Virginia Safety Inspections

Annual Safety Inspection

Dulles Auto Clinic is a Virginia State Police licensed inspection station. In the state of Virginia, it is required that you have your vehicle inspected every year to verify that it is in safe operating condition. When the inspector takes your vehicle the following actions are performed:

• The entire (old) inspection sticker is removed
• The vehicle must be able to be driven (under it's own power) into the inspection lane

Then the following items are inspected:

1. Service brakes
2. Brakes: emergency, parking, or holding
3. Steering & Suspension
4. Frame, engine mounts, coupling devices and emergency chains (for trailer)
5. Tires, Wheels & Rims
6. Headlamps
7. Rear lamps: tail lamp; license plate lamps and rear lamp combinations
8. Auxiliary lamps: backup; cornering; driving; fog; spot and warning
9. Parking lamps
10. Clearance lamps and reflectors
11. Signal device (intention to stop or turn), hazard lights, stop lamp
12. Permissible lighting equipment (e.g. Running board or courtesy lamps)
13. Windshield And Other Glass
14. Mirrors
15. Windshield Wiper/Defroster
16. Horns and other warning devices
17. Doors At The Right & Left Side Of The Driver’s Seat
18. Hood latch system
19. Floor Pan
20. Driver’s Seat
21. Seat Belts (including Air Bag And Airbag Readiness Light)
22. Muffler, exhaust system and trailer venting
23. Air Pollution Control System or device
24. Fuel System

After the inspection is complete the inspector will either place a new safety sticker, dated for the same month for the following year, or a rejection sticker on your vehicle. The cost of the inspection is $16 for:

• Passenger cars
• Trucks with a gross weight rating of less than 26,000 pounds
• Buses that seat 15 passengers (including driver) or less.

Motorcycle inspections are $12 but carry different inspection requirements.

If you receive a rejection sticker you will be told why you have failed and provided with a list of the failing items along with an explanation. The rejection sticker is valid for 15 days during which you are entitled to receive up to 2 re-inspections for a fee of $1.00.