SAN ANTONIO – Sam Rodriguez thought he would run into the Bexar County Tax Office Tuesday morning to get his vehicle registration. It didn't go as quickly as he'd anticipated.
"I stopped by to get this, but now I've got to go get my inspection sticker first," he said.
Marabdi Aviles also had to run an unexpected errand, so getting her registration wound up taking more than an hour.
"They told me I needed to get an up-to-date inspection and come back and get it," she said.
The issue for both: Their registration and inspection stickers expired in March.
The new Texas vehicle registration system that went into effect Monday caught both drivers off guard.
Basically, vehicle inspection stickers are becoming a thing of the past. Drivers still need an official inspection once a year and is required to register the vehicle.
Inspectors will give consumers a paper report showing their vehicle inspection, and the information will be put into the state's computer database.
It's a program called Two Steps, One Sticker, designed to simplify the processes.
"There's been some confusion," said Bexar County Tax Assessor Albert Uresti. "The main thing to remember is if your vehicle inspection report is current, you'll be able to get your registration."
To help consumers figure out what to do in the case of two different expiration months on their current stickers, the state has a calculator tool on its website.
It may take up to a year to get everyone's inspection and registration schedules in synch.
But keep in mindif your current stickers have the same month on them, you need to get your inspection done first.