Can Replacing Car Headlights with LED Pass the Annual Inspection?
2 Answers
Whether modified LED headlights can pass the annual inspection depends on the specifications and performance of the modified headlights. If the color temperature, brightness, and beam angle of the modified headlights, which affect driving safety, meet the national requirements, they can pass the annual inspection. The inspection mainly focuses on two aspects: Whether the brightness meets the requirements, meaning the brightness must not be less than 1400 lumens. Whether the beam angle is compliant, as long as the high and low beam angles are normal. Essentially, as long as the modified LED headlights do not affect driving safety, they can pass the annual inspection smoothly. Relevant regulations for car annual inspections: Vehicles that fail the annual inspection must be repaired within a specified period. If they still fail after the deadline, the vehicle management office will confiscate their license plates and prohibit further driving. Vehicles that do not participate in the annual inspection without reason or fail the inspection are not allowed to drive on the road or transfer ownership. Vehicles that meet the scrapping conditions or exceed the prescribed service life will not be inspected, and their license plates will be revoked, their files canceled, and they will be scrapped.
As a young car enthusiast who frequently modifies vehicles, I've personally upgraded to LED headlights, which indeed make night driving brighter and cooler. However, passing the annual inspection depends on whether the modification complies with regulations. If the LED headlights are not original equipment or lack national certification, such as missing the CCC mark, they may fail the inspection due to inadequate light intensity or misalignment, resulting in rejection. I've seen friends fail because their lights were too glaring or improperly focused, which is quite frustrating. It's advisable to ensure the product has proper certification before modification or have it installed by a professional shop, as this generally ensures a smooth pass. Don't cut corners with cheap modifications, as it could waste money, cause headaches, and compromise nighttime safety.
