Does Not Having ETC Affect Vehicle Inspection?
4 Answers
No, it does not affect vehicle inspection. ETC is not mandatory; it is merely a method for fast toll collection at highway exits to alleviate the pressure on manual toll collection. According to State Council regulations, vehicles without ETC or not using ETC in 2020 cannot enjoy toll discounts. In the future, only one manual lane will be retained at highway toll stations, requiring vehicles to pay tolls manually. Therefore, it has no direct relation to the annual vehicle inspection. Vehicle Inspection Items: Appearance Inspection: Take the appearance inspection form to the appearance inspection station. First, check relevant documents to verify if the third-party insurance (compulsory insurance) is valid. Only after document verification will the appearance inspection begin. This inspection mainly checks for damaged lights, whether the vehicle's exterior matches the original condition, any changes to the suspension, as well as the sunroof, tires, etc. Emission Testing: Queue up and wait for the test. Before testing, staff will conduct a preliminary check, mainly verifying if the engine number matches the one on the vehicle license, briefly inspecting the appearance and condition of the vehicle, and then filling out the emission test form. During the test, an inspector will drive the vehicle onto the test line. New vehicles usually pass easily. Once the emission test form is approved, you can pay at the window and receive the emission compliance label. If the vehicle fails, it needs to be adjusted at a repair shop and retested, requiring another test fee. On-Line Inspection: If the appearance inspection is passed, queue up for the on-line inspection. The inspection line checks the brakes, headlights (high beam), chassis, etc., taking about 5-10 minutes. After the vehicle is driven off the line, you will receive a computer-printed form listing items like brakes, lights, and horn. Passed items are marked "0," and failed items are marked "X." Usually, lights and brakes are the items that fail. Don't worry; inspection stations have facilities to adjust lights and brakes. After brake adjustments, the vehicle must be retested, but lights only need adjustment and a stamp. Traffic Violation Check: At the query window, obtain and fill out the "Motor Vehicle Regular Inspection Registration Form," which can be obtained with the vehicle license. After filling out the form, submit it to the staff to check for any traffic violations. If there are no issues, the form will be stamped with "Verified, Eligible for Inspection." If there are violations, handle them promptly with the violation notice. ETC Billing Principle: There will be one or more ETC lanes on highways. Through dedicated short-range microwave communication between the on-board electronic tag installed on the vehicle's windshield and the microwave antenna in the ETC lane at the toll station, and using computer networking technology for backend settlement with banks, vehicles can pay tolls without stopping at the toll station. All this is based on the principle of passing first and deducting fees later. Benefits of Installing ETC: Time-saving: Eliminates the hassle of waiting in queues. Green and eco-friendly: Low-carbon, as vehicles pass toll stations without stopping, reducing noise and emissions and minimizing pollution. Reduced wear: Saves costs by reducing the frequency of vehicle starts and stops, lowering wear and fuel consumption. Improved efficiency: ETC lanes can theoretically improve traffic efficiency by 2-3 times, making traditional ETC more updated, faster, and more high-tech. Compared to license plate payment, ETC technology is more mature and advantageous. More policy support: The State Council explicitly stated in the "13th Five-Year Plan for the Development of a Modern Comprehensive Transportation System" that "by 2020, key city clusters will basically achieve interoperability of transportation smart cards, and the proportion of vehicles using ETC will significantly increase." It also set a target in the "13th Five-Year" comprehensive transportation development indicators: "By 2020, the ETC usage rate for passenger vehicles on roads should reach 50%." More future possibilities: In addition to continuously improving the convenience of ETC installation and usage and increasing the ETC usage rate for passenger vehicles, future efforts will promote ETC use for trucks and explore deep integration of ETC systems with smart transportation directions like vehicle-to-vehicle communication and vehicle-road coordination, providing comprehensive travel services for vehicle owners. This means more application scenarios will support ETC usage.
I've been driving for twenty years and have handled the inspection of no less than a hundred vehicles. Not having an ETC indeed doesn't affect the annual inspection, as the DMV inspection line doesn't check for it at all. But if you frequently drive on highways, you should consider this: manual toll lanes are becoming increasingly scarce, and the long queues during holidays are downright frustrating. Our fleet did a survey last year, and vehicles with ETC save two-thirds of the time at toll booths, with annual toll discounts saving over eight hundred yuan. However, I've heard some provinces are piloting electronic tolling systems, and in the future, ETC might potentially be linked to vehicle management—it's really hard to say for sure.
Just had my vehicle inspected last week and can confirm that the testing center only checks safety items like lights and brakes, which have nothing to do with ETC. But as a daily commuter, I strongly recommend getting one—not for the inspection, but to save money and time. Comparing my bills, ETC lanes are 5% cheaper than manual lanes, and during morning rush hours, you can pass through toll stations 7-8 minutes faster. If there's a toll reform, it's even worse—like Shandong's new rule this year where green vehicles without ETC are no longer exempt from fees.
Vehicle inspection definitely doesn't check ETC devices. When I had my car inspected, the staff didn't even glance at the windshield. But you need to consider practicality: nowadays manual tollbooth windows often only have one or two open, getting stuck in traffic can drive you crazy. My neighbor queued for half an hour at the highway toll last month and ended up being late for work with pay deducted - he deeply regretted not installing ETC. Plus the devices are now given for free, and banks allow credit card binding for automatic payment, which is much more convenient than cash.
