Prep Your Engines: The Virginia State Vehicle Inspection Price Has Increased
As of July 1, 2019, Virginia drivers have to pay a little bit more for their annual vehicle inspections due to a bill passed earlier this year. The bill, HB 2514, raises the price of mandatory annual Virginia vehicle inspections from $16 to $20.
Why Increase the Inspection Price?
When service stations perform Virginia state vehicle inspections, they are reimbursed by the state for the time and work it takes to run the inspections. The Virginia Automotive Association, which supported the bill, argued that under the current pricing, service stations were not being compensated enough for their services.
Almost all of the $4 price increase will go toward reimbursing the service stations that provide inspection services to the citizens of Virginia, while seventy cents of the $20 inspection price will go to the Virginia State Police to offset the costs of operating Virginia’s inspection program.
Read: Where Can I Get My Car Inspected in VA and What Can I Expect?
Each vehicle inspection takes about 30 minutes. When drivers come in at the end of the month for their inspection, this time adds up and prevents service stations from helping customers that come in for non-inspection services. As a result, many service stations throughout the state stopped offering inspections because it was not a profitable service for them to provide. With fewer inspection stations available, lines at the remaining stations grew longer, putting more strain on inspectors and inspection stations.
If this trend continued, more stations would have dropped out of the program, making it even harder for Virginia drivers to find convenient locations for their annual inspections and creating longer and longer lines at the remaining participating stations.
Since vehicle inspections are mandatory for all vehicles registered in the state of Virginia, legislators hope that by increasing the Virginia state vehicle inspection price, more service stations will join the program. The easier it is for Virginia citizens to receive their annual inspections, the easier it will be to guarantee that all vehicles out on the roads are safe and stable, reducing the number of accidents and injuries each year.
Virginia Vehicle Inspections at Virginia Tire & Auto
The state vehicle inspection is an important safety measure that ensures all equipment is working properly. At Virginia Tire & Auto, we check turn signals, wiper blades, headlights and taillights, look for broken or missing parts, correct operating systems, and more—all in accordance with the Virginia State Police.
We know that state inspections are not the most exciting way to spend your day, so we try to make them as painless as possible for our customers. We offer extended hours, free tea and coffee, and free Wi-Fi for you to enjoy as you wait in our comfortable waiting area—standard at each of our locations. You can even reduce your wait time by pre-approving up to $30 of minor repairs that our mechanics can perform immediately while your vehicle is in the inspection bay.
Read: What Will Fail a Virginia State Inspection? What You Need to Know
VATire’s Virginia State Inspection Checklist
Prepare your car for its state inspection by reviewing our Virginia state inspection checklist before you go. Taking care of any known issues ahead of time will help lessen your wait time and reduce the cost of any surprise repairs that may pop up during the inspection.
Come into a Virginia Tire & Auto for Your Vehicle Inspection
Don’t stress about finding an inspection station this year. With 17 locations across Virginia, there’s always a Virginia Tire & Auto vehicle inspection station near you. Call 855.425.3677 for store-specific inspection hours and current wait times. For the shortest wait, we recommend coming in the middle of the month in the middle of the week.