Safety Inspection (Click here for Canada)

No statewide safety inspections required. Cities may provide for inspection of motor vehicles operated on its streets, alleys, or highways.

State troopers may inspect vehicles at roadside when there is reasonable cause to believe vehicle is unsafe.

If at any time there is reasonable cause to believe a vehicle is unsafe or improperly equipped, officers and employees of the Department of Public Safety may stop and require a vehicle be submitted to inspection.

Safety inspection is not required, but an officer can stop a vehicle for a safety inspection if he believes that the vehicle is unsafe to operate. The officer can issue a safety citation, and the vehicle must be repaired.

Non-resident vehicles require a free safety inspection during their first car registration.

Officers of the California Highway Patrol that believe a vehicle is being operated in an unsafe condition as to endanger any person may require the driver of the vehicle to stop and submit to an inspection of the vehicle.

Uniformed police officers at any time, upon reasonable cause, may require the driver of a vehicle to stop and submit vehicle and its equipment to an inspection.

Cars at least 10 years old upon being sold or transferred and cars being registered from out of state must pass a safety examination.

Before the DOT registers or renews the registration of a vehicle, such vehicle shall be inspected by the DOT and determined to be safe and fit for operation and found equipped according to the law. New motor vehicle dealers are able to inspect motor vehicles 5 model years old or newer that are owned by that dealership. The inspections will only relate to safety and the vehicle identification number (VIN).

The DOT may waive all inspection requirements of vehicles no older than the last 5 model years.

At any time any authorized agent of the DOT or any police officer may, upon reasonable cause, require the owner or operator of a vehicle to stop and submit such vehicle and the equipment for a safety inspection.

Safety inspections are no longer required for private vehicles but are still required for commercial vehicles

Any police officer may at any time, upon reasonable cause to believe that a vehicle is unsafe or not equipped as required by law, or that its equipment is not in proper adjustment or repair, require the driver of the vehicle to stop and submit the vehicle to an inspection.

No person may drive or move on any highway any motor vehicle or trailer unless the equipment is in good working order and adjustment as required by law and the vehicle is in a safe mechanical condition that will not endanger the driver, other occupant, or any person on the highway.

Any law enforcement officer may conduct an inspection of any vehicle suspected of being operated in an unsafe condition.

Any police officer of any county may require the owner of a vehicle to submit the vehicle for inspection.

All vehicles having a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) of 10,000 lbs. or less must obtain a certificate of inspection prior to the issuance of registration, and all such vehicles must be certified every 12 months.

Vehicles with a GVWR of more than 10,000 lbs., as well as taxicabs, buses, and ambulances must obtain a certificate of inspection prior to the issuance of registration, and must be certified every 6 months.

Stickers indicating issuance of a certificate of inspection must be affixed to the vehicle.

Operation of a vehicle that has not been granted a certificate of inspection carries a fine of not more than $100.

There is no statewide safety inspection requirement.

Vehicles over 8,000 lbs. or designed to carry 10 or more passengers must submit to a safety inspection and secure a certificate of safety furnished by DOT.

The police have the authority to check a vehicle to determine whether it is safe.

The police can check the following: the vehicle’s brakes; headlights; taillights; brake lights; clearance lights; turn signals; the vehicle’s steering and suspension; the vehicle’s exhaust systems; the vehicle’s body in general; and the vehicle’s tires.

If the inspection reveals that a vehicle meets the previously mentioned safety requirements, the inspecting officer shall issue to the owner of the vehicle a certificate stating that the vehicle was inspected and that it met the safety requirements.

Peace officers may stop and inspect a vehicle if the officer has reasonable cause to believe it is a danger to other motorists or lacks required equipment.

The Kansas Highway Patrol is authorized to conduct a spot inspection of the mechanical condition of any vehicle where signs are displayed requiring such stop, or at any time upon reasonable cause to believe that a vehicle is unsafe or not equipped as required by law.

No statewide vehicle safety inspection requirement.

Every motor vehicle, trailer, semitrailer, and pole trailer registered in Louisiana must have a valid safety inspection certificate issued in the state.

The Commissioner of the Department, any person that the Commissioner designates, or the state police can require the driver of an unsafe or improperly equipped vehicle to stop the vehicle and have it submitted to an inspection.

If the vehicle is found to be unsafe, or in need of repair, the officer will give the driver a notice requiring the driver to have the vehicle repaired so that it is in compliance. This notice will also be sent to the Department.

