Is the annual inspection of a new car based on the production date or the registration date?
3 Answers
The annual inspection of a new car is based on the registration date. New regulations on vehicle annual inspection time: For new cars, an inspection is required every two years for the first six years, and then annually thereafter. The inspection month is the same as the month of vehicle registration. Additionally, if the timing is inconvenient, the inspection can be done up to three months in advance (e.g., if the inspection month is June, it can be conducted in April, May, or June). Early inspection does not affect the next inspection date. Considering most people's habits, congestion usually occurs at the end of the month, so it is recommended to prepare early at the beginning of the month. Documents required for vehicle annual inspection: Vehicle license, duplicate of compulsory traffic accident liability insurance policy, ID card of the person conducting the inspection, triangular warning sign, and fire extinguisher. (Vehicle violations must be resolved, and no modifications are allowed on the vehicle body.) Document explanation: The compulsory traffic accident liability insurance policy consists of the original and duplicate pages. The duplicate page must be submitted during the inspection and will be retained by the inspection agency. The ID card to be carried is that of the person who drives the vehicle to the inspection.
When I first bought my car, I was also confused about this issue and specifically asked a friend at the DMV. The annual inspection for new cars is not based on the manufacturing date, but rather the registration date. For example, if you registered your car in March this year, the first free inspection sticker should be collected in March two years later. If it were based on the manufacturing date, those cars that have been sitting in the warehouse for a year as inventory would be at a big disadvantage—they'd have to go for inspection right after being driven. Currently, new cars are exempt from on-site inspections for the first six years, but you need to collect an electronic sticker every two years. Remembering this time point is crucial, as failing to do so on time will result in fines. It's best to mark your car's registration anniversary on your phone calendar and handle it one month in advance.
Last time when I accompanied my friend to get the license plate, the staff repeatedly emphasized that the annual inspection is calculated based on the license plate registration date. The date registered in the DMV system is your car's legal birthday, and all annual inspection milestones start from there. For example, a car registered in 2023 needs to apply for an inspection sticker in 2025 and must undergo an on-site inspection in 2029. The manufacturing date is just the production time and has nothing to do with the annual inspection. I have a deep understanding of this—my friend's car was bought half a year after it was manufactured. If calculated based on the manufacturing date, the annual inspection would have to be done six months earlier. You can check your vehicle license; the date in the registration column is the most reliable.
