What is the latest annual vehicle inspection policy?
2 Answers
Starting from November 20, 2020, non-operational mini and small passenger vehicles with 7-9 seats (excluding minivans) within 6 years of registration are included in the exemption range; for non-operational mini and small passenger vehicles (excluding minivans) over 6 years but under 10 years, the inspection cycle is relaxed from once per year to once every two years. This means private cars only need to undergo two on-site inspections within 10 years, specifically in the 6th and 8th years. Documents required for personal vehicle annual inspection: original vehicle license, copy of compulsory traffic insurance, ID card copy, and the vehicle. Documents required for corporate vehicle annual inspection: original vehicle license, copy of compulsory traffic insurance, agent's ID card copy, and the vehicle. For vehicles that fail the annual inspection, repairs must be completed within a specified time limit. If the vehicle still fails after the deadline, the vehicle management office will confiscate its license plates and prohibit further operation. Vehicles that do not undergo inspection without reason or fail the inspection are not allowed to drive on roads or transfer ownership. Vehicles that meet scrapping conditions or exceed the prescribed service life will not be inspected, and their license plates will be revoked with records canceled, leading to mandatory scrapping.
I just had my car inspected last weekend and found the new policy much more convenient. For non-commercial passenger vehicles (excluding minivans, under 9 seats), the first 10 years are now much easier: new cars are exempt from on-site inspections for the first 6 years, but you need to apply for the inspection decal via the traffic police app in the 2nd and 4th years. At the 6-year mark, a full on-site inspection is required, mainly checking lights, brakes, emissions, etc. After that, inspections are every 2 years until the 10th year. Once the car reaches 10 years old, annual inspections are mandatory, and vehicles over 15 years old must be inspected every 6 months—this is the updated regulation as of October 2022. I think the optimized policy saves both parking fees and inspection time, making it especially suitable for office workers like me. Keeping up with regular maintenance makes passing inspections easier. The cost isn’t high either, typically ranging from 200 to 500 RMB, depending on the region. Just remember not to delay inspections—it’s unsafe and could lead to penalty points.