The notice will require that a certificate of inspection and approval be obtained within 5 days of the citation. The driver must keep 1 copy of the official certificate of inspection and approval and send the other official certificate to the Department.

An annual inspection is required on the following equipment: body components; brakes; exhaust system; glazing; horn; lights and directional signals; rearview mirrors; reflectors; running gear; safety seat belts on 1966 and subsequent models; steering mechanism; tires; windshield wipers; catalytic converter on 1983 and subsequent models; and filler neck restriction on 1983 and subsequent models.

An enhanced inspection that includes the fuel tank cap on 1974 and subsequent models of gasoline-powered vehicles and the on-board diagnostic system on 1996 and subsequent models is required in Cumberland County.

Upon passage of the inspection, an official sticker is provided that must be placed in the lower left-hand corner of the windshield or in the center of the windshield behind the rearview mirror. In the case of a motorcycle, the sticker must be placed on mounting plate, rear fender, or similar feature that is or is securely fastened to an integral part of the motorcycle, though not he registration plate.

An inspection is required whenever a used vehicle is sold or ownership is changed. Upon successful completion of an inspection, a certificate shall be issued that contains the vehicle’s information, certification date, name and address of the inspection station, and signature of authorized inspector.

A safety inspection is required annually.

A police officer may stop and inspect any vehicle for suspected equipment and safety violations. Temporary vehicle check lanes may also be established.

The state does not require vehicle safety inspections, but every municipality has the authority to set up, maintain, and determine the rules for operating vehicle inspection stations.

Vehicles designed and used primarily for the transportation of property or for the transportation of 10 or more persons, may require an inspection upon registration.

Every motor vehicle, trailer, semitrailer, and pole trailer registered in Mississippi must be inspected not more than once each year and must obtain an official certificate of inspection and approval.

Each motor vehicle that has passed inspection must display at all times a certificate of inspection and approval on the lower left-hand corner of the windshield in such a position as to be visible from the outside.

Every motor vehicle registered in any other state and operated in Mississippi shall be inspected and display a certificate different in color or design from certificates issued for Mississippi registered vehicles. The Commissioner of Public Safety may authorize the acceptance of a certificate of inspection and approval issued under the authority of a qualified agency or department of another state, provided that every municipality, county, and state office in such other state accepts, under a mutually acceptable reciprocal agreement, Mississippi’s certificate of inspection and approval.

Motor vehicle inspections are required biennially not more than 60 days prior to registration renewal at official inspection stations. Not required for new vehicles not previously titled and registered, or for next four succeeding years. Vehicles built in even numbered years are subject to inspection in even numbered years and vehicles built in odd numbered years are subject to inspection in odd numbered years.

A person may not drive or permit to be driven on a highway a vehicle or combination of vehicles that is in such unsafe condition as to endanger a person.

The MVD or its agents may at any time, upon reasonable cause to believe that a vehicle is unsafe or not equipped as required by law or that its equipment is not in proper adjustment or repair, require the driver of such vehicle to stop and submit such vehicle to an inspection.

Nebraska has no statewide annual safety inspection requirement.

Peace officers and DMV inspectors may require drivers to stop and submit the vehicle to an inspection of the mechanical condition or equipment.

The DMV director may establish centers for the inspection of motor vehicles for safety at the branch offices of the DMV for the purpose of inspecting vehicles to be registered in Nevada. Inspections will be limited to an examination of tires and brakes on vehicles with a weight of less than 10,000 lbs. and vehicles that are more than 2 years old.

Inspection is required when registering or titling a vehicle on which a dismantling certificate or bill of sale/salvage has been issued.

Any vehicle registered by the DMV shall be inspected once a year, during the month of the owner’s birth date.

All trucks exceeding 18,000 lbs. gross vehicle weight and all school buses exceeding 10,000 lbs. gross vehicle weight, public and private, shall be inspected semi-annually. Newly registered vehicles shall be inspected within 10 days from date of registration.

An inspection sticker shall be valid for the same duration as the vehicle’s registration, which shall not exceed 16 months.

OBD is utilized as part of the state emissions inspection process.

Most privately owned vehicles are not required to have safety inspections.

There is no state wide safety inspection requirement.

