Can a Car Pass the Annual Inspection After Installing Xenon Lights?

[VanHope]

If a car is modified with xenon lights without adding a lens, it will affect the annual inspection. Below is relevant information about the annual vehicle inspection: 1. Initial Inspection: The inspection conducted to apply for a vehicle license is called the initial inspection. The purpose of the initial inspection is to verify whether the vehicle meets the conditions for obtaining a driving license. 2. Definition: According to national regulations, vehicles must periodically pass tests for exhaust emissions, exterior appearance, lights, brakes, chassis, etc., and must have no traffic violation records to receive an inspection compliance mark. All annual inspection dates are based on the registration date on the vehicle's license. From the date of registration, vehicles must undergo safety technical inspections within specified periods, commonly referred to as 'annual inspection' or 'annual review'.

[MacAndrew]

I've worked on quite a few cars with retrofitted xenon headlights, and the annual inspection really depends on the specific situation. If your xenon headlights are equipped with lenses, have a color temperature between 4300K and 6000K, the light beam is not scattered or messy, and the headlight height is properly adjusted, then there's indeed a chance of passing the inspection. However, the problem lies in the significant differences in standards across various inspection stations. Last time, a client got rejected in a provincial capital city—even though the installation was perfectly compliant, the inspector failed them citing illegal modifications. I suggest you check the specific requirements of your local vehicle management office before modifying the headlights, and always keep the original factory headlights. If you fail the inspection, you can temporarily switch them back. Also, pay attention to the wiring modifications—don't do them too roughly, otherwise the dashboard warning light might come on and cause the inspection to fail.

[AndersonRose]

I’ve had my car’s xenon headlights modified for three years and have gone through two annual inspections. The first time, I only changed the bulbs without adding lenses, and the light scattered glaringly, so the inspection was stopped on the spot. Later, I added lenses and adjusted the height, and the second time it passed at our county’s inspection station, but I’ve heard that big cities are much stricter. During the inspection, they mainly check three things: whether the lights glare at oncoming vehicles, if the color temperature is too blue or white and harsh, and whether there are lenses. I recommend using 4500K color temperature bulbs for modifications—they have strong penetration in rain and fog without being glaring. It’s best to find a modification shop that can issue formal invoices, so you can provide proof if the inspection station questions it. But honestly, annual inspections are getting stricter about headlight modifications nowadays.

[Maria]

With 17 years of driving experience, I'll discuss the safety aspects of HID headlights during annual inspections. If retrofitted without projectors, the intense glare can blind oncoming drivers at night, significantly increasing accident risks—such modifications will definitely fail inspection. Inspectors use instruments to measure light intensity; blue-white light exceeding 6000K has poor penetration in rain/fog and will be rejected outright. To pass smoothly, meet three requirements: use bi-xenon projectors to control scatter, select 4300K yellow-white color temperature, and retain headlight leveling functionality during installation. Always check wiring before inspection to avoid dashboard warning lights.