Bexar County emissions testing starts soon: What to know
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Vehicle emissions testing is required in Bexar County starting Nov. 1, a major change that could mean longer lines at inspection stations and unexpected repair bills for some drivers.
Why it matters: The new program is designed to improve local air quality and help the region comply with federal Clean Air Act standards.
- Bexar County is the last major Texas county to begin local emissions testing.
How it works: The testing equipment plugs into the vehicle and checks its computer for problems with the emissions system.
- A passing vehicle can move forward with registration renewal. A failing vehicle will need to be repaired and pass the test before its registration can be renewed.
- The new test is required for all vehicles in Bexar County with registration due in November or later.
What they're saying: Charissa Barnes, who owns seven local testing sites called Official Inspection Station, has been hosting free prescreening events so drivers can identify problems before the mandate begins. She says the number of cars failing prescreenings is higher than she expected.
- "We do have a wall of demand that's going to hit us in our community come Nov. 1," Barnes tells Axios. "There is not a soft launch; it is a hard start."
Between the lines: Bexar County could have fewer places to get tested than it did under the old state safety inspection program.
- Barnes says the county went from roughly 650-660 inspection stations to about 275-300 after Texas ended annual safety inspections.
- Shops now have to recruit and certify new inspectors, while also investing about $9,000-$9,500 in emissions-testing equipment.
- Barnes says that cost has left some smaller shops hesitant to participate.
The bottom line: "We are not only launching an emissions program in Bexar County," Barnes says. "We are literally rebuilding the inspection station network, and we are looking for and rebuilding the workforce that supports that."