Regional Emissions Enforcement Program
The Regional Emissions Enforcement Program (REEP) was developed to help partnering agencies identify and remove high-emitting vehicles with expired, fraudulent, and improper state emissions inspections from Texas roadways. REEP activities included:
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Conducting covert operations on vehicle emissions inspection stations to identify and prosecute inspectors performing improper inspections
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Identifying and prosecuting those who counterfeit or improperly issue temporary tags
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Investigating and pursuing civil litigation against car dealers selling improperly inspected vehicles
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On-road emissions enforcement of vehicles traveling in our region
The North Central Texas Council of Governments coordinates with county judges, justice courts, district attorneys, sheriffs, constables, local police departments, the Texas Department of Public Safety, Texas Department of Motor Vehicles, and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to administer REEP.
The performance of REEP is tracked through the Regional Emissions Enforcement Program Database. Law enforcement officers participating in the program can enter citations issued for registration certificate violations, smoking vehicle violations, truck lane restrictions, and anti-idling restrictions. Entering citations into this database provides officers access to citations written across jurisdictional boundaries.
For more information about database access, please visit the NCTCOG Emission Database.
+ Program Partners
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United States Environmental Protection Agency
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Texas Attorney General’s Office
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Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
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Texas Department of Motor Vehicles
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Texas Department of Public Safety
+News Articles
- TxDPS Arrests Two Employees, Arrest and Detains Nine Other in Fake Inspection Probe - NBCDFW.com - 08/13/2023
- Here's When Texas Will Get Rid of Paper Tags - NBCDFW.com - 06/22/2023
- Texas Car Safety Inspection Changes - Texastribune.com - 06/01/2023
- Heads Up, Texas Drivers! You May Have Been Incorrectly Charged for your Auto Inspection - KVUE.com - 05/31/2023
- Bill to Eliminate Paper License Plates in Texas Passes Senate - NBCDFW.com - 05/24/2023
- Texas Legislature on the Verge of Eliminating Vehicle Safety Inspections, But Fees Would Remain - MSN.com - 05/19/2023
- Texas May Abolish Annual Vehicle Inspections, But Metroplex Driver Aren't off the Hook - Yahoo.com - 05/18/2023
- Texas Law Enforcement Intensifying Crackdown on Fake Vehicle Inspections - NBCDFW.com - 04/27/2023
- TxDPS to Ramp Up Crackdown on Fake Inspections - NBCDFW.com - 03/30/2023
- TxDMV's New Paper Tag Design Easily Counterfeited, Police Say - NBCDFW.com - 03/27/2023
- Texas Lawmakers Push for Action After NBC 5 Investigation Details Claims of Widespread Vehicle Inspection Fraud - NBCDFW.com - 03/23/2023
- Investigators Believe Millions of Texas Cars Were Never Checked for Safety and Emissions - NBCDFW.com - 03/22/2023
- Questions Raised Over Passed Vehicle Inspections - NBCDFW.com - 03/22/2023
- Paper is the Problem: Grand Prairie Police Chief Wants to Permanently Get Rid of Paper Tags - CBSNEWS.com - 01/30/2023
- Police, Lawmakers Say the Temporary License Plate System is Being Abused - CBSNEWS.com - 01/27/2023
- Driver in Custody After Leading Police on Chase in Dallas County - NBCDFW.com - 11/21/2022
- TxDMV Redesigns Paper License Tags to Include New Security Features - NBCDFW.com - 11/17/2022
- Grand Prairie Police Officer's Death Reignites Temporary License Plate Controversy - CBSNEWS.com - 11/15/2022
- Police Searching for Paper Tagged "Ghost Car" in Deadly Grand Prairie Chase - NBCDFW.com - 11/15/2022
- Ex-TXDMV Insider: Agency Created "Unnecessary Obstacles" for Police Pursuing Paper Tag Crooks - NBCDFW.com - 07/27/2022
- Car Dealers to Be Required to Get Fingerprinted - NBCDFW.com - 06/30/2022
- TxDMV to Require Fingerprinting for Car Dealers After Abuse of Paper Tag System - NBCDFW.com - 06/30/2022
