What items must a vehicle have to pass state inspection?

BigClay

BigClay

Knower of useless ZJ things
Joined
Sep 24, 2008
Location
Winston-Salem
I have been doing some research on what exactly NC state inspectors must ensure a vehicle has to pass state inspection. As you can imagine, it is hard to read all the regs and piece them together. So I wanted to ask any inspectors on here what makes a vehicle "street legal" I would like to get a general list, and I will update this post with the items so we can have one go-to place.

Updated list starts below from feedback in this thread:

1996 and older is safety inspection onle. 1996 has OBDII and will not pass with any check engine light. 1996 and newer diesel and high GVWR vehicles are safety only.

1. Windshield wipers (if vehicle has a windshield)
2. seat belts
3. Emission equipment in place (but not necessarily operational) including cat
4. Tires gaged to certain depth (3/32'nds)
5. Headlights pointed correctly (measured with a laser if inspection station is equipped)
6. Operational horn (button OK)
7. Rear view mirror (any non-commercial vehicle with a rear window)
8. Emergency brake (must hold vehicle)
9. All lights (turn / brake / headlight dim and bright / reverse (some say yes, some say no) / emergency)
10. Exhaust past rear tires
11. Good brakes
12. No visual obstructions for driver
13. No lift past something like 6" more than stock
 
Last edited:
Depends on what year vehicle you are talking about... 1996 and later have to pass OBDII inspection and no matter what if it has a check engine light on, it's automatic fail. 1995 and prior just have safety inspection. Then there's "antique" vehicles which have their own inspection.
 
ManglerYJ said:
Depends on what year vehicle you are talking about... 1996 and later have to pass OBDII inspection and no matter what if it has a check engine light on, it's automatic fail. 1995 and prior just have safety inspection. Then there's "antique" vehicles which have their own inspection.
Click to expand...

Good point. I was thinking of safety inspection items like seat belts, turn signals, etc. For discussion purposes, lets say it is a 1996 or newer vehicle with no check engine light on; what will the inspector look for.
 
ManglerYJ said:
Depends on what year vehicle you are talking about... 1996 and later have to pass OBDII inspection and no matter what if it has a check engine light on, it's automatic fail. 1995 and prior just have safety inspection. Then there's "antique" vehicles which have their own inspection.
Click to expand...
1996 and newer don't have OBDII if they are diesel or are over a certain GVWR.
 
I thought 1996 is the cutoff for non emissions / safety only? And I thought ANY general passenger vehicle built after 1996 required an engine check light from the gov't??? Or am I mistaken???

Besides that, the general list can go on and on for say anything past the late 60's /early 70's. Before that, all vehicles were created UN-equal...

General list to get started for say post 76-79'ish depending on vehicle - 1996??? I'll take a stab although mostly generically common sense...
1. Windshield wipers (iffy on actual front windshield needed depending on inspector)
2. seat belts with shoulder ("lap belt only" for the pre 76-79'ish back until???)
3. Emission equipment in place (but not necessarily operational) including cat
4. Tires gaged to certain depth (can't remember think it's 10/32'nds???)
5. Headlights pointed correctly (measured with a laser if inspection station is equipped)
6. Operational horn
7. Rear view mirror (any non-commercial vehicle with a rear window)
8. Emergency brake
9. All lights (turn / brake / headlight dim and bright / reverse / emergency)
10. Exhaust past rear tires
11. Good brakes
12. No visual obstructions for driver
13. No lift past something like 6" more than stock
14. Clean title / registration / and driver's license
15. County / City taxes paid up

Sure there's more??? And please correct me if I'm wrong???
 
Updated the original post with the information thus far.

As for lights, are reverse lights required?
 
If you have windshield you have to have wipers. No windshield, wipers not needed.

96 and older is safety only. 96 newer requires OBDII testing. except diesels.
 
Black Bear said:
If you have windshield you have to have wipers. No windshield, wipers not needed.
Click to expand...


According to my inspector wipers are needed regardless??? But she also told me the wording for this in th NCDMV handbook was very vague and can be interpreted differently from inspector to inspector??? At least this was the case back in the 90's when my bronco wasn't an antique. My inspector would frown at my plexiglass windshield but would test the wipers every time???

Bottom line, if you fail... You need to find another inspector for next time. And if you have issues, do yourself a favor and go anywhere that's not one of the "official" stations that all they do is inspections. They rolled out the laser and failed a buddy of mine for headlights not pointed right cause his lights in his beater had been tweaked due to it being,,, a "beater". He took it to my inspector at the time at a garage in the backwoods and dude checks them with mirrors hanging on the wall and passed him. Regardless, NO inspector is the same unless from one of the "official" places are strictly by the book. The way I see it, they get more pay to fail you. But say Joe's Garage gets more pay to overlook something and pass you cause you will return again and again.
 
BigClay said:
I have been doing some research on what exactly NC state inspectors must ensure a vehicle has to pass state inspection. As you can imagine, it is hard to read all the regs and piece them together. So I wanted to ask any inspectors on here what makes a vehicle "street legal" I would like to get a general list, and I will update this post with the items so we can have one go-to place.

