Texas tags

[GR "Scott" Cundiff]

Help me think through this:

1. We are in the motorhome, in Texas - parked long term in a campground
2. My tags expire this month
3. I don't especially want to break down everything (again set up long term) just to go get an inspection somewhere
4. So, sometime around the end of the year we will be ready to travel again
5. I can stop and get an inspection on that first travel day, but my tags will still be expired

Is there a good workaround to the lack of tags?  Thanks.

[GlennWest]

Basically have to let registration go dead. Don't know the ramifications of this. How much trouble is it to move mh? 

[mptjelgin]

If you are parked long-term and not out on the road, you don't "have" to have current tags or inspection by state law. But once you are ready to hit the road, you have that issue. 

Hypothetically, you "could" get the registration by stating that you are out of state, and then get the inspection as soon as you hit the road. Not completely ethical, but no different really than someone just over the border in Oklahoma, Louisiana, or New Mexico getting registered and then arriving back into the state. 

Edited October 11, 2020 by mptjelgin

[dirtyboots]

How about getting a trip permit?  I got one for a truck with expired tags so I could move it down to the next state and the new owners could license it.

[GlennWest]

50 minutes ago, GR "Scott" Cundiff said:

Help me think through this:

1. We are in the motorhome, in Texas - parked long term in a campground
2. My tags expire this month
3. I don't especially want to break down everything (again set up long term) just to go get an inspection somewhere
4. So, sometime around the end of the year we will be ready to travel again
5. I can stop and get an inspection on that first travel day, but my tags will still be expired

Is there a good workaround to the lack of tags?  Thanks.

Where in Texas are you? 

 

 

[Kirk W]

Why not contact the Livingston DMV office and ask them about the issue?

Edited October 11, 2020 by Kirk W

[SWharton]

Why not get someone to come to your site and inspect it?

[GlennWest]

For $7.00. Good luck with that

 

[SWharton]

Is that all! I'm surprised anyone will even do the inspections. Last in state inspection was 5 years ago.

 

[GlennWest]

That's all it is in Texas. Think they get $7.00 more from the state. But even at 14.00 no one's coming to your site. Lots of fraud here due to that fact too. 

[bigjim]

I don't know the amount but am fairly certain it must be higher in counties that require "smog" testing.

[Kirk W]

1 hour ago, GlennWest said:

That's all it is in Texas. Think they get $7.00 more from the state. But even at 14.00 no one's coming to your site. Lots of fraud here due to that fact too. 

In counties that do not require a smog test it is $7 at the inspection station and an additional $7 with registration. In counties that do have a smog requirement there are two levels, one for $18.50 and the other is $25.50. I don't really know exactly what determines which one needs but D/FW and Houston areas are the higher rate. 

I am wondering what the fraud you are speaking of is? I have been a TX resident since 1989 and you are the first that I have heard of to make that statement.

[GR "Scott" Cundiff]

No smog test anywhere in Texas on diesel engines.

[GlennWest]

23 minutes ago, Kirk W said:

In counties that do not require a smog test it is $7 at the inspection station and an additional $7 with registration. In counties that do have a smog requirement there are two levels, one for $18.50 and the other is $25.50. I don't really know exactly what determines which one needs but D/FW and Houston areas are the higher rate. 

I am wondering what the fraud you are speaking of is? I have been a TX resident since 1989 and you are the first that I have heard of to make that statement.

There are a lot of places that will inspect it by just the paper work. Never even look at it.

[Kirk W]

3 minutes ago, GlennWest said:

There are a lot of places that will inspect it by just the paper work. Never even look at it.

I have never run across one so perhaps you would share that information? 

[mptjelgin]

32 minutes ago, Kirk W said:

I am wondering what the fraud you are speaking of is? I have been a TX resident since 1989 and you are the first that I have heard of to make that statement.

Back in my younger years when I drove crappy cars with bald tires, we all knew where to go to get inspection stickers without the inspection. It really wasn't much of a secret. I haven't had the need for that in several decades, but have no doubt that those places continue to exist. 

The entire state inspection program is kind of a joke, and I was hopeful that they would eliminate it in my lifetime. The legislature came very close a couple of sessions back, but never made it happen. 

[GlennWest]

21 minutes ago, Kirk W said:

I have never run across one so perhaps you would share that information? 

