Is it true that vehicle inspection is not allowed without ETC?
4 Answers
Vehicle inspection can be conducted without installing ETC. ETC (Electronic Toll Collection): A non-stop toll collection system. When a vehicle enters an ETC lane, the onboard electronic tag in the vehicle communicates with the microwave antenna in the ETC lane, and the data is processed by a computer to achieve the purpose of toll payment without stopping. Vehicle inspection items: Appearance inspection: Take the appearance inspection form to the appearance inspection station. First, check relevant documents to verify whether the third-party insurance (compulsory insurance) is valid. After the document check, the appearance inspection begins. This inspection mainly checks for damaged lights, whether the vehicle's appearance conforms to its original state, any changes to the suspension, as well as the sunroof, tires, etc. Emission testing: Queue up and wait for the test. Before the test, a staff member will conduct a preliminary inspection, mainly to verify whether the engine number matches the one on the vehicle license, and briefly check the appearance and condition of the vehicle. Then, fill out the emission test form. During the test, the inspector will drive the vehicle onto the testing line. Generally, new vehicles pass easily. Once the qualified emission test form is obtained, you can go to the window to pay and receive the emission compliance label. If the vehicle fails, it needs to be adjusted at a repair shop and retested, which requires paying the testing fee again. On-line inspection: If the appearance inspection passes, queue up for the on-line inspection. The inspection line checks the brakes, headlights (high beam), chassis, etc., which takes about 5-10 minutes. After the vehicle is driven off the line, you will receive a computer-printed form listing items such as brakes, lights, and horn. Qualified items are marked with "0," and unqualified ones with "X." Usually, issues are found with lights and brakes. Don't worry; inspection sites have areas for adjusting lights and brakes. After adjusting the brakes, the vehicle needs to be retested, but for lights, a stamp is sufficient after adjustment. Violation check: At the query window, obtain and fill out the "Motor Vehicle Periodic Inspection Registration Form," which can be obtained with the vehicle license. After filling out the form, submit it to the staff to check for any violation records. If there are no issues, the form will be stamped with "Verified, eligible for inspection." If there are violations, handle them as soon as possible with the violation notice. ETC billing principle: There will be one or more ETC lanes on highways. Through dedicated short-range microwave communication between the onboard electronic tag installed on the vehicle's windshield and the microwave antenna in the ETC lane at the toll station, the computer network technology is used to settle accounts with the bank, achieving the purpose of paying tolls without stopping at the toll station. All this is based on the principle of passing first and deducting fees later. Benefits of installing ETC: Time-saving: Eliminates the hassle of waiting in line; Green and eco-friendly: Low-carbon, as vehicles pass through toll stations without stopping, reducing noise and emissions and minimizing pollution; Reduced wear: Saves costs by reducing the frequency of vehicle starts and brakes, lowering wear and fuel consumption; Improved efficiency: Theoretically, ETC lanes can improve vehicle passing efficiency by 2-3 times, making traditional ETC more updated, faster, and more high-tech. Compared to license plate payment, ETC technology is more mature and advantageous. More policy support: The State Council clearly stated in the "13th Five-Year Plan for the Development of a Modern Comprehensive Transportation System" that "by 2020, the interoperability of transportation cards in key city clusters will be basically achieved, and the proportion of vehicles equipped with ETC will be significantly increased." It also set a target in the "13th Five-Year" comprehensive transportation development indicators: "By 2020, the ETC usage rate for road passenger vehicles will reach 50%." More future possibilities: In addition to continuously improving the convenience of ETC installation and usage and the ETC usage rate for passenger vehicles, efforts will be made to promote ETC usage for trucks in the future. Exploration will be conducted on the deep integration of the ETC system with vehicle-to-vehicle communication, vehicle-to-road coordination, and other smart transportation development directions, providing comprehensive travel services for vehicle owners. This means more application scenarios will support ETC applications.
This isn't entirely unfounded, but it depends on regional policies. Last year during my vehicle inspection, staff recommended installing ETC, suggesting it might affect the process otherwise. After consulting traffic authorities, I learned there's no national mandate requiring ETC for annual checks - inspections focus on safety/environmental items like brakes, lights, and emissions. However, some local DMVs partner with banks to set up ETC stations at inspection sites, where staff might say 'just install it while you're here.' My advice: call your local DMV before inspection to verify requirements. Don't get pressured - mandatory demands can be reported.
Last week, Uncle Wang came back from his vehicle inspection muttering about this issue. His old Jetta passed the inspection just fine last year, but this time he was subtly hinted that 'it might not pass without an ETC.' Actually, this is just a marketing tactic by some inspection stations. ETC is mainly used for automatic toll payments and has nothing to do with the environmental tests or lighting inspections during the annual check. They're probably doing this for the promotion fees from banks. If you encounter such forced sales tactics, recording the conversation on your phone on the spot and later filing a complaint with 12345 will definitely help. I've seen cases where someone stood their ground and complained, leading to the station manager personally apologizing.
This issue needs to be examined separately: Legally, vehicle annual inspections are based on the Road Traffic Safety Law, which doesn't mention ETC at all. Currently, annual inspections mainly check three things—whether the brakes work properly, if the headlights are bright enough, and if the exhaust emissions are too dark. However, many car owners report that inspection stations will persistently persuade you to apply for ETC, even saying 'everything is connected online now, not having it will affect the inspection'. These are just sales tactics! Last year when I accompanied a friend for inspection, I directly countered with 'issue the inspection report first'—they passed the inspection without ETC in the end. However, some places might bundle it with green label issuance, which is something to be mindful of.
