A new testing requirement will take effect in Bexar County prior to vehicle registration renewals starting on November 1.
Vehicle safety inspections may be a thing of the past, but a new requirement will change the car registration process for San Antonio drivers starting November 1. Bexar County drivers are required to pass an emissions test before being registered.
Bexar County joins the list of emission counties in Texas, which includes cities in Houston, Dallas, Austin and El Paso. The emissions test is different than the vehicle safety inspections, which were eliminated on January 1, 2025. 
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The price of the vehicle emissions tests in Bexar County will be $18.50. The only vehicles exempt from emissions inspections are electric-only vehicles. Drivers with unexpired vehicle registration are not required to obtain a passing emissions test until it is time to renew their registration, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS).
All drivers will continue to pay a $7.50 inspection program replacement fee per HB 3297. The inspection program replacement fee will be paid when you register your vehicle with the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles.
Sometimes referred to as smog checks, emissions testing measures the level of pollutants — including hydrocarbons, oxygen, carbon monoxide, and oxides of nitrogen — present in vehicle exhaust, according to Jiffy Lube. 
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The test uses onboard diagnostics (OBDII) to detect malfunctioning components and systems before more serious failures occur and even before the driver of the vehicle becomes aware of a problem. The OBDII testing uses a scan tool that plugs into the vehicle's computer and determines that the emission system and components are working properly, according to DPS.
Emissions tests focus only on pollutants and emissions systems, not brakes, tires, or lights.
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To find the nearest certified vehicle emissions inspection station, use the DPS's emissions inspection station locator.
Born and raised in San Antonio, Priscilla knows her city well. She has a B.A. in Communications from UIW and has been with the Express-News and MySA since 2019. Priscilla loves writing about hikes, parks and weird sea (and land) creatures in San Antonio and Texas.
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