Starting Aug. 1, the DMV will resume enforcement of a law that blocks registration renewals for cars that have not been inspected in the past year.
The law was supposed to take effect last November, in a plan to beef up compliance with yearly safety and emissions checkups. Instead, the opposite happened: Inspection rates fell this spring to 2006 levels.
The state Division of Motor Vehicles quit enforcing the inspection requirement a few days after it became law last year, because of glitches that were creating headaches for thousands of lawful car owners.
Troopers stopped writing tickets for tardy inspections, and DMV stopped issuing fines. Drivers realized they could blow off the requirement with impunity.
Now, DMV officials say the problems have been fixed – with help from the General Assembly.
Starting Aug. 1, you won’t be able to get a new or renewed car registration if the DMV database shows that your car hasn’t been inspected in the past 12 months. And an officer who stops your car for a traffic violation will know whether your inspection is overdue.
DMV’s biggest problem in enforcing the inspection requirement last November involved cars coming into North Carolina from other states. Tar Heel newcomers had trouble registering their cars, and so did North Carolina residents trying to buy cars that were registered in other states.
“That was the biggest hurdle we had to get around back in November,” said Tracy Keel, DMV deputy commissioner. “We got calls from legislators wanting to know why their constituents’ friends from other states couldn’t move into North Carolina.”
Legislation signed July 17 by Gov. Beverly Perdue grants an exception for these out-of-state cars. Now if a car from another state is newly registered in North Carolina, the first inspection will not come due until 12 months later, when the registration is up for renewal.
“For everybody else in North Carolina, either you get it inspected or you don’t get a registration,” Keel said.
Bruce Siceloff reports on traffic and transportation. A News & Observer reporter and editor since 1976, he took over the 
Comments
Exten the licence
Sun, 08/30/2009 - 22:58 — samcan123It is useful if they extend our licensees because we have no time to register every year. So it is difficult to renew large no of vehicles in my Auto Transport service.
Inspection due
Thu, 07/23/2009 - 22:24 — FlowerpowerDMV says: "Ignore your inspection sticker and follow the inspection due date on your new registration card."
http://daq.state.nc.us/motor/inspect/e-sticker/e-sticker_lookup.shtml
What do I do now?
Thu, 07/23/2009 - 19:37 — JoeBloggsI was due this past May, I went ahead and mailed in my renewal, seeing NOTHING on the renewal form about this newest mess the state has created. I got the sticker back but still haven't had an inspection. Do I wait until next year, or should I go ahead and pay off the man to get a sticker now?
While Verizon got millions(8
Thu, 07/23/2009 - 19:18 — bureaucrathaterWhile Verizon got millions(8 million, I think) to run the new "no sticker" program, one must realize the real reason for the no sticker approach. Now the State has your mileage recorded and can slap a "miles driven" tax on you as the system now is already in place. Look to pay for the inspection, miles driven taxes, and the vehicle property taxes, PRIOR to being able to pick up your DMV license tags in the near future
Do away with this
Thu, 07/23/2009 - 18:05 — FlexdogThe safety inspection is nothing more than a income for the state. Study after study has shown it in no way affects the number of wrecks on the roads. If they want to have an emissions test put something on the tail pipe and test it. If you fail, fix it. I shouldn't be penalized if my car's timing is off or one of the other 200 things that can cause your check engine light to turn on. This law is stupid, along with the Seatbelt law its just big brother riding in the car with you. The best way to reset your car's computer is to disconnect the battery for about 10 - 20 minutes. this may turn it off but if your problem is really bad it will come right back on. While should the State care if my car is not working at 100%
Silly me, I did not realize
Thu, 07/23/2009 - 17:59 — ncoldsaltSilly me, I did not realize state inspections on my vehicles is/was optional. I feel fleeced.
RE: check engine light
Thu, 07/23/2009 - 17:43 — PuddentainThey don't actually measure emissions anymore. They plug their computer into your computer and your computer tells them how much pollution you're putting out. So, if the check engine light is on, it's likely that your computer will tell their computer that you're destroying the planet. That's why they require the light to be out. And since the computers talk to one another, pulling the wire out of the back of the check engine light bulb won't help.
You might be able to have someone reset the computer code. If there really is something wrong, the light will come on again pretty quick. If it's a transient error, maybe the light will stay off.
I'm not 100% sure about the year, but I anything older than 1995? is excused from the emissions testing because it doesn't have the magic computer plug, and to keep repair shops from having to own and maintain two sets of equipment.
check engine light
Thu, 07/23/2009 - 16:20 — skepticalI've been putting off my inspection because the check engine light is on and I can't afford to have it checked. Why won't they pass the inspection with that light on? If it passes all their tests, including emissions, why does the state care?
The hard part is...
Thu, 07/23/2009 - 16:14 — PuddentainTrying to figure out when the *&*$& thing is due, now that there is no sticker to tell you when you need to get it done.
"Starting Aug. 1, you
Thu, 07/23/2009 - 16:07 — PowderedToastMan"Starting Aug. 1, you won’t be able to get a new or renewed car registration if the DMV database shows that your car hasn’t been inspected in the past 12 months. " --well, there's alreay a flaw in this system...since they went to the new policy that your inspection is due the same month the registration is due, some folks who had an inspection in April 08 and their regristration was renewed in Dec 08 don't have their inspection due until Dec 09.... which is well over a year from April 08.