Decoding your inspection sticker can be a daunting task, but we've broken it down for you.
Decoding Your Inspection Sticker: What It All Means
When it comes time to renew your vehicle registration, there’s a plethora of paperwork to do. Renewal fees vary based on state as well as the vehicle you own, and different states have different inspection requirements. Once your registration arrives in the mail, you’ll have to affix a new sticker to your plate. But there’s a second type of sticker you may have to contend with as well. Read on as we do a deep dive into decoding your inspection sticker.
What Are Inspection Stickers?
In most states, your inspection sticker is different from your registration tags. Your tags are color-coded by year and go on your license plate in the upper corner opposite the sticker that lists the month you need to renew. Inspection stickers, on the other hand, generally sit on your windshield and offer proof that your vehicle has passed the necessary inspections required by your state.
Some counties and states are eliminating inspection stickers and folding them into registration tags. Tarrant County, Texas, for example, made the switch back in March 2015. If you’re registering a vehicle there now, you may still need an inspection, but “your registration sticker will serve as combined proof of inspection and registration.”
California is another state that doesn’t have inspection stickers. The state requires vehicles to pass regular smog tests—though there are some exceptions—but there isn’t a separate sticker for that. Your registration isn’t complete until you’ve submitted proof of a clean smog test, but once you have, the state will issue your registration sticker, which is proof that you’ve passed the necessary inspections.
New York, on the other hand, does have both a registration sticker and a vehicle inspection sticker. Much like California, there are certain exceptions to the rule, but most vehicles must pass an inspection as part of registration. The state DMV then issues a registration sticker and an inspection sticker. Massachusetts, likewise, issues an inspection sticker. The state stopped sending out paper certificates in 2022, so the sticker is the only proof of a passed inspection.
Decoding Inspection Stickers
Inspection requirements vary state by state, so in the simplest terms, your inspection sticker shows that your vehicle has passed the mandated inspections and is valid to drive for the upcoming year. Thompson Law explains that inspections fall into two broad categories: safety inspections and emissions inspections. If you live in a state that issues separate inspection stickers and registration stickers, your inspection sticker demonstrates that your vehicle conforms to the state mandates around emissions levels and vehicle safety.
The law firm also says that regular vehicle inspections are mandatory across the country except in the following states:
- Alaska
- Arkansas
- Florida
- Iowa
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Montana
- North Dakota
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Washington
- Wyoming
If you live in one of these states, the sticker may be good for longer than a year, so it means that the vehicle has been inspected, but not as recently as in states where it’s an annual requirement.
Sources
- Two Steps, One Sticker, Tarrant County Texas.
- Smog Inspections, California Department of Motor Vehicles.
- About New York State Inspections, New York Department of Motor Vehicles.
- Motor Vehicle Inspection Stickers, Mass.gov.
- Vehicle Inspection Laws by State, Thompson Law.
