Pennsylvania · PA · Vehicles
Pennsylvania: Is there an annual vehicle safety inspection?
Regular safety inspection
Pennsylvania requires most vehicles to pass a safety inspection every year.
Inspections are done at official PennDOT inspection stations. School buses and some other vehicles must be inspected twice a year. Some counties also require emissions inspections, and new vehicles with low mileage get a one-year emissions exemption.
Conditions
- Annual inspection at an official PennDOT inspection station
What the law says
(a) Annual safety inspection.--Except as provided in subsection (b), the department shall establish a system of annual safety inspection of vehicles, including emergency vehicles, ...
Sources
- 75 Pa.C.S. § 4702 (Chapter 47) Official · legis.state.pa.us
- PennDOT: Safety Inspection Program Official · pa.gov
Confirm with the state
- Agency
- PennDOT Driver and Vehicle Services
- Phone
- 717-412-5300
- Website
- pa.gov
How bordering states compare
- Delaware Regular safety inspectionDelaware requires cars to pass a state inspection for safety and equipment before each registration renewal; newer cars can be waived.
- Maryland Only at sale or first registrationOnly at titling. Maryland requires a safety inspection before a used car is titled and registered, including when sold or brought from another state.
- New Jersey No safety inspectionNew Jersey inspects passenger cars only for emissions, not for safety equipment.
- New York Regular safety inspectionNew York requires every registered vehicle to pass a safety inspection once a year.
- Ohio No safety inspectionOhio does not require safety inspections of passenger cars.
- West Virginia Regular safety inspectionWest Virginia requires registered vehicles to pass a safety inspection every two years.
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