Can a vehicle still be inspected after 8 months of overdue inspection?
3 Answers
Vehicle owners with overdue inspections should promptly arrange for a supplementary inspection. The vehicle cannot be driven on the road until the inspection is completed, otherwise, fines and penalty points may be imposed. Vehicles with overdue inspections can still undergo annual inspection within three years. If the overdue period exceeds three years, the vehicle will be subject to mandatory scrapping. According to the "Regulations on the Compulsory Scrapping Standards for Motor Vehicles": Article 4: Registered motor vehicles that fall under any of the following circumstances shall be compulsorily scrapped. The owner shall sell the vehicle to a recycling and dismantling enterprise for scrapped motor vehicles, which will handle the registration, dismantling, and destruction in accordance with regulations, and submit the vehicle registration certificate, license plate, and driving license to the traffic management department of the public security authority for cancellation: 1. The vehicle has reached the service life specified in Article 5 of these regulations; 2. After repair and adjustment, the vehicle still fails to meet the national safety technical standards for in-use vehicles; 3. After repair and adjustment or the adoption of control technology, the vehicle's emissions of pollutants or noise into the atmosphere still fail to meet national standards for in-use vehicles; 4. The vehicle has not obtained the inspection qualification mark for three consecutive inspection cycles after the expiration of the inspection validity period.
Last time my car was overdue for inspection for almost a year, but it could still pass inspection—just had to pay the fine first. Currently, the traffic management office's rule for overdue inspection vehicles is that as long as you complete the inspection within three inspection cycles, 8 months is completely manageable. But remember, if you drive the car during the overdue period and get caught, you'll lose all 12 points on your license, and the car will be towed. When making up the inspection, you must clear all previous violations and pay the fines, or they won’t approve it. Also, during the overdue period, the insurance company might deny claims, which is a big risk. The DMV recommends making an appointment in advance—some places now even allow online submission of documents to avoid long queues. In short, don’t delay. Get it done as soon as possible so you can drive with peace of mind.
I work at an auto repair shop and have seen many car owners coming in with vehicles that have missed inspection for seven or eight months. The policy does allow for a make-up inspection, but you must first handle any traffic violations and fines, otherwise the vehicle won't pass the inspection line. Driving a car during the overdue inspection period will result in penalties. The fine is a minor issue, but the serious part is the heavy point deductions. I recommend going to the DMV to pay the fines first, then conducting a comprehensive inspection, with a focus on exhaust emissions and the braking system, especially for vehicles that have been parked for a long time, as their pipelines are prone to aging. It's best to do a maintenance check before the annual inspection to increase the chances of passing. If the car has been overdue for inspection for too long, you also need to check the status of the vehicle registration—if it's been deregistered, that's a big problem. Anyway, don't worry, just make sure all the paperwork is in order.