Every motor vehicle registered in New York shall be inspected once each year for safety at an official inspection station. This inspection is required to be performed on the brakes, steering mechanism, wheel alignment, lights, odometer, safety belts, and vehicle identification number. An inspection will also be made of the readiness of the inflatable restraint system in any vehicle manufactured on or after September 1, 1997.

A motor vehicle is subject to a safety inspection if it meets the following requirements: it is subject to registration with the DMV, is not subject to inspection under the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations, and is not either a trailer with a gross weight below 4,000 lbs. or a house trailer.

A safety inspection ensures that the following equipment is in a safe operating condition: brakes; lights; horn; steering mechanism; windows and windshield wipers (including tinting levels); directional signals; tires; mirrors; and the exhaust system, if the vehicle is not subject to an emissions test.

Upon successful completion of a safety inspection, the vehicle will receive an inspection sticker that shows the inspection’s expiration date and also contains the date of inspection, odometer reading, and the identification of the mechanic who performed the inspection. The inspection sticker shall be a different color than 1 for both inspections.

The DOT may conduct random brake inspections on any motor-driven vehicle and may disapprove operations of any vehicle that is not designed or constructed to ensure reasonable and reliable performance in actual use.

A state highway patrol officer may stop any vehicle and direct it to submit to a safety inspection. Such inspection shall be made with respect to the brakes, lights, turn signals, steering, horns and warning devices, glass, mirrors, exhaust system, windshield wipers, tires, and such other items of equipment as designated by the Superintendent of the State Highway Patrol by rule or regulation.

Annual safety inspections are no longer required.

Law enforcement may, upon reasonable cause to believe that a vehicle is unsafe or not properly equipped as required, require that the driver of the vehicle stop and submit the vehicle to an inspection by the officer.

A state police officer may require a person driving a vehicle or combination of vehicles to stop and submit the vehicle to an inspection of the mechanical condition and equipment of the vehicle.

Annual safety inspections are required for all passenger vehicles and light trucks.

Semiannual inspections are required for school buses, vehicles owned by or under contract to a school and used to transport students to and from school, vans transporting persons for hire or owned by a commercial enterprise for transporting employees, mass transit vehicles, and motor carrier vehicles; there is no set fee. All other vehicles, including passenger cars, light trucks, motorcycles, trailers over 3,000 lbs., emergency vehicles, and private non-commercial vehicles transporting students are inspected annually; there is no set fee. Proof of financial responsibility is required at the time of inspection.

The director of the Department of Administration, members of the state and local police, and other officers and employees of the Division designated by the director of the Department of Administration may require the seller at retail or driver of a vehicle to stop and submit the vehicle to an inspection or appropriate test.

At least once, but not more than twice per year, every vehicle, trailer, semitrailer, and pole trailer registered in Rhode Island must be inspected and provided with an official certificate of inspection and approval. The first inspection of any new vehicle must occur within 2 years from date of purchase or before accumulation of 24,000 miles. Inspection shall be made of the mechanism, brakes, and equipment of the vehicle.

Motor vehicles purchased out of state by a Rhode Island resident must be inspected within 5 business days of registration.

Trailers or semitrailers with gross weight of 1,000 lbs. or less are exempt from inspection.

There is no statewide safety inspection requirement.

There is no statewide safety inspection requirement.

There is no statewide safety inspection requirement.

An annual safety inspection is required as a prerequisite to registering a vehicle.

The initial safety inspection period for new passenger cars and light trucks is 2 years.

A trailer or travel trailer with a gross weight of 4,500 pounds or less is exempt from the safety inspection requirement.

The DMV may refuse to register a motor vehicle and may revoke a registration if the DMV determines that the vehicle is unsafe, improperly equipped, or otherwise unfit to be operated on a public highway.

A motor vehicle, trailer, pole trailer, or mobile home registered in the state must be inspected at an inspection station or by an inspector.

Proof of insurance or financial responsibility is required before an inspection certificate will be issued.

A vehicle that is inspected and is subsequently involved in an accident affecting the safe operation of an item of inspection must be reinspected following repair. The reinspection must be at an inspection station and must be treated and charged as an initial inspection.

Vehicles required to be registered in Texas will be required to be inspected at an official vehicle inspection station and obtain a vehicle identification certificate before the registration process can be completed. Valid out-of-state safety inspection certificates will not be honored on vehicles that are required to be registered.

