SB1729

Two-year registration: the vehicle must be sold in Texas or purchased by the specified commercial fleet buyer for Texas use, never previously registered in Texas or another state, and of the current or preceding model year on its sale date. The new period is 24 consecutive calendar months. The $16.75 one-time inspection-replacement fee applies to this initial registration instead of the annual $7.50 fee; the next registration year is not charged that annual fee again. The $7.50 and $16.75 amounts already existed—SB1729 connects the latter to the new registration provision. These are replacement fees, not the entire registration bill. Final law; Prior registration rule; 2023 HB3297, section 21.

Three-year rental registration: existing section 502.0026 covers similarly new passenger cars/light trucks for which the required rental certificate is furnished. SB1729 sets a one-time $22.25 replacement fee instead of the annual or two-year fee, with no annual replacement fee for the next two registration years. Of that amount, $16.25 goes to the Texas mobility fund and $6 to the clean air account. All applicable fees for the full three-year registration remain due up front. This is not a three-year option for every private car. Final law; Existing rental eligibility.

Emissions remain separate: if the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency approves it as part of the state air-quality plan, the Texas Department of Public Safety must provide a three-year emissions-inspection period for vehicles registered under the rental provision. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality must set inspection fees to preserve the revenue that annual or biennial inspections would have produced. Enacting SB1729 is not proof that EPA approval has occurred or permission for a driver to skip a required test. Final law, section 2.

Cleanup of overlapping laws: the act reconciles competing 2023 fee amendments and directs Clean Air Act fees to include the designated clean-air share of replacement fees. It repeals remaining provisions on inspection items/exemptions, travel-trailer owner inspections, the old rental inspection period and fee, equipment-related passing requirements, and general inspection fees. Several had already been repealed or affected by other legislation; these repeals are not a new blanket exemption from every vehicle inspection or equipment rule. HB3297 had already repealed the general safety-inspection provisions effective January 1, 2025; 2025 HB2029 also addresses the travel-trailer provision. Final law, sections 1 and 5–8; 2023 HB3297, sections 26 and 29; Related 2025 HB2029.

The five operative versions match: introduced, Senate committee, Senate-passed, House committee and enrolled. The amendment index lists no floor amendments. Introduced; Senate committee; Senate-passed; House committee; Final law; Version index; Amendment index.

Compare the published text versions in the official text index. A change is not attributed to a specific amendment here without a verified record.

Qualifying buyers and rental operators receive clearer multi-year registration and fee rules and may face fewer registration transactions. Rental operators still owe applicable full-period fees up front, and the replacement fee does not pay all registration or emissions charges. Agencies receive clarified fee-routing instructions. The act does not quantify customer savings or air-quality effects. Final law.

The March 25 fiscal note anticipates no significant state fiscal impact, assumes revenue effects would be insignificant, and anticipates no local-government fiscal impact. It provides no dollar estimate of savings and does not claim the law is free for vehicle owners. SB1729 makes no appropriation. Fiscal note; Final law.