Can small cars undergo annual inspection in a different location?
2 Answers
Small cars can undergo annual inspection in a different location. Currently, the traffic management authorities have fully implemented cross-provincial inspection for small cars, trucks, and medium-sized buses. Applicants can directly conduct the inspection in provinces other than the vehicle's registration location and obtain the inspection compliance mark without needing to go through the delegated inspection procedure. Large passenger buses and school buses cannot be inspected in a different location and must return to the vehicle's registered location for inspection. Annual inspection time requirements: Small and micro non-operational passenger vehicles are exempt from inspection for the first 6 years. For vehicles over 6 years but less than 10 years old, inspection is required every two years; for vehicles over 10 years but less than 15 years old, annual inspection is required; for vehicles over 15 years old, inspection is required every 6 months. Operational passenger vehicles must be inspected annually within the first 5 years; for vehicles over 5 years old, inspection is required every 6 months. Trucks and large and medium non-operational passenger vehicles must be inspected annually within the first 10 years; for vehicles over 10 years old, inspection is required every 6 months. Imported vehicles, like other vehicle types, can undergo regular inspection at any inspection site. Annual inspection precautions: 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 undergo annual inspection without reason or fail the inspection are prohibited from driving on the road and cannot be transferred. Vehicles that meet the scrapping conditions or exceed the prescribed service life will not be inspected, and their license plates will be revoked, their records canceled, and they will be scrapped.
I used to work in another city and got my car inspected locally, which was super convenient! With the current nationwide inspection policy, you can get your car inspected anywhere without having to go back to your hometown. Last time I had my car inspected in Shenzhen with Beijing license plates, the whole process was simple: first, book an appointment online or via an app at a nearby inspection station, then drive there for checks like emissions, brakes, and lights. Wait about an hour for the results, and you're done. It really saves time and money—previously, a trip back home would take half a day plus travel and fuel costs, but now it’s done in half an hour with just over 100 yuan in fees. I recommend checking your car’s condition a week in advance—fix any issues like broken bulbs or heavily worn tires to avoid hiccups during inspection. When booking, pick a well-reviewed inspection station with newer equipment for reliability, as some smaller places might have long queues. In short, out-of-town inspections are totally doable—just plan ahead and don’t worry while you’re away.
