Does the vehicle inspection require personal attendance?
3 Answers
Personal attendance is not mandatory; a proxy can also handle the inspection. Here are the relevant details: 1. For proxy vehicle inspections, the proxy must submit their identity proof and a copy, along with a written authorization from the vehicle owner. 2. Inspection considerations: The vehicle's exterior must not have modifications such as added body kits; the body color and window tint (including sunshade and anti-explosion films) should not be overly dark (items inside the vehicle should be visible from one meter away; mainly applies to vans and trucks, not relevant for passenger cars with 5 seats or fewer); vans and trucks must have enlarged rear license plate numbers; the number of leaf springs must not be altered; the number of seats in vans must not be increased or decreased, and a fire extinguisher is required; modifications to the cargo area of box trucks are not allowed (no side doors, no roof openings, no added tailgates); tire size must remain unchanged, and tread patterns on the same axle must be consistent.
Having driven for over a decade, I've realized that vehicle inspections don't necessarily require personal attendance. Last time, swamped with business travel, I had my cousin handle it—he just took my ID copy and vehicle registration, and it was done swiftly. As long as the proxy is reliable, inspection stations only verify identity documents; they don’t insist on seeing you in person. The perks? Skipping queues and long trips, especially for suburban dwellers like me where driving downtown eats up time. A quick tip: always draft a simple authorization letter when delegating to avoid hassles later, like handling failed inspections. I’ve even considered app-based booking for proxy services—faster and more convenient, though pricier. Bottom line: inspections are flexible. Don’t let old-school notions limit you; just check local practices for clarity.
There are many common misconceptions about vehicle inspections in our industry. Actually, personal attendance isn't mandatory—what matters is the agent having proper authorization. From what I've learned, most places only require the agent to bring the owner's documents, such as a photocopy of their ID and the vehicle registration, to get it done. However, be aware that for certain tests like brake checks or emissions testing, if issues arise, the agent might not be able to handle them, and the owner would need to personally address the repairs and retry. So it's best to delegate to a relative or professional service to avoid rework. I recommend doing a simple pre-inspection check on basics like lights and tires before the scheduled inspection to minimize surprises. The fee is usually a fixed amount of a few dozen dollars, with possible additional service charges for proxy inspections. In short, the key is to plan ahead—don't leave it to the last minute—and it never hurts to check local regulations.
