DC residents are required to have their vehicles inspected prior to registration. New vehicles which have a Manufacturers Certificate of Origin (i.e., title for a new vehicle) and which are not used for commercial or for hire use are exempt from an initial inspection. However, these new vehicles are still required to display the inspection sticker that is provided by the DMV when the vehicle is originally titled and registered. Also, passenger vehicles that are pre-1968 and zero emission do not have to go through inspection. Click here for special requirements for motorcycles and motorized bicycles which are imported from outside the United States. The vehicle's inspection must be periodically renewed.

• What is a vehicle inspection?
• How do I get my vehicle inspected the first time?
• Can I schedule a vehicle inspection in advance?
• What if I receive an "Unable to Test" slip?
• What if my vehicle fails inspection?
• How do I renew my vehicle's inspection?
• How do I get my vehicle re-inspected?
• What are the inspection requirements for my vehicle?
• Privately Owned/Not For Hire Vehicle
• Taxi Vehicle
• Bus or Commercial Vehicle
• What are the fees for vehicle inspection?
• How are the vehicle inspection fees charged?

• Directions to the 1001 Half Street, SW Inspection Station Location
• Below is a view of the Inspection Station waiting line (as depicted on I Street, SW) to help determine if now is a good time to visit.



• Senior citizens are expedited when they arrive at the inspection station.
• For Hours of Operation and other information visit Service Locations.
• The best times to visit the station are Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday from 8:30am – 10am and 1:30pm - 3pm. Customers are advised that the days before and after a holiday and most Saturdays are especially busy due to many customers being off from work. Other busy hours to avoid are the first day the station is open for the week (i.e., Tuesday), the first hour of opening and during lunch times from 10am - 1pm.
• Although vehicle inspections are conducted on a first come, first served basis during normal hours of operation, appointments may also be scheduled in advance using our online Inspection Station Appointment Scheduling System. An online appointment will allow you to proceed past the inspection station gates and be queued into an inspection station lane.

• As of Thursday, October 1, 2009, DC DMV will not require safety inspections for private passenger vehicles. All vehicles will still be required to pass federally mandated emissions inspections every two years. Commercial, taxi and limo vehicles will still be subject to both safety and emissions inspections.
• Vehicles smoking excessively will not be inspected.
• Please do not bring pets to the inspection station.
• Vehicle mileage at the inspection station is recorded to the nearest thousand by rounding down. This is an industry standard.
• Once an inspection sticker is removed from the windshield, it will display "VOID". Since it is illegal to display a voided sticker, if your windshield is replaced, please proceed to the Inspection Station within 72 hours for an inspection sticker replacement. A fee is required for the sticker replacement.