If you’re a driver in Virginia, then you already know what a pain it is to have your vehicle inspected once a year. And if you’re like me, you’ve probably had a time or two when driving with an expired inspection and just prayed you wouldn’t get pulled over. Or even worse, you let your friend’s uncle do the inspection instead of taking it to an official inspection station.
Let’s all promise to never do that again. It only takes a few bucks and a few minutes of your time to have your car inspected properly. And then you can relax for the rest of the year. Failing to do so will just cause more trouble.
Under Virginia Code § 46.2-1153 “the owner or operator of any motor vehicle, trailer, or semitrailer registered in Virginia . . . shall submit his vehicle to an inspection of its mechanism and equipment by an official inspection station.”
And Virginia Code § 46.2-1173 makes it illegal for any person to “make, issue, or knowingly use any imitation or counterfeit of an official safety inspection sticker” or to “display or cause or permit to be displayed upon any vehicle any safety inspection sticker knowing it to be fictitious or issued for another vehicle.”
And if you get pulled over for an expired or counterfeit inspection sticker can lead to more serious charges and even getting arrested.
So next time you notice that your inspection sticker is up for renewal, do it right. It doesn’t matter if it’s your vehicle or not – if you’re driving, it’s your problem. And trust me – the police can spot counterfeit inspection stickers from a mile away.
If you need help fighting an illegal inspection charge, call (757) 464-9224 or contact us online today.