How early can the 2-year inspection exemption be applied for?
3 Answers
2-year inspection exemption can be applied for up to three months in advance. Below is detailed information about vehicle annual inspections: 1. Passenger vehicles for commercial use: Passenger vehicles for commercial use must be inspected once a year within the first 5 years, and once every 6 months after exceeding 5 years. 2. Trucks and large/medium-sized non-commercial passenger vehicles: Trucks and large/medium-sized non-commercial passenger vehicles must be inspected once a year within the first 10 years, and once every 6 months after exceeding 10 years. 3. Small and mini non-commercial passenger vehicles: Small and mini non-commercial passenger vehicles are exempt from inspection for the first 6 years, requiring only a biennial inspection label application. Starting from November 20, 2020, vehicles older than 6 years but less than 10 years will be inspected once every two years instead of annually. Vehicles older than 10 years must be inspected once a year, and those older than 15 years must be inspected once every 6 months.
Last time I helped a friend with the vehicle annual inspection, I remember clearly that the 2-year exemption refers to the exemption from on-site inspection for the first 6 years after a new car is registered, but the inspection sticker must be renewed every 2 years. The advance time allowed is 90 days, which means three months before the expiration date. Why is it set this way? The traffic management department wants to disperse peak periods to avoid congestion caused by crowds queuing up. I personally handled it one and a half months in advance, and it can be done on the DMV app by uploading photos of the vehicle registration certificate and insurance policy. If you forget to do it in advance and delay until the expiration date or later, it counts as overdue, and you may face a 200 yuan fine plus demerit points. Last year, my neighbor missed the deadline due to a busy work schedule and was caught driving on the road, resulting in a fine and unnecessary hassle. So it’s best to set a phone reminder and take action three months before the due date.
As an experienced veteran driver, I've been driving for over a decade. The current biennial exemption policy doesn't mean completely inspection-free, but requires regular application for exemption decals. How early can you apply? The legal window is within 90 days, counting backward three months from the expiration date. There are multiple advantages to early application: avoiding peak period crowds, saving time whether applying at DMV or online. If there are uncleared traffic violations, handling them early prevents delays in approval. I recommend checking your insurance policy number and vehicle registration one month before expiration since incomplete documentation will require resubmission. The online system now makes the process convenient - just ten minutes to complete. Missing the deadline not only incurs fines but also requires in-person queueing for supplementary inspections, creating unnecessary hassle.
