For 6-year vehicle inspection, should I go to the DMV or the inspection station?
2 Answers
For a 6-year vehicle inspection, you need to visit both the DMV and the inspection station. Specific regulations for vehicle annual inspections: Operational passenger vehicles: Inspect once a year within 5 years; inspect every 6 months after exceeding 5 years. Trucks and large/medium non-operational passenger vehicles: Inspect once a year within 10 years; inspect every 6 months after exceeding 10 years. Small and micro non-operational passenger vehicles: Inspect once every 2 years within 6 years; inspect once a year after exceeding 6 years; inspect every 6 months after exceeding 15 years. 4. Exemption policy: Household vehicles with 6 seats or fewer enjoy a 6-year exemption from inspection. Inspection procedure: First, after submitting the inspection application, proceed with the on-site inspection. Drive the vehicle into the automatic inspection area to sequentially check exhaust emissions, speed, lights, side slip, and chassis for compliance with standards. All items must pass to proceed. Next is the exterior inspection, verifying the vehicle's license plate, type, body color, engine number, VIN code, and frame number for accuracy. Then inspect the body exterior, checking details such as the bumper, engine compartment, rearview mirrors, lower mirrors, window glass, paint, engine operation status, and the interior and wheels of passenger vehicles. Finally, the owner can obtain the inspection report and application form from the inspector. If all inspection items pass, the owner can proceed to pay the inspection fee and collect the vehicle registration and compliance label. If any items fail, the owner must repair them and participate in a re-inspection until they pass before proceeding with the visa procedures.
I just had my car inspected for its 6-year review last year. Based on my experience, you can go directly to the testing station, which is a specialized facility for vehicle inspections, such as checking brakes, lights, and emission standards. The testing center I went to was quite convenient—I waited in line for just over twenty minutes. The staff scanned the car with their equipment, and the results were uploaded directly to the system, so I didn’t need to visit the DMV afterward. Just bring your vehicle registration and compulsory insurance policy for the entire process. I recommend booking an appointment online in advance or checking local testing stations via a mobile app to save time. If there are minor issues with the car, they’ll remind you to fix them on the spot, and the pass rate is high. Many cities now offer this kind of one-stop service, and the inspection fee is affordable—around 200 RMB. Don’t forget to check tire pressure and headlight brightness to avoid rework hassles.
