How often are passenger vehicles inspected?

[EzraFitz]

Passenger vehicles include both commercial and non-commercial ones. Commercial passenger vehicles must be inspected once a year within the first 5 years. After 5 years, they must be inspected every 6 months; large and medium-sized non-commercial passenger vehicles must be inspected once a year within the first 10 years. After 10 years, they must be inspected every 6 months; small and mini non-commercial passenger vehicles are exempt from inspection within the first 6 years. After 6 years, they must be inspected once a year. After 15 years, they must be inspected every 6 months. More details are as follows: Failure to undergo annual inspection on time: For vehicles that do not undergo annual inspection on time, apart from the lack of safety guarantee for driving, according to the Road Traffic Safety Law, the driver will be penalized if the vehicle fails to undergo the annual inspection on time. The driver will bear all or most of the responsibility for any traffic accidents caused by the vehicle that has not undergone the annual inspection on time, and the insurance company will not bear any responsibility. Failure to pass the annual inspection: If a motor vehicle fails to obtain the inspection qualification mark for three consecutive inspection cycles after the expiration of the inspection validity period, it will be forcibly scrapped.

[ColinAnn]

Last year, I just finished the annual inspection for my family's old car and specifically checked the regulations: ordinary private cars are exempt from on-site inspections within the first six years, but every two years, you need to apply for the inspection label on the Traffic Management 12123 APP. By the sixth year, an on-site inspection is required, followed by inspections at the eighth and tenth years. After ten years, it becomes an annual inspection, and for vintage cars over fifteen years old, inspections are required every six months. I remember last year, my neighbor Old Zhang missed the inspection for his 11-year-old car and was stopped on the road and fined 200 yuan. Nowadays, inspection stations allow for advance appointments. It's recommended to avoid the peak period at the end of the month. Just bring your vehicle license and a valid compulsory traffic insurance policy, and it can be done in half an hour.

[LeRyder]

Last time I accompanied a friend to the DMV for the annual inspection, I specifically asked the staff. Private cars undergo phased inspections: within the first six years, you only need to collect an electronic label every two years without driving the car to the inspection station; between six to ten years, the car must undergo three on-site inspections, specifically in the 6th, 8th, and 10th year of the vehicle's age; after ten years, it requires an annual inspection. They particularly warned that modified cars might fail the inspection, like my friend who had to revert his aftermarket HID headlights back to the factory ones. Also, when buying a used car, pay attention to the inspection deadline. Once I came across a seemingly pristine car, but upon checking the records, it had missed inspections for eight months. Such cars are a no-go no matter how cheap they are.

[LilahFitz]

Old Wang, a taxi driver with twenty years of experience, told me that annual inspections for regular family cars come in three stages: the first six years for a new car are the most hassle-free, with just a few taps on the phone to get the inspection sticker sorted; between six to ten years, you'll need to visit the inspection station three times; after ten years, it's an annual requirement. He particularly emphasized the importance of handling traffic violations in advance—last year, he queued for two hours only to be told at the counter about an unprocessed speeding ticket, making the trip a waste of time. Nowadays, many cities offer weekend inspection services, but with an additional 50 yuan overtime fee. The main inspection items focus on headlight brightness, braking force, and exhaust emissions, so it's advisable to check your lights and brake pads beforehand.

[VonVivienne]

My colleague's newly purchased new energy vehicle follows the same annual inspection rules as fuel-powered vehicles: exempt from on-site testing within six years but requires applying for an electronic label, with formal on-site inspection starting from the sixth year. However, pure electric vehicles skip the exhaust emission test, making the process about ten minutes faster. Last year when I accompanied him to the inspection station, I noticed an interesting phenomenon: fuel vehicles queued up with engines off while waiting, whereas electric vehicle owners stayed inside with AC on and browsed their phones. It's important to note that regardless of powertrain type, overdue annual inspections may result in penalty points, fines, and affect vehicle ownership transfer. Some cities are now piloting electronic inspection stickers, finally eliminating the need for colorful stickers on the windshield.