Texas Administrative Code › Title 37 - PUBLIC SAFETY AND CORRECTIONS › Part 1 - TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY › Chapter 4 - COMMERCIAL VEHICLE REGULATIONS AND ENFORCEMENT PROCEDURES › Subchapter C - COMMERCIAL VEHICLE REGISTRATION AND INSPECTION ENFORCEMENT › Section 4.36 - Commercial Motor Vehicle Compulsory Inspection Program

Current through Reg. 49, No. 28; July 12, 2024
(a) All commercial motor vehicles registered
				  in this state shall be required to pass an annual inspection of all safety
				  equipment required by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations on or before
				  the expiration of the current state inspection or vehicle inspection
				  report.
(b) All commercial motor
				  vehicles required to be inspected under the Federal Motor Carrier Safety
				  Regulations are also subject to the regular state inspection requirements as
				  provided in Texas Transportation Code, Chapter 548.
(c) Effective March 1, 2015, the fee charged
				  for commercial motor vehicle inspections may not exceed the amounts set by
				  Texas Transportation Code, Chapter 548, and other statutorily mandated
				  inspection fees. Fees will be collected in accordance with Texas Transportation
				  Code, §
										548.504
				  and §
										548.509.
				  A unique vehicle inspection report will be issued by certified vehicle
				  inspection stations to designate that the vehicle has met the Federal Motor
				  Carrier Safety Regulations and state inspection requirements.
(d) The commercial motor vehicle's vehicle
				  inspection report will expire on the last day of the month and year following
				  the date of issuance.
(e) Except
				  for any appropriate grace period, a person may not operate a commercial motor
				  vehicle registered in this state unless it is equipped, as required by the
				  Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations, and the operator possesses a valid
				  commercial motor vehicle inspection report.
(f) For purposes of the Commercial Motor
				  Vehicle Compulsory Inspection Program, the term "commercial motor vehicle"
				  means a self-propelled or towed vehicle used on a public highway to transport
				  passengers or property if:
(1) the vehicle or
				  combination of vehicles has a gross weight, registered weight, or gross weight
				  rating of more than 26,000 pounds;
(2) the vehicle is a farm vehicle with a
				  gross weight, a registered weight, or a gross weight rating of 48,000 pounds or
				  more;
(3) the vehicle is designed
				  or used to transport more than 15 passengers, including the driver;
(4) the vehicle is used in the transportation
				  of hazardous materials in a quantity requiring placarding as required under the
				  federal Hazardous Materials Transportation Act (49 U.S.C.
				  §5101 et seq.);
(5) the vehicle or combination of vehicles
				  has a gross weight rating of more than 10,000 pounds and is operated in
				  interstate commerce and registered in this state;
(6) the vehicle is a school bus that will
				  operate at a speed authorized by Texas Transportation Code, §
											545.352(b)(A);
				  or
(7) the vehicle is a school
				  activity bus, as defined in Texas Transportation Code, §
											541.201, that has a
				  gross weight, registered weight, or gross weight rating of more than 26,000
				  pounds, or is designed or used to transport more than 15 passengers, including
				  the driver.