Chapter 7: Vehicle Inspection
All motor vehicles registered in North Carolina must be inspected annually for mechanical safety. The DMV oversees
the inspection process. The objective of the inspection is to make sure the motoring public is safe.
A North Carolina vehicle safety inspection is required within 10 days of receiving a North Carolina license plate or by the last day of the month printed on the inspection window sticker.
The North Carolina vehicle inspection can be performed at any of the 7,500 licensed inspection stations
throughout the state. Most service stations, automobile dealerships and vehicle repair garages are licensed
inspection stations.
If a vehicle fails the safety inspection, it cannot be operated beyond the expiration date on the current
sticker. However, the owner will have 30 days to repair any safety defects and qualify for a re-inspection
at no additional cost, provided the owner repairs the defects and presents a receipt of the initial inspection
at the same inspection station. If the inspection sticker expires after the initial inspection but before
re-inspection, the owner may request a single-trip permit from the DMV to drive the vehicle to the inspection
station for re-inspection.
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Inspection items include:
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- brakes
- lights
- horns
- steering mechanism
- windshield wipers
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- turn signals
- tires
- rear view mirrors
- exhaust system
- window tint
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Emissions Inspection:
The emissions inspection is performed in conjunction with the annual safety inspection. Diesel-powered vehicles and motorcycles are exempt. Vehicles that fail the initial inspection qualify for re-inspection within 30 days at no additional charge, provided the owner repairs the defects and presents a receipt of the initial inspection.
Any motor vehicle less than 25-years old
and registered in these counties must
pass an annual emissions inspection:
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- Alamance
- Brunswick
- Buncombe
- Burke
- Cabarrus
- Caldwell
- Carteret
- Catawba
- Chatham
- Cleveland
- Craven
- Cumberland
- Davidson
- Durham
- Edgecombe
- Forsyth
- Franklin
- Gaston
- Granville
- Guilford
- Harnett
- Haywood
- Henderson
- Iredell
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- Johnston
- Lee
- Lenoir
- Lincoln
- Mecklenburg
- Moore
- Nash
- New Hanover
- Onslow
- Orange
- Pitt
- Randolph
- Roberson
- Rockingham
- Rowan
- Rutherford
- Stanly
- Stokes
- Surry
- Union
- Wake
- Wayne
- Wilkes
- Wilson
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If your motor vehicle is required to undergo emissions inspection, and the vehicle owner fails to pass a Safety & Emissions Inspection within four months of the existing inspection sticker, the vehicle owner is subject to a civil penalty and will be unable to renew the registration until the vehicle passes an emissions inspection.
Window Tinting:
Vehicles with after-factory window tinting must pass the 35 percent visible light requirement during an annual
vehicle safety inspection.
In addition to the annual safety inspection fee, there is a $10 charge for any vehicle that has an after-factory tint. If you have any questions about window tinting, contact your nearest DMV Enforcement Office, or call (919) 861-3185.
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