The Tom Green County Sheriff’s Office announced on Mar. 16 that it will limit 68-A vehicle identification number (VIN) inspections to residents and businesses within the Concho Valley Council of Governments (CVCOG) region, as well as active-duty military personnel, starting May 15, 2026.
The change comes after a significant increase in inspection requests from outside the region, particularly from oilfield areas in West Texas. The Sheriff’s Office said this surge has begun to exceed available personnel and resources, making it difficult to serve local citizens effectively.
Sheriff Nick Hanna said, “Our goal is to ensure residents of Tom Green County and the Concho Valley continue to have access to this service. The volume of trailers being transported here from other parts of the state has reached a level that is stretching our personnel and affecting our ability to serve the citizens of this region. A 68-A VIN inspection can easily turn into several hours of follow-up when something doesn’t immediately match or requires verification. This frequently happens with trailers, homemade units, or vehicles with altered identification numbers.”
The CVCOG region includes Coke, Concho, Crockett, Edwards, Irion, Kimble, Mason, McCulloch, Menard, Reagan, Schleicher, Sterling, Sutton and Tom Green counties. Individuals or companies outside these counties who need a 68-A VIN inspection are advised to contact their local sheriff’s office or auto theft task force; the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles Regional Service Center; or a law enforcement agency within their own council of governments region. Assistance can also be found at www.txdmv.gov.
Eligible residents and businesses in the Concho Valley can continue accessing inspections on the second and fourth Thursday each month. Citizens are encouraged to call the Sheriff’s Office at 325-655-8111 on inspection days for availability updates. The current policy is available on the TGSO web page at https://www.tomgreencountysheriff.org/public-information.
The Sheriff’s Office thanked the public for understanding as it works to keep this service accessible for local residents.
