New Addition to Car Inspections in New York

New York State is starting to inspect something new at yearly car inspections.

There are a few things that car owners in New York have to do almost every year to keep their vehicles legally on the road. First, they need to make sure their vehicles are legally registered through the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (NYDMV). Registrations are normally done every two years and usually cost between $100-$200 each time. The other requirement for vehicle owners is the safety inspection that needs to be completed once every year.

Car Inspections in New York

Car inspections need to be completed once a year at a licensed New York inspection station and normally cost between $10-$20 depending on the size of the vehicle. Inspections are required every year to make sure that the vehicle you intend to drive is safe for the roads and includes numerous things that the inspector will look at before they issue you a new colored inspection sticker.

Car Inspection Checklist

If you've never looked at the inspection report after you get your car inspected you might not know exactly what they inspect each year. Yearly inspections in New York check brakes, lights, windshield and other glass, wipers, horn, mirrors and steering, front end, suspension, chassis, frame, and wheel fasteners. Every vehicle has to pass all of those inspections, but did you know that New York has begun looking at something new when you get an inspection?

Addition to yearly Car Inspections in New York

The next time you get your vehicle inspected be aware that inspectors are now looking at your license plates to determine if they are in good or poor condition. A new line on the inspection printout has a space for inspectors to report the condition of the front and rear plates according to Fox 5. The new plate inspections are now being conducted after New York has seen a rise in people altering, covering, and shielding the plate numbers to go undetected and in some cases avoid paying tolls.

SEE ALSO: Big Changes Coming to New York Inspection Stickers

Will License Plate Condition Affect If Vehicle Passes or Fails?

The good news is that no matter what the condition of your license plates are they will NOT affect whether or not your car passes inspection as the NYSDMV told Fox 5 "plate condition is not a factor of the annual vehicle safety inspection." Many drivers are wondering why the plates are being inspected if they don't affect passing or failing,

"It was simply added in June 2023 to gather data and assess how many peeling, damaged, or defaced plates are encountered during the annual inspection process."

The NYSDMV didn't say how the data collected would be used or why they needed to assess the condition of the plates. If and when they provide any more information we will update this article.