The frequency of the safety inspection shall be determined based on the age of the vehicle determined by model year.  Effective January 1, 2013, vehicles 10 or more years old must have a safety inspection annually and vehicles less than 10 years old must have an inspection every 4th and 8th year.

Vehicle owners are issued 2 safety inspection certificates upon completion of an inspection. While driving, owners must have in the person’s immediate possession a safety inspection certificate or other evidence of compliance of the requirement to obtain an inspection.

Except for school buses and motor buses which shall be inspected twice during the calendar year at 6-month intervals, all motor vehicles registered in this state shall be inspected once each year.

Any motor vehicle, trailer, or semitrailer not currently inspected in this state shall be inspected within 15 days from the date of its registration in Vermont. The inspections shall be made at garages or qualified service stations, designated by the commissioner as inspection stations, for the purpose of determining whether those motor vehicles are properly equipped and maintained in good mechanical condition.

A person shall not operate a motor vehicle unless it has been inspected and has a valid certification of inspection affixed to it. The month of next inspection for all motor vehicles shall be shown on the current inspection certificate affixed to the vehicle.

Motor vehicles, trailers, and semitrailers, except for antique vehicles, are required to be inspected for safety and must be re-inspected within 12 months of the month of the first inspection and at least once every 12 months thereafter. New motor vehicles that have been inspected in accordance with the manufacturer or distributor are exempt from the safety inspection.

Safety inspection stickers must be displayed on the windshield of vehicles.

A safety inspection sticker issued for any vehicle that is principally garaged outside the Commonwealth registered to a person in the armed services of the United States will be deemed not to have expired during the period of the owner’s official absence from the Commonwealth.

Commercial motor vehicles are subject to periodic inspections.

Every motor vehicle, trailer, semitrailer, and pole trailer registered in the state must be inspected annually and must obtain an official certificate of inspection.

All vehicles are subject to inspection by any traffic officer or motor vehicle inspector to ensure the vehicle meets emission requirements and to ensure its equipment is in proper adjustment or repair.

Required on salvaged vehicles. One time, $80 fee.

Compulsory spot check frequently conducted by state and local officers for defective or missing equipment. Inspection is required, but no fee is charged for homemade and reconstructed vehicles.

While there is no safety inspection requirement, no person may drive or move on the highway any vehicle unless the equipment on the vehicle is in good working order and adjustment and unless the vehicle is in such safe mechanical condition as not to endanger the driver or other occupant or any person on the highway.

Vehicles operating on public highways are subject to mechanical inspections at a frequency of not more than once every 6 months, and not less than once in a 1-year time period.

Inspection is prerequisite for renewal.

All vehicles last registered in another jurisdiction or declared salvage by an insurance company must undergo an inspection after repairs are completed and before they can be re-registered. Licensed inspection technicians perform the inspections at licensed vehicle inspection facility.  Click here to search for an inspection facility.

Used passenger vehicles imported from out-of-province must pass a safety inspection before ICBC will register the motor vehicle. Some vehicles may be exempt. Contact the Commercial Vehicle Safety and Enforcement Branch, Ministry of Transportation at (250) 952-0577 for details.

BC registered vehicles that are rebuilt from salvage or amalgamated must undergo an inspection before a license is issued. Most homebuilt (Ubilt) vehicles must also pass an inspection before being registered.

Commercial vehicles with a licensed GVW in excess of 8,200 kg, all taxis and commercial or business-insured buses, heavy commercial trailers, and all vehicles that require a Passenger Transportation License must be periodically inspected under the Commercial Vehicle Inspection Program.

The safety inspection will determine whether the vehicle complies with the standards for motor vehicles and whether the frame of the motor vehicle has been compromised.

Compulsory. Truck tractors 21,953 kg and over, semiannually; buses exceeding 10 passengers and school buses, semiannually; semitrailers, trailers, converter dollies, trucks, and truck tractors between 4,500-21,953 kg, annually. Random CVSA inspections.

All motor vehicles changing ownership require a valid inspection certificate prior to registration by the new owner. Does not apply to sales or gifts between immediate family.

New residents to Manitoba must have their vehicle inspected at a certified government station prior to registration. If vehicle recently inspected in former home jurisdiction, and inspection substantially similar to that in Manitoba, valid inspection certificate will be accepted.

Any motor vehicle that has been declared a total loss by an insurer and has been designated as salvageable must pass an integrity and mechanical inspection before it can be registered. If the insurer has designated the vehicle irreparable, registration is prohibited.

