Safety Inspection Procedure

Official Safety Inspection Procedure

Our certified Inspectors adhere to the following procedure for all Virginia Safety Inspections. For more information, refer to the Virginia State Police website.

1. Remove Old Inspection Sticker

2. Drive Vehicle into Inspection Lane

3. Inspect Brakes For:

• Worn, damaged or missing parts
• Worn, contaminated or defective linings or drums
• Leakage in the system and proper fluid level
• Worn, contaminated or defective disc pads or disc rotors

4. Inspect Parking Brake For:

• Broken or missing parts
• Proper adjustment
• Standard factory equipment or equivalent

5. Inspect Headlights For:

• Approved type, aim and output
• Condition of lamps, lenses, wiring and switch
• High beam indicator

6. Inspect Other Lights For:

• Approved type, proper bulbs, and condition of lenses, wiring and switch
• Aim of fog and driving lamps
• Illumination of all lamps and proper color of lenses
  (Note: Every vehicle must have a rear lamp showing a red light to the rear, a white light illuminating the rear license plate; vehicles over 7 feet wide or extending 4 inches or more beyond the front fender extremes must be equipped with approved clearance lamps and reflex reflectors. (Include load when measuring.)

7. Inspect Signal Device For:

• Approved type, proper bulbs, and condition of lenses, wiring and switch
• Correct operation of device
• Illumination of all lamps and proper lens color

8. Inspect Steering & Suspension For:
(Jack up front end as shown in “Official Motor Vehicle Safety Inspection Manual.”)

• Wear in bushings, kingpins, ball joints, wheel bearings and tie rod ends
• Looseness of gear box on frame, condition of drag link and steering arm
• Play in steering wheel; leakage of power steering fluid in the system
• Wheel alignment and axle alignment
• Broken coil springs, spring leaves and worn shackles
• Shock absorbers
• Broken or weakened frame
• Broken or missing engine mounts
• Lift blocks

9. Inspect Tires, Wheels & Rims For:

• Condition of tires including tread depth
• Mixing radials and bias ply tires
• Wheels that are cracked or damaged so as to affect safe operation

10. Inspect Mirrors For:

• Rigidity of mounting
• Condition of reflecting surface
• Check for road visibility 200 feet to the rear (Truck mirrors must extend at least halfway beyond the edge of the body.)

11. Inspect Horn For:

• Electrical connections, mounting and horn button
• Emits sound audible for a minimum of 200 feet

12. Inspect Windshield & Other Glass For:

• Approved type safety glass
• Cloudiness, distortion or other obstruction to vision
• Cracked, scratched or broken glass
• ALL UNAUTHORIZED STICKERS MUST BE REMOVED
• Sun shading material on windshield displaying words, lettering, numbers or pictures that does not extend below the AS-1 line is permitted. In the absence of an AS-1 line, sun shading material on the windshield displaying words, lettering, numbers or pictures cannot extend more than three inches downward from the top of the windshield, unless authorized by the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles and indicated on the vehicle registration.
• Operation of left front door glass

13. Inspect Windshield Wiper/Defroster For:

• Operating condition
• Condition of wiper blades

14. Inspect Exhaust System For:

• Exhaust line: manifold, gaskets, pipes, mufflers, connections, etc.
• Leakage of gases at any point from the engine to the point it is discharged from the system

15. Inspect Rear License Plate For:

• Illumination of rear plate

16. Inspect Hood & Area Under the Hood For:

• Operating condition of hood latch
• Presence of emissions system; evidence that any essential parts have been removed, rendered inoperative or disconnected.
• Fluid levels that are below the proper level:
  • Brake fluid
  • Power steering fluid
• Power steering belt; proper tension, wear or absence of belt

17. Inspect Air Pollution Control System of 1973 & Subsequent Models For:

• Installation
• No parts removed, disconnected or rendered inoperable
  (Note: This includes the catalytic converter and the fuel tank filler pipe.)

18. Inspect Driver’s Seat For:

• Anchorage
• Location
• Condition

19. Inspect Seat Belts For:

• Approved type
• Installation
• Condition

20. Inspect Air Bag & Air Bag Readiness Light For:

• Any defects in the air bag system noted by the air bag readiness light, or otherwise indicated; or
• The air bag has been deployed and has not been replaced (and is not deactivated because of a medical or other exemption and a notice is posted to indicate that it has been deactivated); or
• Any part of the air bag system has been removed from the vehicle; or
• If the air bag indicator fails to light or stays on continuously.

21. Inspect Doors at the Right & Left Side of the Driver’s Seat For:

• Handle or opening device which will permit the opening of the door from the outside and inside of the vehicle
• Latching system which will hold door in its proper closed position

22. Inspect Fuel System For:

• Any part that is not securely fastened
• Liquid fuel leakage
• Presence of fuel tank filler cap

23. Inspect Floor Pan For:

• Holes that allow exhaust gases to enter occupant compartment
• Conditions that create a hazard to the occupants
  

24. Issue Sticker

• If approved, place completed approval sticker on the vehicle and give the receipt of certificate to the operator.
• If not approved, place rejection sticker on the vehicle and review reasons for inspection failure with the operator.
• All defects must be corrected and the vehicle re-inspected within 15 days. The driver may be subject to receiving a traffic summons for any defect still present when the vehicle is operated on the highway.
  (Note: The validity period of the rejection sticker shall include fifteen (15) days in addition to the day of the inspection.)