The Virginia Official Motor Vehicles Inspection Program was developed and adopted to promote highway safety by assuring that Virginia-registered vehicles are mechanically safe to operate over Virginia’s roads.
Motor vehicles that are registered in Virginia are required by law to pass a safety auto inspection each year. Once your vehicle has passed a Virginia State Auto Inspection, the inspector at your local Virginia inspection station near Springfield, VA will place a safety inspection sticker on your vehicle’s windshield showing the month and the year that the inspection will expire. The inspection will expire on the last day of the month that is on your sticker.
The Commonwealth of Virginia requires annual auto inspections to ensure that vehicles driven on its roads meet certain safety standards to reduce accidents and related injuries.
What Does a Virginia Auto Inspection Include:
- Brakes
- Lights and signals
- Tires, wheels and rims
- Windows and wipers
- Steering and suspension
- Seat belts
- Mirrors
- Fuel and exhaust systems
- Horn
- Rear license plate
- Airbags and airbag readiness light
What Does a Virginia Auto Inspection Cost?
- $51 for each inspection of any tractor truck, a truck that has a gross weight rating of 26,000 pounds or more or a motor vehicle that is used to transport passengers and has a seating capacity of more than 15 passengers including the driver.
- $12 for each inspection of any motorcycle.
- $16 for each inspection of any other vehicle, including trailers and motor homes.
Are Antique Vehicles Exempt from Inspection?
For a vehicle to be defined as an “antique,” it must be 25 years or older. It must be registered as an antique through the Department of Motor Vehicles near Springfield, VA to be exempt from a Virginia auto inspection.
What if Your Vehicle Fails an Inspection?
If your vehicle fails to pass a Virginia auto inspection, you will have a rejections sticker placed on your windshield which is valid for a period of 15 days in addition to the day of inspection. The purpose of the rejection sticker is to replace the approval sticker that was originally on your vehicle’s windshield. The rejection sticker places no travel restrictions on your vehicle, but it doesn’t protect you from receiving a summons for operating the vehicle on the highway for the reasons it failed to pass.
Registered Virginia vehicle owners near Springfield, VA may take their vehicles to be inspected at any of the local Virginia inspections stations in your area.