- Police Make Bogus Tag Bust Tied to Social Media Ads - NBCDFW.com - 05/31/2022
- Vehicle Used in Dallas Salon Shooting Had Paper Tags - NBCDFW.com - 05/18/2022
- Ads for Fake Tags Persist Despide Facebook, TxDMV Efforts - NBCDFW.com - 05/11/2022
- Dallas Police Shut Down Accused Fake Paper Tag Dealer - NBCDFW.com - 05/04/2022
- Dallas Police Bust Fake Paper License Plate Operation - Audacy.com - 05/04/2022
- Texas House Set to Hold Paper Tag Hearings - NBCDFW.com - 04/25/2022
- TxDMV Cracks Down on Dealers Selling Temporary Paper Tags - NBCDFW.com - 04/15/2022
- No More paper Tags for Cars That Don't Pass Inspection - NCBDFW.com - 04/12/2022
- Another TxDMV Loophole Allows Unsafe Cars to Get Temporary Tags - NBCDFW.com - 04/07/2022
- Texas Senate Will Investigate Illegal Paper Tag Crimes, Smuggling - NBCDFW.com - 04/05/2022
- Texas House Will Hold Hearings on Paper Tag Mess - NBCDFW.com - 03/05/2022
- License to Smuggle: Drug Cartels and Human Smugglers Use Paper Texas Tags to Evade - NBCDFW.com - 02/28/2022
- FWPD: Fake Paper License Tags Are Being Used To Commit Crimes - Audacy.com - 02/17/2022
- City of Fort Worth Council Meeting - Fortworth.gov - 02/15/2022
- Crash Victim's Parents Want More Cops to Police Paper Tag Fraud - NBCDFW.com - 02/14/2022
- More Funding Needed to Fight Criminals Using Bogus Paper Tags: Police - NBCDFW.com - 02/13/2022
- Police Report Drop in Fraudulent Tags But Warn Cooks Are Adapting - NBCDFW.com - 02/10/2022
- TxDMV Shuts Down Six More Dealers Suspected of Selling Paper License Tags - NBCDFW.com - 02/09/2022
- TxDMV Director Resigns Amidst Paper Tag Mess - NBCDFW.com - 02/08/2022
- TxDMV Takes Emergency Action to Keep Crooks From Selling Paper Tags - NBCDFW.com - 01/27/2022
- Dallas Police Operation Targets Fraudulent Paper Tags - NBCDFW.com - 01/21/2022
- Recording Shows Police Warned TxDMV of Paper Tag Security Flaw Years Ago - NBCDFW.com - 01/17/2022
- DMV Committee Recommends Fingerprinting Some Dealers to Slow Paper Tag Fraud - NBCDFW.com - 12/16/2021
- Texas House Transportation Chair Vows to Stop Paper Tag Fraud - NBCDFW.com - 12/14/2021
- Texas DMV Boss Deflects Blame for Paper Tag Debacle - NBCDFW.com - 12/06/2021
- Illegal Paper Tags Costing Texas Taxpayers and Toll Roads Millions - NBCDFW.com - 11/23/2021
- Suspect Paper Tag Peddler Shut Down Tuesday, Reopens Wednesday - NBCDFW.com - 11/10/2021
- Part 2: Investigators Looking Into Bogus Tags Says DMV Needs to Do More - NBCDFW.com - 11/09/2021
- Part 1: Paper Tag Fruad in Texas - NBCDFW.com - 11/08/2021
- Fake Texas Temporary Car Tags Linked to Crimes as far Away as New York NBCDFW.com - 8/5/2021
- Dallas County Clean Air Task Force May Be Gone For Good CBSLocal.com - 07/10/2019
- Temporary License Plates Being Sold for Cash Click2Houston.com - 11/15/2017
- Dallas County Clean Air Task Force Shuts Down CBSLocal.com - 10/01/2017
- Public Urged to Help Crack Down on Fake Temporary License Plates NBCDFW.com - 03/22/2017
- Texas Senator Seeks to Dismantle Vehicle Inspection Program Spectrum News - 01/27/2016
- Car Sticker Rules Starting Sunday Could Confuse Drivers The Texas Tribune - 02/27/2015
- Watchdog: Answers on Texas' New Auto Inspection System The Dallas Morning News - 01/13/2015
- Vehicle Inspection Fraud Task Forces Running on Empty [PDF] StateImpact - Reporting Project of NPR Member Stations - 06/11/2013
- Counties Hunt for Fake Inspection Stickers [PDF] myFOXdfw.com - 03/19/2012
- Media Release [PDF] Harris County Constable - 01/12/2012
- Arlington Used Car Dealer Accused of Fake Vehicle Inspections Star-Telegram - 07/22/2011
- Emissions Test Tampering Lawsuit Filed by AG's Office NBCDFW.Com - 07/21/2011
- Regional Emissions Enforcement Program Awarded 2010 Clean Air Excellence Award by EPA [PDF] - 06/07/2011
- West U Police Arrest Drivers for Fake Inspection Stickers, Driver's Licenses [PDF] instantnewswestu.com - 12/21/2010
- Cops Crack Down on Inspection Stickers [PDF] kxan.com - 12/14/2010
- State Looking Into Inspection Fraud at Dealerships [PDF] CBS - 05/04/2010
- Crackdown on Counterfeit Inspections [PDF] kxan.com - 04/21/2010
- Save the Air, Report a Fumigator NBCDFW.com - 08/28/2009
+ Resources
- NCTCOG Emissions Database
- NCTCOG Emissions Database Access Agreement [PDF]
- TXDPS Inspection and Maintenance Program
- Texas Department of Motor Vehicles
Staff Contacts
Anthony Moffa
Jason Brown
Chris Klaus