Waiting on Texas car registration renewal wastes time, money

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Viewers continue to ask KXAN if, in order to avoid a vehicle safety inspection, they can just wait until January 2025 to renew their car's inspection.

Short answer: No.

A longer answer is no, and waiting means spending the same for less.

The cost of a state inspection is fixed by state law at $7.50. The end of mandatory inspections to renew a car's registration isn't the end of that cost -- in 2025, a $7.50 fee will be added to the $50.75 non-commercial registration cost.

When Texans renew a vehicle's inspection, the expiration month stays the same. If it expires in October 2024, it will next expire in October 2025. Waiting to renew does not change this.

Thus, waiting to pay $58.25 for a registration that lasts nine months ($6.47/month) is more expensive than the same amount covering 12 months ($4.85/month).

Texas drivers should (hopefully) be aware that it is an offense to operate a motor vehicle that isn't registered by the state, or has an expired registration. It's simply not worth a potentially $200 fine in order to avoid a 15-minute trip for one last inspection.