4 Things You Should Know Before Getting a Maryland State Inspection

4 Things You Need To Know Before Getting A Maryland Vehicle Inspection

In Maryland, before registering your vehicle, it’s important to have it thoroughly inspected. There are approximately 1,600 locations throughout the state of Maryland that have been licensed to correctly inspect your car. While the station should first be authorized to follow through with the inspection, most locations specialize in inspecting passenger cars, trailers without air brakes (up to 20 feet or less in length), light trucks, and SUVs. Often, many car owners visit locations only knowing the facts listed above, but don’t know some additional must know facts before getting a Maryland vehicle inspection.

Getting your car inspected shouldn’t be a tedious or complicated task, but it should be something you have knowledge about prior to visiting an inspection location. Don’t worry, if you don’t have the answers, that’s where we come into the picture. Brushing up on your facts about car inspections is a piece of cake.

There are five specific facts every car owner should know before walking into a station to get their car inspected. Not familiar? No worries. Keep scrolling and allow us to school you on five things you need to know about Maryland vehicle inspections.

1. When To Inspect Your Vehicle

Maryland only requires you to get your vehicle inspected for two reasons:

• You just moved to Maryland and your vehicle is registered in another state, or

• You just bought a used vehicle (or received it as a gift or inheritance)

If you just moved to Maryland, you have 60 days to register your vehicle, and you need to pass the Maryland state inspection before registering your vehicle. If you just purchased a used vehicle (or received it as a gift or inheritance), your car needs to pass the Maryland state inspection within 90 days prior to registering the vehicle. Even if your car already passed the Maryland vehicle inspection this year, you still need to re-inspect the car because the certificate has an expiration of 90 days.

Note that some driving services (Uber, Lyft, etc.) may require an additional Maryland State Inspection even if you have previously had an inspection performed and/or the vehicle is registered in Maryland prior to becoming a driver for their service.

2. Where To Schedule Your Inspection

Prior to scheduling your inspection you want to make sure that the inspection station is authorized by Maryland as the Maryland Vehicle Administration only accepts certificates from authorized locations.  All Phase Auto Repair station 7987A  has two Technicians certified by Maryland who can reliably perform safety inspections.

Like anything, finding a location to get something looked at that you use on a daily basis is pretty important. There are some good stations and there are some bad stations, but it is up to you to do a thorough search to find the best location to get your car inspection completed. You will find out that doing your research beforehand can save you a lot of stress and possibly, maybe even a lot of money. Google is your best friend so take full advantage.

3. What The Maryland Vehicle Inspection Includes

Patience is a virtue and when it comes to Maryland vehicle inspections, and the main goal is to try and get your car back in your possession in a feasible amount of time. Most inspections take anywhere between 1 to 2 hours once the mechanic begins to work on the vehicle. Depending on your vehicle, different aspects of it are checked. In general, brakes, steering, lights, exhaust, safety belts, and other crucial components are checked during the Maryland vehicle inspection.  We have a full list posted in our office.

Upon completion of your auto inspection, the mechanic will issue you a report that states whether or not your vehicle passed and what may or may not need to be discussed further. This pass or fail notice is also electronically submitted to the MVA at the time of the inspection for their records. A certificate will not be issued if your vehicle fails to meet any of the safety standards.

You also have the option to perform required repairs at the station, complete the repairs yourself, or have them performed at another location if, for example, your vehicle is under warranty for the item(s) that failed inspection.

Note that if the vehicle is re-inspected within 30 days after the original inspection and you have driven it less than 1,000 miles, the inspection station only needs to inspect the defective parts noted during the original Maryland vehicle inspection. Here is more information from the Maryland Vehicle Administration.

4. Maryland Vehicle Inspection Costs and Fees

The Motor Vehicle Association doesn’t control the rates when it comes to the cost of inspections, so depending where you decide to get your vehicle inspected, the cost can and will vary. The average price for Maryland state inspection as of 2022 is around $95.  Some vehicles are more due to tint or size of the vehicle.  It is necessary that each location has their rate posted somewhere in the station to let patrons know beforehand how much they will be dishing out of pocket. For re-inspection, rates vary depending on specific parts that need to be inspected.

Ultimately, getting the Maryland vehicle inspection is a simple process. Following the steps above will ensure that getting your car inspected is a pleasurable process.