Do Car Stickers Affect Annual Inspection?
2 Answers
Car stickers do not affect the annual inspection, but the area covered by the stickers must not exceed 30% of the vehicle's body. If it exceeds 30%, it will affect the vehicle's annual inspection. Annual inspection, also known as annual review in more colloquial terms, refers to the safety inspection conducted every year or every two years on a vehicle. This includes a comprehensive check of components such as the horn, brakes, axle weight, chassis, ignition system, lighting system, exhaust system, and license plate installation. Annual review implies a routine examination conducted on a yearly basis, while annual inspection is often used more formally, such as for checking certain official IC cards, but annual review is more commonly used in everyday life.
As a regular car owner who drives frequently, let me talk about car stickers. If the stickers are appropriately placed, they generally won’t affect the annual inspection—for example, small slogans or cute patterns on the edges of windows or the sides of the car, as long as they don’t obstruct the view or cover important information, the inspectors usually won’t mind. However, if the stickers are too flashy, like large decals on the windshield or covering the car’s emblem, there will definitely be issues. I once saw a friend’s car fail the inspection because of a full-window advertisement on the rear window, which was deemed a violation of safety regulations. The key is to follow traffic rules: stickers must not obstruct the driver’s view, obscure the license plate, or alter the original color of the car’s emblem. It’s advisable to check local regulations before applying stickers and do a self-check before the annual inspection to keep things simple and clean, ensuring peace of mind while driving. Also, avoid overly reflective stickers, as they can cause accidents at night, which is bad for both you and others.
