Q. When is the new two-year inspection program scheduled to take effect?
A. As of 2020, personal passenger vehicles that pass inspection only require re-inspection every two years.
Q. What kinds of vehicles will only need to be inspected once every two years?
A. Passenger, family motor coach, antique, light commercial vehicles and farm trucks with a unladen curb mass of 3,000 kilograms or less.
Q. Will my vehicle be inspected differently?
A. No, the inspection process will remain the same. As always vehicle owners/operators are responsible for maintaining their vehicle in a safe operating condition and addressing issues as they arise.
Q. Is my 2019 inspection good for two years?
A. No, this applies to vehicles that pass inspection starting in January 2020 and fall within the weight threshold of this change.
Q. Will there be any change to the cost?
A. The $35 annual fee to inspect a passenger vehicle has been in place since 2015. As part of the updating of the regulations, the fee is being increased to $45 (paid every 2 years) to better reflect the time that goes into an inspection.
Q. Why are you changing the frequency of required Motor Vehicle Inspections (MVI)?
A. Most other Canadian jurisdictions do not require annual inspections for private passenger vehicles. There is no collision data to suggest that there are more unsafe vehicles on the roads in those jurisdictions. Inspections provide a snapshot in time.
Q. Why is the initial inspection on new cars valid for three years?
A. New cars generally do not have mechanical issues during the first three years and any issues that do arise are usually covered by the manufacturer’s warranty. After the initial 3-year inspection, these vehicles will be required to be inspected every 2 years.
Q. What is considered a ‘new vehicle’?
A. A new vehicle is a vehicle that has never been registered in any province or territory of Canada and is sold to its owner by a dealer licenced under section 55 of the Motor Vehicle Act.
Q. How will you determine when a new car has reached three years of age? Is it tied to model year, manufacture date, purchase date?
A. When a dealer sells a new vehicle, they will affix an inspection sticker with the 3-year expiry date.
Q. Can I continue to have my vehicle inspected annually?
A. Yes, you can continue to have your vehicle inspected as often as you wish as per before these changes. Law enforcement will continue to have the authority to order vehicle inspections.
Q. Does this change affect trailers?
A. This change affects trailers with an assigned gross mass of 1499 KG or less.
- Manufactured trailers including recreational trailers, in this weight category are exempt from inspection.
- Homemade trailers in this weight category require a one-time inspection prior to their initial registration.
- Trailers in this weight category that were previously inspected do not require another inspection.
Note: a homemade trailer is a trailer that is declared to be homemade by the owner and that bears no manufacturer’s label, brand or vehicle identification number.
There are no changes to the inspection requirements for trailers with an assigned gross mass of 1500KG or more.
(Updated January 20, 2020)