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What if my car fails the vehicle inspection?
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The grid below highlights how your state requires you to handle a failed vehicle inspection.
Generally, you’ll need to make the necessary repairs and return the vehicle for another inspection. However, some states offer perks such as free re-inspections for returning the vehicle within a certain amount of time and/or to the same auto inspection station.
In addition to taking advantage of any freebies your state offers, it’s important to make the repairs and return for a re-inspection in a timely manner in order to handle vehicle registration or registration renewal on time, as well as avoid late fees, citations, and other penalties.
NOTE: If the grid states you don’t have to get a vehicle inspection in your state, be sure to double-check with your motor vehicle licensing agency. Some states do require certain kinds of inspections, such VIN inspections before registering out-of-state vehicles, salvage vehicles that have been rebuilt, or custom-built vehicles, or emissions inspections.
Generally, you’ll need to make the necessary repairs and return the vehicle for another inspection. However, some states offer perks such as free re-inspections for returning the vehicle within a certain amount of time and/or to the same auto inspection station.
In addition to taking advantage of any freebies your state offers, it’s important to make the repairs and return for a re-inspection in a timely manner in order to handle vehicle registration or registration renewal on time, as well as avoid late fees, citations, and other penalties.
NOTE: If the grid states you don’t have to get a vehicle inspection in your state, be sure to double-check with your motor vehicle licensing agency. Some states do require certain kinds of inspections, such VIN inspections before registering out-of-state vehicles, salvage vehicles that have been rebuilt, or custom-built vehicles, or emissions inspections.
| Alabama | Vehicle inspections aren’t required. |
| Alaska | Vehicle inspections aren’t required. |
| Arizona | Make the necessary repairs and have the vehicle re-inspected. |
| Arkansas | Vehicle inspections aren’t required. |
| California | Make the necessary repairs and have the vehicle re-inspected. |
| Colorado | Vehicle inspections aren’t required. |
| Connecticut | Make repairs and return for a re-inspection within 30 days. The first re-inspection is free. |
| Delaware | Obtain a temporary registration to give you time to make necessary repairs. |
| Florida | Vehicle inspections aren’t required. |
| Georgia | Make the necessary repairs and take advantage of a free re-inspection within 30 days. |
| Hawaii | Make the necessary repairs and have the vehicle re-inspected. |
| Idaho | Vehicle inspections aren’t required. |
| Illinois | Vehicle inspections aren’t required. |
| Indiana | Vehicle inspections aren’t required. |
| Iowa | Vehicle inspections aren’t required. |
| Kansas | Vehicle inspections aren’t required. |
| Kentucky | Vehicle inspections aren’t required. |
| Louisiana | Make the necessary repairs and have the vehicle re-inspected. |
| Maine | You have 60 days to make repairs and have a free re-inspection. You can’t drive during that time, and if you fail to make the repairs and have the vehicle re-inspected you face registration suspension and a citation. |
| Maryland | Make the necessary repairs and have the same inspector at the same station conduct the re-inspection. If you do this within 30 days and drive fewer than 1,000 miles, on the original problems must be re-inspected. Re-inspection fee varies with the station’s labor rate. |
| Massachusetts | Make the necessary repairs and have the vehicle re-inspected. |
| Michigan | Vehicle inspections aren’t required. |
| Minnesota | Vehicle inspections aren’t required. |
| Mississippi | Make the necessary repairs and have the vehicle re-inspected. |
| Missouri | Make the necessary repairs and have the vehicle re-inspected. |
| Montana | Vehicle inspections aren’t required. |
| Nebraska | Vehicle inspections aren’t required. |
| Nevada | Vehicle inspections aren’t required. |
| New Hampshire | Make the necessary repairs and have the vehicle re-inspected. |
| New Jersey | You’ll receive a report that lists the problems. Make the necessary repairs within the month following the first inspection. |
| New Mexico | Vehicle inspections aren’t required. |
| New York | You have 30 days to make repairs and bring the vehicle to the same inspection station for a re-inspection (paying only for the safety part and not the emissions part); if you wait longer than 30 days or go to a different inspection station, your vehicle must have both inspections again and you must pay both fees. |
| North Carolina | If the vehicle fails the safety inspection within 4 months of expiration, you could receive an official warning letter, be charged $250, and be unable to renew your registration until you make repairs and have a re-inspection. |
| North Dakota | Vehicle inspections aren’t required. |
| Ohio | Vehicle inspections aren’t required. |
| Oklahoma | Vehicle inspections aren’t required. |
| Oregon | Vehicle inspections aren’t required. |
| Pennsylvania | Make the necessary repairs and have the vehicle re-inspected. |
| Rhode Island | Both you and the Inspection Division will receive a rejection report. Make the necessary repairs and return for a free re-inspection of within 30 days. |
| South Carolina | Vehicle inspections aren’t required. |
| South Dakota | Vehicle inspections aren’t required. |
| Tennessee | Vehicle inspections aren’t required. |
| Texas | Make the necessary repairs and return to the station within 15 days for a free re-inspection. |
| Utah | Make the necessary repairs and return to the station within 15 days for a free re-inspection. |
| Vermont | Make the necessary repairs as reported on the OBD form and have the vehicle re-inspected. |
| Virginia | Make the necessary repairs and have the vehicle re-inspected. |
| Washington | Vehicle inspections aren’t required. |
| West Virginia | Make the necessary repairs and return for a re-inspection within 5 days. You could be charged again. |
| Wisconsin | Vehicle inspections aren’t required. |
| Wyoming | Vehicle inspections aren’t required. |
| Washington DC | If repairs are minor, you’ll get a “pass with warning”; if major, you’ll get a failed inspection sticker, list of repairs to make, and must have the vehicle re-inspected within 20 days to avoid late re-inspection fees. |
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