How to Conduct the Annual Inspection for a New Car After 2 Years?
4 Answers
For the annual inspection of a new car after 2 years, the vehicle owner needs to personally bring the following documents to the local vehicle management office or traffic police department to apply for the annual inspection sticker: 1. Vehicle registration certificate (original and duplicate); 2. ID card of the vehicle owner; 3. Compulsory traffic insurance policy for the vehicle; 4. Proof of payment or exemption for vehicle and vessel tax. If the inspection is delegated to someone else, the original ID card of the delegate and a written authorization signed by the vehicle owner are also required. For small cars and blue-plate minivans, the first six years after registration require an inspection every two years; after six years, it becomes an annual inspection; after fifteen years, it becomes a semi-annual inspection. For trucks, an annual inspection is required after registration, and after ten years, it becomes a semi-annual inspection. The documents needed for the vehicle annual inspection include: the vehicle registration certificate, a valid compulsory traffic insurance policy, and the vehicle and vessel tax receipt.
Getting an annual inspection for a new car after 2 years is actually quite hassle-free—no need to visit a testing station. Last time, I simply opened the Traffic Management 12123 app, navigated to the "Motor Vehicle Services" section, and selected "Apply for Inspection Exemption Mark for Exempt Vehicles." You’ll need to upload a photo of your valid compulsory traffic insurance policy—I just used a screenshot of my e-policy. The system will also require photos of both sides of your vehicle license (front and back), so don’t forget the page with the annual inspection stamp on the back of the copy. The e-inspection mark usually appears in the app by the next day. The key point is that all traffic violations must be cleared before applying. If you miss the annual inspection deadline, you’ll face fines, so it’s best to handle it a month early. Also, if you’ve modified rims or changed the car’s color, you’ll need to revert to the original specs to qualify for the exemption.
Just finished my second annual vehicle inspection, and it was much simpler than I imagined. The key is to download the traffic management app "12123," click on "Exemption Application," and upload photos of the compulsory traffic insurance policy and the vehicle registration certificate. In my case, the insurance policy hadn't expired yet, so the system automatically retrieved the data, saving me the trouble of uploading. However, note that this only applies to family vehicles with fewer than 7 seats, and vehicles involved in major accidents are not eligible for exemption. After submission, the status showed "Under Review," and it changed to "Completed" within two business days. The electronic label generated in the app has the same validity as the paper one, so there's no need to stick it on the windshield. The whole process required zero trips and zero cost—it only took me the time I'd spend watching three short videos.
Simply put, it's a three-step process: Handling traffic violations is the prerequisite, then prepare the vehicle license and the valid compulsory traffic insurance policy. Open the Traffic Management 12123 APP, find the exemption inspection application entry, and upload the materials as prompted. After approval, the electronic inspection mark will automatically sync to the traffic management system. It's recommended to do it early and not wait until the last few days, as the system can sometimes be slow. My colleague was three days overdue and got stopped by traffic police, resulting in a 200-yuan fine. Here's a little tip: The supplementary page of the vehicle license no longer notes the validity period, as everything is now electronic.
