Does the transfer of a used car count as an annual inspection?
2 Answers
Used car transfer does not count as an annual inspection. Although the vehicle will be inspected during the transfer and registration process, it is not equivalent to an annual vehicle inspection. The annual inspection should still be conducted according to the original vehicle's normal schedule. Vehicles can undergo inspection and apply for annual review within three months before the annual inspection date. Below is an introduction to the contents of vehicle annual inspections: 1. Commercial passenger vehicles: Inspected once a year within the first 5 years; after 5 years, inspected once every 6 months; 2. Trucks and large or medium-sized non-commercial passenger vehicles: Inspected once a year within the first 10 years; after 10 years, inspected once every 6 months; 3. Small and micro non-commercial passenger vehicles: Inspected once every 2 years within the first 6 years; after 6 years, inspected once a year; after 15 years, inspected once every 6 months; 4. Motorcycles: Inspected once every 2 years within the first 4 years; after 4 years, inspected once a year; 5. Tractors and other motor vehicles: Inspected once a year. Commercial vehicles that pass the safety technical inspection within the specified inspection period do not need to undergo repeated safety technical inspections. 6. Vehicles that exceed the scrapping age cannot be transferred (sold or bought), but they can continue to be used; for sales, the vehicle owner can first apply for the vehicle's scrapping certificate (to deregister the vehicle's file) at the vehicle management office, and then proceed with the sale.
I just sold a used car, and the whole process is still fresh in my memory. Transferring ownership means handing over the car's title to the new buyer, which involves going to the DMV to fill out forms, pay fees, and complete the paperwork. During this process, the staff mainly checks the license plate number and the authenticity of the documents, sometimes also taking a quick glance at the car's exterior to ensure there are no major issues. However, the annual inspection is a different matter—it's a mandatory yearly check that includes testing the brakes, tires, lights, and emissions to ensure compliance with standards before issuing a pass certificate. The ownership transfer is not the same as the annual inspection; they are entirely separate procedures. The annual inspection is government-mandated to ensure road safety, while the transfer is just one step in the transaction process and doesn’t involve an in-depth check of the car's condition. From my experience buying and selling cars, after the transfer is done, the new owner still needs to schedule the annual inspection on time; otherwise, they risk fines or penalty points for overdue inspections. Don’t mix them up—one is about changing ownership, the other is about safety checks, each serving its own purpose.
