The state Division of Motor Vehicles needs an extra month to prepare for the change to a new vehicle inspection system, so North Carolina drivers won’t say goodbye to windshield inspection stickers until November.
DMV’s planned new program for safety and emissions inspections will end the use of windshield stickers that remind drivers when their next inspections are due.
The big changes are:
- You won't get a windshield sticker again,
- Your inspection and registration renewal deadlines will be synchronized so they fall in the same month, and
- You'll be reminded to get your inspection before DMV will issue a new license tag or renew your old one.
DMV had planned to start the change, and to stop putting new windshield stickers on cars, with inspections that take place after Oct. 1. But some inspection stations have not yet installed computer equipment needed for the change, so DMV officials said today the change will be postponed to Nov. 1.
Bruce Siceloff reports on traffic and transportation. A News & Observer reporter and editor since 1976, he took over the 
Comments
They should just do away with safety inspections
Tue, 09/16/2008 - 21:08 — George_Sall together. Keep the emissions inspection for cars between 4 and 13 years old. Forget about the safety inspections all together. Lots of states have done that. Just a waste of everyone's time.
Why does NC inspect vehicles under 5 yers old?
Tue, 09/16/2008 - 19:23 — ejkaneMost cars in the US don't have to be inspected for emissions or safety issues until they are at least 5 years old! Think of it. How many cars under 5 year fail an inspection? Not a lot. My guess is that it's probably less than 1/4 of 1%. Even if the number is slightly higher it would mean that over 95% of the people with new cars in NC are paying out $30-$40 per year so the state can find a very tiny percentage of lemons. That's a very poor return on investment and a waste of time and taxpayer money. The only people who benefit from the current system are the car dealers and auto repair shops who charge the annual fees to "inspect" brand new cars and trucks and discover that new cars don't pollute or have safety issues. If the state really would like to save the taxpayers some money, they would do away with annual inspections on autos and trucks under 6 years old.
I'm with you!!!
Tue, 09/16/2008 - 21:30 — Anonymous (not verified)I'm with you!!!