An annual vehicle safety inspection is required prior to registration.

Before a vehicle can be registered, an official inspection station must inspect it and issue a vehicle inspection certificate.

The Registrar may accept an inspection for a vehicle if the vehicle was inspected and received a vehicle inspection certificate and inspection sticker in another Canadian jurisdiction with which an agreement has been made to recognize and accept inspections.

The Registrar may accept an inspection for a vehicle that has passed an inspection in another jurisdiction where the registrar considers the inspection to be equivalent to Newfoundland’s and Labrador’s inspection.

The Registrar may permit the registration of a vehicle for which there is no vehicle inspection certificate when the vehicle is subject to periodic inspection under a preventive maintenance program approved by the registrar.

The Registrar can allow vehicle registration without an inspection if there has been a transfer of ownership in the following cases: (1) a genuine gift between family members; (2) under a valid separation agreement or court order; or (3) another situation that, in the Registrar’s opinion, renders an inspection unnecessary. Before granting an exemption the Registrar may require an affidavit setting out various particulars of the proposed transfer. Otherwise, a vehicle must always be inspected before it is transferred.

The Registrar, a police officer, or a traffic officer may demand a vehicle inspection certificate for a vehicle and the Registrar may suspend the registration of a vehicle which fails the inspection or where the vehicle owner fails to submit an inspection certificate within the specified period stated on the demand.

No person may operate, on a highway, a vehicle that is in such a condition that the operation of the vehicle is likely to endanger the safety of the driver, a passenger in the vehicle, or the public.

An officer may direct a person operating a vehicle on a highway to stop and park the vehicle to inspect the vehicle and any vehicle safety item to determine if the vehicle and item comply with the law.

No person may operate a vehicle unless it complies with the applicable Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standard.

All motor vehicles must have a vehicle inspection from an approved vehicle inspection station.

When a vehicle passes an inspection, it will be issued an approval sticker, which must then be placed on the vehicle’s windshield.

When a vehicle fails an inspection, the necessary repairs must be made to the vehicle and the vehicle must be returned to an official testing station within 10 days from the date on which it was rejected.

A vehicle purchased outside of the province that is required to be registered in the province must be immediately inspected at an official testing station in the province.

Handicapped identification plates are issued upon application to the RMV.

The examination must include a test of the person’s eyesight; a test of ability to read and understand highway traffic signs; knowledge of highway traffic laws; and a test of the person’s ability to exercise ordinary and reasonable care when operating a motor vehicle.

The Department may at its discretion issue a driver’s license without an examination to any applicant who is of sufficient age to receive the license applied for and who at the time of the application has a valid unrevoked license similar to the kind issued by another province or state that requires the licensing and examination of drivers.

An officer who has directed a person operating a vehicle on a highway to stop the vehicle may inspect the vehicle and any vehicle safety item in respect of that vehicle to determine if the vehicle and item comply with the requirements of the laws and regulations.

The owner of a vehicle must obtain a SSC issued within the preceding 36 days before the vehicle can be registered unless the vehicle is new and has never been registered.

Every police officer may require the driver or owner of any motor vehicle or motor-assisted bicycle to submit the vehicle together with its equipment and any attached trailer to the examinations and tests that the officer may consider necessary.

An annual safety inspection is required on all motor vehicles and trailers.

A safety inspection is required for disused vehicles, a vehicle stored or prohibited from travelling on public roads for more than 12 consecutives months, a vehicle designed to travel on a public road that was registered with an off-road plate, or a used vehicle imported from out-of-province.

Vehicles severely damaged in an accident must pass a technical appraisal before they are put back in operation.

Inspections are required every year for emergency vehicles, motorcycles used by a driving school, trucks and trailers with a GVWR of 4 500 kg or more, and tow trucks with a GVWR less than 4 500 kg.

Inspection are required every six months for buses and minibuses, vehicles engaged in the transportation of school children, and vehicles other than motorcycles used by a driving school.

A peace officer or the SAAQ can order an owner to submit his vehicle to a safety inspection if there is reason to believe the vehicle is in such a condition that it constitutes a hazard.

All passenger motor vehicles must pass a safety inspection before they are initially registered in Saskatchewan.

An officer may require the owner or operator of a vehicle that is being operated on a highway to submit the vehicle to examination and tests to ensure that the motor vehicle can be operated in compliance with the law.