Is the vehicle inspection valid until the exact date or the end of the month?
2 Answers
For vehicle annual inspections, the validity period is generally calculated by month. You can have your vehicle inspected on any day within the three months prior to the expiration date. For example, if the registration date is March 10th, the inspection sticker and vehicle license will show the validity month as March, meaning the inspection can be done anytime before March 31st without being considered overdue. Below is an introduction to vehicle inspection periods: 1. Commercial passenger vehicles: Annual inspection for the first 5 years; every 6 months after 5 years; 2. Trucks and large/medium non-commercial passenger vehicles: Annual inspection for the first 10 years; every 6 months after 10 years; 3. Small and mini non-commercial passenger vehicles: Inspection every 2 years for the first 6 years; annual inspection after 6 years; every 6 months after 15 years; 4. Motorcycles: Inspection every 2 years for the first 4 years; annual inspection after 4 years; 5. Tractors and other motor vehicles: Annual inspection. Commercial vehicles that pass the safety inspection within the specified period do not need to repeat the safety inspection; 6. Vehicles exceeding the scrapping age: Cannot be transferred (sold), but can still be used. For sales, you can first obtain the vehicle's scrapping certificate (to deregister the vehicle) from the DMV before proceeding with the transaction.
The validity period of the vehicle inspection usually refers to the specific date marked on the inspection pass sticker. For example, if it says August 15, 2024, it means the validity ends on that exact day, not at the end of the month. Having driven for many years and gone through several inspections, I remember one time when I thought I could delay it until the end of the month. On the last day of the validity period, I was stopped by traffic police while driving and fined 200 yuan, plus penalty points. Since then, I’ve learned to schedule the inspection a week in advance. Nowadays, it’s easy to book through mobile apps, saving time and effort. Vehicle inspection is not just a legal requirement but also ensures driving safety by preventing issues like brake failure or aging lights. I recommend not delaying it, especially during peak periods when queues may be long—planning ahead brings peace of mind. You can regularly check the date on the supplementary page of your vehicle license or the 12123 traffic management app to avoid overdue inspections.
