Sheriff's Office to Limit 68-A Inspections to Concho Valley Residents

SAN ANGELO, TX — Over the past several years, the Tom Green County Sheriff's Office has seen an increase in vehicles and trailers being transported from outside the region — particularly from oilfield areas of West Texas — seeking free 68-A VIN verification inspections for vehicles and trailers.  

Due to a significant increase in requests from outside the Concho Valley region, notable from areas associated with oilfield activity in the Permian Basin, the Sheriff's Office has experienced a surge in inspections that has begun to exceed available personnel and resources.

Effective May 15, 2026, the Tom Green County Sheriff's Office will conduct 68-A inspections only for residents and businesses located within the Concho Valley Council of Governments region, as well as active-duty military personnel.

The CVCOG region includes the following counties — Coke, Concho, Crockett, Edwards, Irion, Kimble, Mason, McCulloch, Menard, Reagan, Schleicher, Sterling, Sutton and Tom Green.

Sheriff Nick Hanna stated, "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."   

Individuals and companies located outside the CVCOG region who need a 68-A VIN inspection should contact one of the following:

• Their local Sheriff's Office or Auto Theft Task Force
• The Texas Department of Motor Vehicles Regional Service Center
• A law enforcement agency within their local Council of Governments region

For assistance locating an inspection site, individuals may contact the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles at www.txdmv.gov or reach out to their local law enforcement agency.

The Tom Green County Sheriff's Office will continue conducting inspections on the 2nd and 4th Thursday of each month for eligible residents and businesses within the Concho Valley region.

Citizens are encouraged to call the Sheriff's Office at 325-655-8111 on the day of inspection to confirm availability.   The current policy is listed on the TGSO web page at https://www.tomgreencountysheriff.org/public-information

The Tom Green County Sheriff's Office appreciates the public's understanding as we work to ensure this service remains available to residents of our region.