Texas State Laws for vehicles

[tsmith3]

Its official we will be moving to South Texas in the next month or two depending on how fast we can sell our current home here.

I've been trying to find some websites with State laws on emissions and other laws for vehicles but haven't found much. In Wyoming were kinda lucky that we don't have any sort of inspection on vehicles.

My main concerns are Tint and Exhaust. I believe I might be illegal with %5 window tint and no cats on the truck.

 

[LoveThisTruck]

Where at in Texas?

They did a visual inspection on my exhaust when I took it to the Dodge dealership there. I have hi flow cats so I was good.:dontknow: don't know about the tint.

 

[tsmith3]

Where at in Texas?

They did a visual inspection on my exhaust when I took it to the Dodge dealership there. I have hi flow cats so I was good.:dontknow: don't know about the tint.

Victoria, TX. it's about an 1 1/2 west of Houston.

 

[LoveThisTruck]

Victoria, TX. it's about an 1 1/2 west of Houston.

Nice... that's about 2 1/2 hours away from my old man. I'll have to hit you up when i'm in town.

 

[WOT]

There shouldn't be any problem with the exhaust, as long as it passes the OBDII plug in test. Most inspection station won't look under the truck. If they do and fail you, just go to another station.

Window tint cannot be darker than 20% on the side windows. No visible tint allowed on the front windshield. The back window can be spray painted black if you like, and so can the rear side windows (if a QC).

I have a car with 10% tint on the side windows and the stations usually pass it. I've been pulled over and ticketed for it being too dark, but I still get them to put the inspection sticker on it.

 

[BigRed460]

5% tint is illegal, and get ready because if you do get pulled over for it they stop you like it's a felony stop. Emissions is the obd test, it just depends on where you go if they will look. If you live around Houston you also have road side inspection stations that sniff your truck as you go by, if it fail they send you a letter, and you have to go get you vehicle reinspected.

DPS Troopers are the problem, they will ticket you for ANYTHING (front plate included). There are some troopers that carry infrared temperature guns and will check for cats if your truck is loud...

 

[jsandlin]

wow...BigRed460 said it best. Tint it seems is the troopers main concern around Houston. I have a court date now for tint. When they pull over though....they look for everything. I ended up with 5 tickets from a trooper two weeks ago. Im taking off the 5% and going 20. Never got pulled over for that.

 

[Ironhead]

Victoria, TX. it's about an 1 1/2 west of Houston.

victoria is south of houston not west lol ,,,just being a pain

 

[wyoramsrt-10]

Todd when is the move being made official? I will be in town this Wed. You gonna be around?

 

[SANCHOBA]

it depends on the county....here in san patricio county they dont' sniff or do the OBDII thing, there is always a breeze coming off the gulf to disperse any smog/pollutants so its not a problem down here

 

[tsmith3]

Thanks for the help guys. I will have to redo my side windows I guess... there at 5% now. I'll play the out of state card as long as I can.

Chuck, I don't have the official letter as of yet but its pretty much a done deal. They will want me to start working out of there as soon as I'm done doing jobs here. I have a job in Midwest thats suppose to start tomorrow but I might be here. Give me a call when you get here.

 

[Coley 1334]

Thanks for the help guys. I will have to redo my side windows I guess... there at 5% now. I'll play the out of state card as long as I can.

Chuck, I don't have the official letter as of yet but its pretty much a done deal. They will want me to start working out of there as soon as I'm done doing jobs here. I have a job in Midwest thats suppose to start tomorrow but I might be here. Give me a call when you get here.

yup window tint is reall bigg for the cops around here in dallas too...thats y i roll with the windows down most the time

and a cop told me if they stop u for a front plate u only have to put 2 on if they give u 2 plates at the dmv.....

and my other buddy got a ticket for it and went to the court house and asked to see where it said the 2 plates was a texas law and the lady could not find it in the book so ...... and they canceled the ticket... thats just me up here in dallas tho i guess in houston they are more strick

 

[BigRed460]

yup window tint is reall bigg for the cops around here in dallas too...thats y i roll with the windows down most the time

and a cop told me if they stop u for a front plate u only have to put 2 on if they give u 2 plates at the dmv.....

and my other buddy got a ticket for it and went to the court house and asked to see where it said the 2 plates was a texas law and the lady could not find it in the book so ...... and they canceled the ticket... thats just me up here in dallas tho i guess in houston they are more strick

Texas law...

§ 502.404. OPERATION OF VEHICLE WITHOUT LICENSE PLATE OR REGISTRATION INSIGNIA.
(a) A person commits an offense if the person operates on a public highway during a registration period a passenger car or commercial motor vehicle that does not display two license plates, at the front and rear of the vehicle, that have been:
(1) assigned by the department for the period; or
(2) validated by a registration insignia issued by the department that establishes that the vehicle is registered for the period.
(b) A person commits an offense if the person operates on a public highway during a registration period a passenger car or commercial motor vehicle, other than a vehicle assigned license plates for the registration period, that does not properly display the registration insignia issued by the department that establishes that the license plates have been validated for the period.
(c) A person commits an offense if the person operates on a public highway during a registration period a road tractor, motorcycle, trailer, or semitrailer that does not display a license plate, attached to the rear of the vehicle, that has been:
(1) assigned by the department for the period; or
(2) validated by a registration insignia issued by the department that establishes that the vehicle is registered for the period.
(d) Subsections (a) and (b) do not apply to a dealer operating a vehicle as provided by law.
(e) An offense under this section is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed $200.
(f) A court may dismiss a charge brought under Subsection (a) if the defendant:
(1) remedies the defect before the defendant's first court appearance; and
(2) pays an administrative fee not to exceed $10.
(g) A court may dismiss a charge brought under Subsection (b) if the defendant:
(1) shows that:
(A) the passenger car or commercial motor vehicle was issued a registration insignia by the department that establishes that the vehicle was registered for the period during which the offense was committed; and
(B) the registration insignia described in Paragraph (A) was attached to the passenger car or commercial motor vehicle before the defendant's first court appearance; and
(2) pays an administrative fee not to exceed $10.

Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 165, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995.

Amended by:
Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1027, § 1, eff. September 1, 2007.

BTW DALLASS (correct spelling) is the reason we have to have front plates, something about yalls airport and toll systems look at front plates. The bill to require one plate failed due to yalls reps., they were passing it as a way to save several million dollars in plate manufacturing fees...