Does an eight-year-old car need an annual inspection?

[DeHarley]

An eight-year-old car does require an annual inspection. Here are the relevant details about vehicle inspections: 1. Timeframe: For passenger cars and blue-license-plate minivans, new vehicles must undergo inspection every two years for the first six years after registration; after six years, they require annual inspections; after ten years, inspections are conducted once a year, and after fifteen years, twice a year. For trucks, inspections are required annually after registration, and after ten years, twice a year. 2. Regulations: If a vehicle is found by traffic police to have not undergone inspection, the owner may face fines or have the vehicle impounded. Additionally, in insurance contracts, vehicles that have not been inspected on time are considered unqualified, and no claims will be paid in the event of an accident.

[DeLeilani]

Having run a repair shop for so many years, I can tell you that an 8-year-old vehicle absolutely requires an annual inspection! The policy after the 2020 reform is very clear: new vehicles must undergo on-site testing in their 6th and 10th years, and the 8th year in between also requires a visit. But here's some good news—as long as you own a non-commercial passenger vehicle with fewer than 9 seats, you don’t have to visit the inspection station every year for the 8th year; you can opt for biennial inspections instead. For example, if you just had your inspection in the 7th year, you can skip the 8th year; but if you missed the 7th-year inspection, you must make it up in the 8th year. Remember to bring your vehicle license and compulsory traffic insurance policy, and make sure to clear any traffic violations beforehand. Some veteran car owners mistakenly thought inspections were only required twice within ten years, ended up skipping the 8th-year inspection, and got fined—what a huge loss!

[AddysonRose]

As a car owner with ten years of driving experience, I just completed the annual inspection for my eight-year-old car at the beginning of this year. The policy has indeed been relaxed now: non-commercial private vehicles only need to undergo on-site inspections in the sixth, eighth, and tenth years within the first decade. However, there are three points to note: first, your car must not have been involved in any major accidents; second, it must not have records of illegal modifications; and third, MPVs with seven seats or more are excluded. The inspection fee for the eighth year is generally around 200 yuan, focusing on lights, brakes, and exhaust emissions. I recommend going on a weekday morning—it usually takes about an hour to complete. As a side note, if you've changed the color of your car, remember to bring the modification certificate!

[TannerLee]

When helping my father with the vehicle annual inspection, I specifically studied the policies. The key factor determining whether an 8-year-old car needs inspection lies in the last testing time: if it underwent on-site inspection in the 7th year, the 8th year is exempt; if it enjoyed exemption in the 7th year, the 8th year requires mandatory inspection. Nowadays, inspection stations follow standardized procedures, primarily checking braking performance (pay special attention to handbrake strength), chassis condition, and light brightness. Owners who modified xenon headlights should be cautious – they won't pass inspection! Before the official inspection, self-check is recommended: tire tread depth should exceed 1.6mm, all lights must function, and dashboard warning lights need to be cleared. If the inspection validity period spans the new year, remember to allocate extra time for troubleshooting.