Is it okay if a vehicle's inspection is overdue for a few days?
3 Answers
Vehicle inspection cannot be overdue for more than three months. If the inspection is overdue for less than three months, you can simply renew it and will receive a verbal warning without any fine; if the inspection is overdue for more than three months but less than two years, you will need to pay a fine and have 3 points deducted from your license. Below are the relevant regulations: 1. Article 49 of the "Regulations on the Registration of Motor Vehicles" clearly states: The owner of a motor vehicle may apply for an inspection compliance mark at the vehicle management office of the registration location within three months before the expiration of the vehicle's inspection validity period. Before applying, the owner must resolve all traffic violations and accidents involving the vehicle. 2. Article 95 of the "Road Traffic Safety Law of the People's Republic of China": If a motor vehicle driven on the road does not display a license plate, inspection compliance mark, insurance mark, or the driver fails to carry the vehicle registration certificate or driver's license, the traffic management department of the public security organ shall detain the vehicle, notify the party to provide the corresponding documents, marks, or complete the necessary procedures, and may impose penalties in accordance with Article 90 of this law.
I've been driving for almost twenty years and have seen plenty of cases of expired vehicle inspections. Honestly, driving with an expired inspection for even a few days is like carrying a time bomb—police could pull you over for a check at any moment. If caught, not only will your car be impounded on the spot, but you'll also face a 200-yuan fine and 3 demerit points. What's even more troublesome is the insurance issue. Just the other day, my neighbor learned this the hard way—his car rear-ended someone after being overdue for inspection by three days, and the insurance company refused to pay a single cent. A friend at the DMV told me, even if it's just a week overdue, don't take chances—the safest bet is to call a tow truck and get it to the inspection station immediately. Nowadays, renewing the inspection is very convenient—just book online and it's done in half an hour. That's definitely better than driving around on edge.
Last time, I forgot to go for my car's annual inspection when it was due and delayed it for six days before remembering. I quickly called the insurance company, and they directly said any accidents during the overdue period would be entirely my responsibility. Later, I rushed to the DMV for a supplementary inspection. The staff didn’t fine me but repeatedly warned me not to let it happen again. The electronic surveillance cameras are now incredibly advanced and can automatically identify vehicles with overdue inspections. Most importantly, the vehicle’s condition is key—annual inspections mainly check safety items like brakes and lights. You never know if the suspension or tires might suddenly fail. Now, I always set an alarm 30 days in advance to remind myself to get the annual inspection done.
