Can vehicle inspections be conducted on Saturdays and Sundays?
4 Answers
Vehicle inspection stations and vehicle management offices are closed on Saturdays, Sundays, and statutory holidays. Vehicle inspections are only conducted normally from Monday to Friday. The vehicle inspection process is as follows: 1. External inspection: Bring your driver's license, ID card, driver's license, and the current year's compulsory traffic insurance policy that is within the validity period. Drive the vehicle to the vehicle management office or motor vehicle inspection station for inspection. At the vehicle management office, fill out the motor vehicle annual inspection application form. Then submit the form and other materials to the staff and pay the inspection fee. After payment, proceed outside where the staff will conduct an exterior inspection of the vehicle. Be sure to prepare a fire extinguisher and a warning triangle. 2. Form collection: After the online inspection is completed, return to the hall and go to the designated window to collect the inspection pass form. Take the pass form to the designated window to collect the annual inspection sticker and the environmental inspection pass sticker, completing the inspection. When collecting the annual inspection sticker and environmental sticker, a copy of the vehicle registration certificate must be submitted for each, which can be prepared in advance. 3. Illegal information check: Motor vehicle inspections can be conducted up to 60 days in advance. Arrange your time reasonably to avoid expiration, as a late inspection will result in a fine of 200 yuan and a deduction of 3 points. Before the inspection, also check for any illegal information. Any illegal information must be resolved; otherwise, the inspection will not be conducted.
Weekend vehicle inspections depend on the location and type of inspection station. In our area, several private inspection stations are open normally on Saturdays, while on Sundays some operate for half a day, and others are closed all day. Public inspection stations follow local policies—major cities often have weekend service windows, but small towns might not. It's best to check two days in advance using a mobile map app by searching 'vehicle inspection station' and reviewing the business hours in the details, or simply call the station for confirmation. Many places now offer online booking systems; the Traffic Management 12123 app can show which stations are open on weekends and help avoid peak hours. Last week, my neighbor went on a Saturday morning and finished in just forty minutes—faster than on a weekday.
I just handled my vehicle inspection last month, and weekends are completely doable. But there are two key points to note: First, you need to find a private inspection station, as they mostly operate on weekends with extended service hours often until 5 or 6 PM. Secondly, it's best to make an appointment in advance. Many stations now offer WeChat public account booking—just select your time slot to avoid queues. Bring your vehicle license and electronic copy of insurance policy; no paper copies are needed now. Pricing remains the same on weekends, though it gets slightly busier—try to avoid the 10 AM peak. If your car fails inspection, don't panic; neighboring repair shops are also open on weekends for immediate fixes.
Regional policies vary significantly. Coastal cities have generally implemented weekend vehicle inspection services, like the inspection stations in our industrial park that operate normally on Saturdays and Sundays. However, some rural stations do close on weekends. The safest approach is to check the local traffic police website or look for the 'Weekend Service' tag when searching for inspection stations on Amap. Avoid making a wasted trip. Also, special attention is needed for new energy vehicle inspections, as some stations don’t open new energy lanes on weekends—my Tesla encountered this issue last time. It’s advisable for fuel vehicle owners to go directly, while electric vehicle owners should confirm by phone in advance. The entire process takes about half an hour, with a standard inspection fee of 280 yuan.
