
How often a 5-seater SUV should undergo inspection depends on different circumstances: 1. For commercial passenger 5-seater SUVs, inspection is required once a year within the first 5 years, and every 6 months after exceeding 5 years; 2. Small and micro non-commercial 5-seater SUVs are exempt from annual inspection within the first 6 years, require inspection once a year after exceeding 6 years, and every 6 months after exceeding 15 years. The documents required for vehicle inspection include: 1. A copy of the compulsory traffic insurance; 2. The original vehicle license and road and bridge card; 3. The first black copy of the road and bridge ticket; 4. A copy of the owner's ID card; 5. The vehicle itself. The inspection process is as follows: 1. Exterior inspection; 2. Payment of inspection fees and information entry; 3. On-site inspection; 4. Receipt of on-site inspection results; 5. Verification of compulsory traffic insurance documents.

I just got a new 5-seater SUV, and it's worry-free for the first six years! Every two years, I can simply click a few times on the Traffic Management 12123 APP to get the inspection exemption sticker—no need to drive and queue up. However, by the sixth year, I’ll have to go to the inspection station properly and let the technicians check the lights, brakes, and other components. After ten years, it’s an annual trip to the inspection station—feels like my old car visits the station more often than the gas station! I’d suggest new car owners set calendar reminders on their phones, as getting caught with an overdue inspection could mean a 200-yuan fine and penalty points.

As a veteran driver with 15 years of experience, let me tell you about the 5-seat SUV inspection cycle in three phases: For the first six years of a new car, you only need to collect an electronic label every two years (the 2nd and 4th years); between six to ten years, the 6th and 10th years require an on-site inspection, while the 8th year in between allows you to get a waiver label via mobile; after ten years, annual on-site inspections are mandatory. Last year, I took a friend's old SUV for inspection, and the emissions test almost failed—changing the engine oil in advance really helped.

I just helped my cousin with the annual vehicle inspection and finally understood that for 5-seater urban SUVs like the CR-V, the condition isn't checked at all within the first six years for new cars. Getting the inspection sticker via the 12123 APP takes just minutes. However, after six years, the inspection becomes stricter, testing braking distance and headlight alignment. Last time, my car was required to revert its modified LED lights. After ten years, it gets even more stringent, especially for older cars with worn chassis components. Last year, I saw an old Tiguan that had to replace three control arms just to pass the inspection.