I would not post that on an open forum. Someone could loose their license

[bigjim]

I have seen this more than once  but not since the early 2000's maybe even 2005 or more. I am talking cars and trucks. I would not know about RV inspections.  I don't believe it is nearly as common as it used to be. They stepped up inspection of the inspection stations at least for a number of years but who knows if they kept it up as  it costs money and requires peronnel and equipment to check and we know they don't like to fund things anymore than they think is necessary. Plus there is often financial pressure on lawmakers to let thing slide.  A friend of mine who was a retired Marine got the job of checking up on inspections and he was a pretty hard corps (no pun intended) type guy that would want to do it right. I have related that i tried to get and inspection in Corsicana, Tx. and it was very lightly drizziling rain. The inspector  would not do it because there was some rule that they couldn't and he said it could cost him  up to $10K and his license if he got caught doing the test drive in the rain. May have even been an issue with his insurance. This inspection station was in the area that my friend checked up on.

I used to want to do away with inspections but I have spent considerable time in other states that don't have it. IN Tx. at least every properly inspected vehicle has all required lights operational at least once a year plus the brakes will stop it, the smog equipment is still present, required mirrors are there and functional , tires have at least some tread, windshield wipers work, probably more.   For $7 or $ 14  that is a bargain for the rest of  us on the road with them.

The reason they shifted the other $7. to  be paid at annual registration is all about getting revenue where they want it in a timely manner  plus in most cases the inspector is certifying on line that the vehicle has been inspected which can cause repercussions if they are ever caught illegally certifying and inspections.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4

Edited October 12, 2020 by bigjim

[ms60ocb]

I've told the inspection is having a physical inspection once a year of the VIN numbers. They want the vehicle to match the paper work. Not every state cares as long as there is a good title.

Clay

[Kirk W]

10 hours ago, GlennWest said:

I would not post that on an open forum. Someone could loose their license

Make that would lose their license. But I highly doubt that there are "a lot of places that will inspect it by just the paperwork." You may know of someone who will do that for you because they know you but I highly doubt that you can name many that make a regular practice of it. I happen to know that the state does have people who audit those things. I can believe that it happens on occasion, but to be very honest, I do not buy that there is a great deal of fraud with those inspections. How many would you have to do that way at $7 each in order to make much money doing it? Then add the risk of getting caught.

Texas DPS make arrests in fraudulent motor vehicle inspection cases

[bigjim]

Kirk, I mostly agree with what you said but you would not make a good crook.😀 When done illegally the cost is much higher. One or two that I knew of went for $25. and I expect in some cases much more. Remember there have been major incidents in the past of "selling" drivers licenses'.  Most of them were probably CDL's.  Keep up your good works but don't venture into crime, you just would not be good at it.🤪

Should have  read your link before commenting.  Criminals get greedy and remember there has been a show called, Worlds dumbest criminals.  Heck they even catch politicians being criminals. That really floors me since they all claim to be so smart.

Edited October 12, 2020 by bigjim
more thoughts

[mptjelgin]

This is a bit like believing that drugs are scarce and hard to obtain simply because there are laws and enforcement. And perhaps you personally have never seen anyone selling them.

The amount of fraud that exists regarding drivers licenses, registrations, inspections, insurance, etc. is much higher than many would like to believe. 

Edited October 12, 2020 by mptjelgin

[bigjim]

2 hours ago, mptjelgin said:

This is a bit like believing that drugs are scarce and hard to obtain simply because there are laws and enforcement. And perhaps you personally have never seen anyone selling them.

The amount of fraud that exists regarding drivers licenses, registrations, inspections, insurance, etc. is much higher than many would like to believe. 

I expect his finger started typing before he thought it through.

Please don''t start any fraud lists. None of us have enough life left to complete the lists.

[GR "Scott" Cundiff]

It was nighttime when I looked out the front window of the motorhome. I noticed the registration sticker on the window and realized that it expires this month..10. "Boy does time fly,' I thought, "it doesn't seem like a year has passed". I started making plans to find a place big enough to do the state inspection. Today, from the outside I looked at the sticker again. Guess what? From the outside the month is "01" and not "10". Too bad I didn't notice the year the other night. Time doesn't fly as fast as I feared.

[mptjelgin]

59 minutes ago, GR "Scott" Cundiff said:

It was nighttime when I looked out the front window of the motorhome. I noticed the registration sticker on the window and realized that it expires this month..10. "Boy does time fly,' I thought, "it doesn't seem like a year has passed". I started making plans to find a place big enough to do the state inspection. Today, from the outside I looked at the sticker again. Guess what? From the outside the month is "01" and not "10". Too bad I didn't notice the year the other night. Time doesn't fly as fast as I feared.

Well that is good news!!