How Long Can a Private Car Go Without Inspection?
3 Answers
Car inspection cannot be overdue for more than three months. If the inspection is overdue for less than three months, you can directly apply for a renewal and will receive a verbal warning without a fine; if the inspection is overdue for more than three months but less than two years, a fine will be imposed. The consequences of an overdue vehicle inspection are as follows: 1. Vehicles that have not undergone the annual inspection on time are not allowed on the road; 2. Driving a vehicle without an up-to-date inspection will result in 3 penalty points and a fine; 3. If an accident occurs involving a vehicle that has not undergone inspection, the driver will bear full or primary responsibility, and the insurance company will not cover the damages; 4. Driving without an up-to-date inspection is considered illegal and may result in the vehicle being impounded; 5. According to the "Mandatory Scrapping Standards for Motor Vehicles," vehicles that fail to obtain an inspection compliance mark for three consecutive inspection cycles after the expiration of the inspection validity period will be forcibly scrapped.
Our old Toyota almost missed its annual inspection deadline last year. I remember a friend at the DMV said that even one day overdue counts as a violation. But in practice, there's a grace period: within 1 month, if caught by traffic police, it's just a warning; exceeding 1 month results in a 200-yuan fine and 3 penalty points. What if it's over 3 months? Mandatory scrapping! Last week, Uncle Zhang in our neighborhood was 2 months overdue, got caught by traffic cameras 12 times, and had to retake his driving test. So don't take the risk—book an appointment in advance via the 12123 traffic management app, especially since inspection stations are super crowded at year-end.
The issue of overdue vehicle inspection can be divided into three stages. The first month is considered a minor violation, where traffic police usually give a verbal reminder; starting from the second month, fines and demerit points are imposed; the most severe consequence occurs after exceeding 90 days, when the system automatically locks the vehicle's records, placing it in a 'forced deregistration' status. Last time I was getting my car repaired, the mechanic mentioned a customer who forgot the annual inspection due to a business trip. On the 91st day, when they went to the vehicle management office, they were told they had to go through the registration process again. Nowadays, it's much more convenient to set an annual inspection reminder on your phone and renew the insurance half a month in advance while printing the inspection form.
