Getting your vehicle inspected
A motor vehicle registered in North Carolina must pass an annual safety inspection before it can be renewed. Inspections must be conducted no more than 90 days before expiration.
- In-state inspections
- Out-of-state inspections
- What about emissions inspections?
- How do I submit my out-of-state inspection, and what do I send?
In-state inspections
Visit the NCDOT website for more information on in-state inspections and to find an inspection station near you. After completing your inspection, your vehicle will be able to renew on myNCDMV within a few hours.
Out-of-state inspections
If you are currently living in another state and your vehicle is up for renewal, you can still get your vehicle inspected in that state. However, you will need both a safety inspection as well as an emissions inspection. You will need to go to a local mechanic or safety inspection station within your current state to complete this service.
You can find the information that needs to be recorded on your vehicle during the inspection here, in the "Out-of-State Exemptions" section.
What about emissions inspections?
Emissions inspections are required for vehicles registered in these 22 counties, even if you currently reside out of state.
How do I submit my out-of-state inspection, and what do I send?
You'll need to submit the following to the NCDMV:
- Scan or Picture of your Inspections (both back and front pages)
- Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
- License Plate Number
Once you have the above, email vehinsp@ncdot.gov to submit your inspection to the NCDMV. It will take the NCDMV at least three business days to update their records to reflect your inspection, and they'll let you know once your record is updated. After that, you can then renew online with myNCDMV.
More more information, see Renew vehicle registration & pay property taxes.