State Inspection Question - VA (how much, property taxes, cost)

[ajblief]

Is there any grace period once your VA state inspection sticker expires?

[ghett61]

I believe they will give you up to 1 month. A guy I work with got pulled over with a 3 month expired sticker and the cop told him that far overdue is supposed to get towed at owners expense.

[Electron]

There is no grace period. Just like a bill, past due is past due. It is up to the cop's discretion whether or not to write a ticket. Not worth rolling the dice, imo.

[LilyLady]

Originally Posted by Electron

There is no grace period. Just like a bill, past due is past due. It is up to the cop's discretion whether or not to write a ticket. Not worth rolling the dice, imo.

That is exactly what we were told when we moved here to VA. There is no grace period. We were told that our inspection expires on the last day of a particular month and that's it. No grace period.

It was kind of a shock to us. We came from Texas and we were used to a 5-day grace period on vehicle inspections. It's different here.

[CAVA1990]

If you buy a car from out of state and it has a valid inspection sticker from that state, when are you required to get one for VA? I know they give you 30 days from the time you get your title and plates to have the emissions inspection. Is there such a grace period for safety inspections?

[Electron]

Originally Posted by CAVA1990

If you buy a car from out of state and it has a valid inspection sticker from that state, when are you required to get one for VA? I know they give you 30 days from the time you get your title and plates to have the emissions inspection. Is there such a grace period for safety inspections?

The same 30 days. Even if you already live here, and relocate within the state. You have thirty days to get your address and other information up to date. That means you will get new Virginia license plates, and you will need to get a Virginia state inspection at that time.
The only grace specifically mentioned by law is that you may drive your vehicle to the inspection station with a dead sticker, as long as you have an appointment. Aside from that, any member of the local constabulary can issue you a summons to submit revenue, er, I mean a fine to the county or state. It's really quite a crock, and if any of you are women, I suggest putting on your witch face when getting an inspection done. I have seen way to many instances of dishonesty among inspection stations looking to drum up business from failed inspections. NEVER agree to repairs that fail your vehicle without a second opinion. OR, ask the inspector to show you in the book the reason for the rejection of your vehicle. Each station is assigned to a particular state trooper, and don't hesitate to ask the station to get him on the phone or stop by. If they tell you that your brake pads are worn, ask them for the measurements. If they tell you that your front end is out of alignment, ask them how that results in a rejection. A front end out of alignment will not be cause for failure, but it may wear your tires or other suspension/ steering components to the point of failure. Just don't be afraid to ask for proof or justification, in writing.

[docpinder]

If you have a rejected sticker on your car, are you allowed to drive that vehicle for those 15 days until you get it fixed?

[spencgr]

Originally Posted by docpinder

If you have a rejected sticker on your car, are you allowed to drive that vehicle for those 15 days until you get it fixed?

yes.

[Bigfoot424]

Originally Posted by spencgr

yes.

Technically YES. But, you can still be cited depending on what was rejected. If you have bald tires and you get the rejection sticker you can be cited for driving with bald tires. What many of us would do is tell people to make their appointment for whatever shop is going to fix their vehicle or re inspect the car. Then go straight there. Don't make an appointment in Manassas and swing by Gainesville before going to the shop. If we could confirm you were on the way it was easy to let you go with no cite.

[spencgr]

Originally Posted by Bigfoot424

Technically YES. But, you can still be cited depending on what was rejected. If you have bald tires and you get the rejection sticker you can be cited for driving with bald tires. What many of us would do is tell people to make their appointment for whatever shop is going to fix their vehicle or re inspect the car. Then go straight there. Don't make an appointment in Manassas and swing by Gainesville before going to the shop. If we could confirm you were on the way it was easy to let you go with no cite.

Interesting. Can an officer "see" bald tires from their vehicle, or would this come up as a secondary violation as they were stopped for something else. Or might officers just see the rejection sticker and pull someone over just for that?