(a) To be certified by the department as an emissions
inspection station for purposes of the emissions inspection and maintenance
(I/M) program, the station must:
(1) be certified by the department as an official vehicle
inspection station;
(2) comply with this chapter, the DPS Training and
Operations Manual for Vehicle Inspection Stations and Certified Inspectors,
Texas Transportation Code, Chapter 547 and Chapter 548, and regulations
of the department;
(3) complete all applicable forms and reports as required
by the department;
(4) purchase or lease emissions testing equipment currently
certified by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ)
to emissions test vehicles and maintain existing emissions testing
equipment to meet the certification requirements of the TCEQ at the
department-approved location unless otherwise authorized by the department;
(5) obtain and maintain in working order a secure internet
connection with a single static Internet Protocol (IP) address to
be used by all vehicle emissions analyzers at each department-approved
location, connected to the Texas Information Management System (TIMS)
vehicle identification database at all times for the purposes of performing
vehicle emissions tests; and
(6) enter into and maintain a business arrangement
with the TIMS contractor to obtain a telecommunications link to the
TIMS vehicle identification database for each vehicle emissions analyzer
to be used to inspect vehicles as described in the Texas I/M State
Implementation Plan (SIP).
(b) All public certified emissions inspection stations
in affected counties shall offer the onboard diagnostic (OBD) test.
(c) The fee for an emissions test must provide for
one free retest for each failed initial emissions inspection, provided
that the motorist has the retest performed at the same vehicle inspection
station where the vehicle originally failed and the retest is conducted
within 15 calendar days of the initial emissions test, not including
the date of the initial emissions test.
(d) To qualify as a certified emissions inspector,
an applicant must:
(1) be certified by the department as an official vehicle
inspector;
(2) complete the training required for the vehicle
emissions inspection program and receive the department's certification
for such training;
(3) comply with the DPS Training and Operations Manual
for Official Vehicle Inspection Stations and Certified Inspectors,
this chapter, and other applicable rules, regulations and notices
of the department; and
(4) complete all applicable forms and reports as required
by the department.
|
Source Note: The provisions of this §23.55 adopted to be effective March 13, 2013, 38 TexReg 1701; amended to be effective March 1, 2015, 40 TexReg 261; amended to be effective May 14, 2020, 45 TexReg 3141; amended to be effective July 3, 2024, 49 TexReg 4809 |