- Renew online, by mail or at the tax office once the passing result is in the state database.
Use our Do I need a test? tool to check any Texas county, and our Texas inspection overview for the full county list.