In just over two months, San Antonio will join the ranks of most major Texas metros as a new vehicle inspection process rolls out. There are a host of reasons industry experts and locals are worried about emissions inspections, but others are eyeing sneaky workarounds. However, simply avoiding a vehicle inspection may not be as easy as it once was.
Amid constant reminders that this new inspection process is rolling out, San Antonians were quick to recommend driving dirty with expired tags. You can’t fail an emissions inspection you never take. That aligns with research from CARFAX last year, which showed Texas is most likely to avoid renewals, with 2.1 million Texans failing to renew by the start of 2025.
But these new inspections are tied to a much larger push by far more powerful agencies. County emissions inspections are linked to the federal Clean Air Act, which is enforced by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency…