How often should a car be inspected after six years?
3 Answers
For small and micro non-commercial passenger vehicles after six years, an annual inspection is required. Below are the inspection items for vehicle annual checks: 1. Inspection: Check whether the engine, chassis, body, and auxiliary equipment are clean, complete, and functional; whether the paint is uniform and aesthetically pleasing; whether major assemblies have been replaced; and whether they match the initial inspection records. 2. Testing: Verify whether the vehicle's braking performance, steering control, lighting, exhaust, and other safety features comply with the "Technical Conditions for Safe Operation of Motor Vehicles." 3. Vehicle inspection: Check whether the vehicle has been modified, remodeled, or had its license plate altered; whether all registered details in the vehicle file match the actual condition of the vehicle and if any changes have been made; and whether approval and modification procedures have been completed. 4. License plate: Inspect whether the license plate and the enlarged characters sprayed on the vehicle are damaged, altered, or illegible, and whether replacement is needed. 5. Transfer of registration: Verify whether the required procedures for transfer or ownership change have been completed and whether the registered vehicle matches the actual vehicle in possession.
As a seasoned driver, I must remind you to pay attention to the timeline after the 6-year exemption from inspection expires. The 7th year requires an on-site inspection, then the 8th year is exempt—just apply for the e-sticker. By the 10th year, you’ll need another on-site inspection. After that, vehicles over 10 years old must undergo annual inspections. Recently, I helped a friend who was fined ¥200 and penalized 3 points for overdue inspection—totally not worth it. I recommend setting a phone reminder for inspections; the 12123 APP now sends notifications three months in advance. Oh, and for vintage cars over 15 years old, inspections are required every six months—don’t forget to check wear-prone parts like brakes and chassis.
The vehicle inspection cycle after six years is actually quite regular. From my experience, remember three key years: the 7th, 10th, and 15th years. I learned the hard way when my new car reached six years—I thought it was still exempt from inspection but got pulled over by traffic police. The current process is that the 7th year requires an on-site test for emissions, brakes, and lights, while the 8th year just requires a few clicks on the 12123 app to get the electronic label. Starting from the 10th year, you need to visit the inspection station annually, and after 15 years, it upgrades to a biannual inspection. A reminder: keep your maintenance records during servicing, as some inspection stations can pull up the data on-site.
