NC State Inspections
A motor vehicle registered in North Carolina must pass an annual safety inspection before its registered owner can renew its vehicle registration. They can be conducted no more than 90 days before the license plate and registration expires.
Motor vehicles registered in 19 North Carolina counties (including Wake, Durham, Franklin and Johnston) must also pass an emissions inspection, conducted at the same time as the safety inspection.
Failure to get a vehicle inspected by the due date will result in a vehicle’s registration being blocked until the vehicle is inspected.
During a safety inspection, the following are examined:
- Headlights
- Accessory lights
- Directional signals
- Foot brake
- Parking brake
- Steering
- Tires
- Horn
- Rearview mirror
- Windshield wipers
- Exhaust system
- Emission control components
- Tinted windows, if applicable