Updated list starts below from feedback in this thread:

1996 and older is safety inspection onle. 1996 has OBDII and will not pass with any check engine light. 1996 and newer diesel and high GVWR vehicles are safety only.

1. Windshield wipers (if vehicle has a windshield)
2. seat belts
3. Emission equipment in place (but not necessarily operational) including cat
4. Tires gaged to certain depth (3/32'nds)
5. Headlights pointed correctly (measured with a laser if inspection station is equipped)
6. Operational horn
7. Rear view mirror (any non-commercial vehicle with a rear window)
8. Emergency brake
9. All lights (turn / brake / headlight dim and bright / reverse / emergency)
10. Exhaust past rear tires
11. Good brakes
12. No visual obstructions for driver
13. No lift past something like 6" more than stock
Click to expand...
1.WIPERS MUST BE IN POPAR WORKING ORDER (ie) NO RIPS OR TEARS AND WORK CORRECT
2.SEATS BELTS DONT MATTER
3.ALL EMISSION THAT IT WAS MADE WITH HAS TO BE THERE
4.TIRES 2/32 TIRES ARE REALLY UP TO INSPECTOR ITS A SHADY AREA
5. HEADLIGHTS NO BUSTED LENS ,AIMED, NO COLORS
6.HORN MUST WORK , CAN BE A BUTTON AS LONG AS ITS IN REACH
7.MIRRORS BEST WAY TO LOOK AT IT , CAR DRIVERS SIDE OUTSIDE AND REARVIEW TRUCK VAN SUV BOTH OUTSIDE MIRRORS
8.E-BRAKE MUST HOLD CAR
9.NO BUSTED LENS WHITE OR AMBER OR YELLOW DEPENDING WHAT LIGHT, REVERSE DONT MATTER
10.EXHAULT HAS TO BE WHAT WAS ON IT WHEN MADE EASIEST WAY TO LOOK AT IT
11.NO NOSIE
12 NO CLUE WHAT YOUR TALKING ABOUT
13.LIFT LAWS OR TRICKY BUT ITS FOR HEADLIGHTS
Opps sorry about caps
Inspection are a funny it all depends on who you know
 
Black Bear said:
If you have windshield you have to have wipers. No windshield, wipers not needed.

96 and older is safety only. 96 newer requires OBDII testing. except diesels.
Click to expand...
Any 3/4 ton or up is safety only, regardless of fuel type. My 2002 GMC 2500 gasser is safety inspection only.
 
No inspection needed on pre 1979. 35 years old = no inspection.
 
'96 and newer get the plug.....unless diesel or heavy gvw.
'95 and older is simply safety inspection.....
'79 and older no inspection, unless brought in from another state (one time) 35-year roll....next year '80 no inspection.
 
For what its worth:
3/32 or better on tires
no windshield, no wipers, if windshield it must not cut wipers and good wipers
one stop lamp
no reverse lights needed
turn sigs
seat belts if it originally came with them (not for inspection though)
95 and prior safety only
INSPECTOR IS SUPPOSED TO AIM HEADLIGHTS (I'm mad the inspector did not aim mine)
Two rear view mirrors (in or out, must adjust if you get someone particular)
brake pedal must not fall more than 2/3 way to floor
no more than 3" free play in steering wheel
ebrake must hold car in drive
horn must work (button OK)
original emissions equipment must be in place (not necessarily function but its supposed to be there.. my '88 passed but it is a 97 motor and they should have noted that it was a later motor but just passed it on all the emission junk that a 88 has but a 97 doesnt)
Lift is not specifically mentioned for inspection, just for oops I got pulled. something like "Bumper must not be 6" over stock" so I don't see any reason you couldnt lift 24" and put a 18" drop bumper and not get away with it. It's not about headlights but impact with other vehicles. not an inspection item.
Cracks in windshield OK even if in front of the driver SO LONG AS it will not cut the wipers (rule of thumb: credit card catches the crack, fail under wipers)

This is as it was explained at my inspection course 9 mo ago. YMMV depending on inspector
 
no reverse lights needed

dashboard must display high beam indicator (blue light) and turn signal indicators

cracks in windshield OK as long as it doesn't impede the drivers view (and apparently it can't cut the wipers)
 
Actually the instructor I had only last fall said it didn't matter where the crack was, only if it cut the wipers because it gets failed as wipers not windshield FWIW.
 
What would be the case for a 35 yr old chopped up firewall buggy. No inspection required. Cops could still ticket for various things missing or broken?
 
I think there is also something about a "safe" steering system. This always comes up when people start talking about full hydro.
 
I was told that it was 6" of lift from stock ride height of the vehicle does not have a frame. As in a truck can be lifted up to a max height of 12'3" but a unibody with lift and tires can only be 6" above stock ride height including tires and lift
 
jyaks said:
I was told that it was 6" of lift from stock ride height of the vehicle does not have a frame. As in a truck can be lifted up to a max height of 12'3" but a unibody with lift and tires can only be 6" above stock ride height including tires and lift
Click to expand...
There is a clause in there, not sure of the exact wording, that states unless its for periodic offroad use.....
 
Back
Top