Added on July 26, 2018  The News Wheel   , , , , , ,
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How Often Does My Car Need to Be Inspected? A State-by-State Guide

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Service Inspection

Having your car inspected is an important part of vehicle maintenance. Inspections help you discover problems before they become a danger out on the road, and they help you keep things up to date such as your oil changes, tire rotations, and filter changes. But how often should you have your car inspected?

As it turns out, many states require you to have your car inspected periodically. Here is a state-by-state guide for when you legally need to have your car inspected.

A state-by-state guide for car inspections

States A-H

  • Alabama — Inspections are required when you sell or transfer ownership of the vehicle.
  • Alaska — Inspections are not required.
  • Arizona — Inspections are not required.
  • Arkansas — Inspections are not required.
  • California — Inspections are not required.
  • Colorado — Inspections are not required.
  • Connecticut — Inspections are required when registering a vehicle from out of state and for vehicles over 18,000 pounds and trailers over 10,000 pounds.
  • Delaware — Inspections are required when you renew your registration.
  • District of Columbia — Inspections are required for commercial vehicles only.
  • Florida — Inspections are not required.
  • Georgia — Inspections are not required.
  • Hawaii — Inspections are required upon registration and every 12 months.

States I-M

  • Idaho — Inspections are not required.
  • Illinois — Inspections are not required.
  • Indiana — Inspections are not required.
  • Iowa — Inspections are not required.
  • Kansas — Inspections are not required.
  • Kentucky — Inspections are not required.
  • Louisiana — Inspections are required every 1-2 years.
  • Maine — Inspections are required every year.
  • Maryland — Inspections are required when you sell or transfer ownership of the vehicle and when registering a vehicle from out of state.
  • Massachusetts — Inspections are required every year.
  • Michigan — Inspections are not required.
  • Minnesota — Inspections are not required.
  • Mississippi — Inspections are not required.
  • Missouri — Inspections are required every two years.
  • Montana — Inspections are not required.

States N-P

  • Nebraska — Inspections are not required.
  • Nevada — Inspections are not required.
  • New Hampshire — Inspections are required every year during the owner’s birth month.
  • New Jersey — Inspections are not required.
  • New Mexico — Inspections are not required.
  • New York — Inspections are required every year and when you transfer ownership of the vehicle.
  • North Carolina — Inspections are required every year.
  • North Dakota — Inspections are not required.
  • Ohio — Inspections are not required.
  • Oklahoma — Inspections are not required.
  • Oregon — Inspections are not required.
  • Pennsylvania — Inspections are required every year and when registering vehicles from out of state.

States R-W

  • Rhode Island — Inspections are required every two years.
  • South Carolina — Inspections are not required.
  • South Dakota — Inspections are not required.
  • Tennessee — Inspections are not required.
  • Texas — Inspections are required every year.
  • Utah — Inspections are required periodically based on the vehicle’s age.
  • Vermont — Inspections are required every year.
  • Virginia — Inspections are required every year.
  • Washington — Inspections are not required.
  • West Virginia — Inspections are required every year.
  • Wisconsin — Inspections are not required.
  • Wyoming — Inspections are not required.

Sources: AAA