Does the 6-Year Vehicle Inspection Exemption Include the 6th Year?

[OHaley]

Automobile 6-year inspection exemption does not include the 6th year. Below is relevant information about the 6-year inspection exemption: 1. Definition: The "6-year inspection exemption" does not mean no inspection is required for 6 years, but rather that new vehicles are exempt from on-site inspections within 6 years. Therefore, vehicle owners must still apply for an annual inspection compliance sticker every two years as required. For new vehicles, under normal circumstances, they can enjoy the "exemption from on-site inspection" benefit up to 2 times within 6 years, excluding the 6th year. Vehicles with 6 seats or fewer that meet the exemption requirements can directly process the annual inspection online. Upon approval, the annual inspection sticker will be delivered to you by express mail, and you only need to pay the shipping fee. 2. Overdue Inspection: The consequences of overdue inspection are severe. Even if it's just one day late, if caught by traffic police, you will face a 3-point deduction, and in some cases, the vehicle may be temporarily impounded. More importantly, in the event of a traffic accident, even with insurance, the insurance company may refuse to compensate.

[DiVivian]

I did thorough research on this policy before buying my car. The 6-year exemption from inspection actually applies to newly registered small private vehicles. Starting from the date of registration, the first 6 years don't require on-site testing, but the sixth year is no longer within the exemption period. That's because the exemption still requires applying for the inspection label online every two years, and by the sixth year, the vehicle must undergo physical inspection at the testing station. Just a few days ago, I helped a relative deal with this issue—his car had just reached six years. The testing station staff made it very clear: the so-called '6-year exemption' actually means exemption up to the end of the fifth year, and the sixth year requires normal inspection. This policy applies to non-commercial vehicles with 9 seats or fewer. If you're estimating the timing yourself, I recommend setting a reminder using the registration date on the vehicle license plus five and a half years.

[RowanDella]

Last time I went to the DMV to renew my license, I discussed this with the officer. Many people think the six-year exemption includes the sixth year, but the regulations clearly state: new vehicles enjoy an exemption from on-site inspections for the first five years after registration, and must undergo regular inspections starting from the sixth year. For example, my SUV will be six years old this May, so I've already been checking the inspection appointment system. Note that even during the exemption period, you must apply for an electronic label every two years on the 12123 app, otherwise it counts as an inspection lapse. The new policy has been relaxed, now including 7-9 seat vehicles in the exemption, except for minivans. I recommend everyone to pay attention to the inspection stamp on the supplementary page of the vehicle license, and don’t assume the sixth year is automatically exempt.

[NoahAnn]

As a veteran driver with twenty years of experience, I've seen the vehicle inspection policies change time and again. Currently, the so-called 'six-year exemption' actually means five years, with the sixth year requiring an on-site inspection. The reason is simple: after five or six years, vehicle components begin to age, necessitating checks on critical safety items like brakes and lights. I remember last year accompanying a friend for his inspection—he thought he didn’t need to worry for six years, but ended up forgetting the sixth-year inspection and got a ticket. The current convenience policies only exempt the on-site inspection; the inspection sticker must still be applied for on time. If you can’t remember the exact dates, the simplest method is to set the vehicle registration month as a reminder in your phone calendar, preparing for the inspection three months in advance.

[Hugo]

Just finished with the vehicle annual inspection and here to share some experience. In the 'six-year exemption policy', the 'six years' includes the registration year and the following five years, so the actual exemption period is only five full years. By the sixth year, even if the car was purchased less than seventy-two months ago, it must go to the inspection station. The inspection process is actually quite efficient, taking about forty minutes to check emissions, brakes, and lights. The key is to prepare a copy of the compulsory traffic insurance and the owner's ID card. If you've modified things like the headlights, remember to restore them first. It's recommended to get the inspection done in the first month of the sixth year to avoid the year-end peak period. Now, some cities even offer night-time inspection appointments, so office workers don’t need to take time off work.

[DiColeman]

Car forums often see owners confused about this concept. To clarify, the six-year exemption from inspection does not include the sixth year, as the policy calculation method is as follows: only apply for the inspection label in the 2nd and 4th years from the date of registration, and the first on-site inspection is required in the 6th year. My car turned six years old last year, and my personal experience was having to drive to the inspection site for checks on over twenty items including lights and chassis. Now, nationwide inspection is very convenient, and out-of-town vehicles can also be processed. It's best to prepare three things in advance: clear all traffic violations, prepare a triangular warning sign, and ensure there is no abnormal tire wear. The inspection fee is generally around three hundred yuan, with slight variations in standards across different regions.