D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 18, r. 18-601

Current through Register Vol. 71, No. 49, December 6, 2024
Rule 18-601 - INSPECTION REQUIREMENTS
601.1

Inspections shall be made and stickers obtained with respect to the items of equipment designated by the Director.

601.2

Inspections shall be conducted in accordance with the standards contained in the current edition of the Washington DC Vehicle Inspection Program Lane Operator's Manual (also referred to as the "Lane Operator's Manual") or, when applicable, to the current edition of the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrator's Vehicle Inspection Manual (also referred to as the "AAMVA Manual") and in the event existing standards do not apply to a particular piece of equipment, a standard specified by the Director.

601.3

The "Lane Operator's Manual" or the "AAMVA Manual" are incorporated in this chapter by reference. In the event of any inconsistency between "Lane Operator's Manual" or the "AAMVA Manual" and this title, the provisions of this title shall govern.

601.4

Vehicles registered in the District of Columbia shall be inspected periodically for, when applicable, exhaust emissions, and compliance with this title as follows:

(a) Passenger vehicle: every two (2) years;
(b) [REPEALED];
(c) Bus: every six (6) months; except as provided in (d);
(d) Bus owned or leased by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority: annually;
(e) Taxicab and other public vehicles for hire: semi-annually;
(f) [REPEALED];
(g) [REPEALED];
(h) Commercial vehicle: annually;
(i) Tow truck: annually;
(j) Vehicle registered as a class F(I) historic motor vehicle: one (1) time, at time of registration, plus an inspection limited to confirming the odometer reading every two (2) years;
(k) Vehicle registered as a class F(II) historic motor vehicle: one (1) time, at time of registration; and
(l) All other motor vehicles: every two (2) years; except that autocycles, motorcycles, motor-driven cycles, vehicles weighing twenty-six thousand (26,000) pounds or more, motor vehicles with diesel or electric engines, pre-1968 model year motor vehicles, and trailers do not need to be inspected.
601.5

[REPEALED]

601.6

Vehicles registered in the District of Columbia shall be inspected periodically for safe operating condition and compliance with this title as follows:

(1) Bus not owned or leased by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority Bus: semiannually;
(2) Taxicab and other public vehicle for hire: annually;
(3) Commercial vehicle: annually;
(4) Tow truck: annually.
601.7

At the discretion of the Director, imported vehicles may be exempt from certain inspection requirements, such as emissions, safety glass and headlights.

601.8

The fees for inspections shall be as follows:

(a) Passenger vehicle, including historic motor vehicle: $ 35;
(b) [REPEALED];
(c) [REPEALED];
(d) Commercial vehicles and vehicles for hire, including all buses: $ 35:
(e) Trailers, based upon the manufacturer's shipping weight: $ 35
(f) Tow truck: $ 35;
(g) Salvage vehicle: $ 35;
(h) New vehicles for which an inspection is not required but for which a sticker is required: $ 10;
(i) Taxicabs and other vehicles for hire: $70;
(j) All other motor vehicles: $35.
601.9

The inspection fees included above shall include two re-inspections performed within twenty (20) days of the initial inspection. The fee for all other re-inspections shall be in accordance with the above inspection fee schedule.

601.10

Any re-inspection fees due shall be paid at the time of re-inspection.

601.11

Inspection fees may be collected at the time of registration.

601.12

The total cumulative amount of any late inspection penalty assessed pursuant to § 6 of An Act to Provide for annual inspection of all motor vehicles in the District of Columbia, approved February 18, 1938 (52 Stat. 78; D.C. Official Code § 50-1106) , shall not exceed four hundred and eighty dollars ($ 480), all or part of which may be waived by the Director upon submission of proof that the owner was unable to have the vehicle inspected due to one or more of the following:

(a) Military duty;
(b) Incarceration;
(c) Medical emergency;
(d) The vehicle was involved in an accident (police report required); or
(e) Exceptional circumstances, as determined by the Director.

D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 18, r. 18-601

Regulation No. 72-13 effective June 30, 1972; 32 DCRR §§ 4.202(a) - (c), Special Edition; as amended by §§ 2(7), 2(8) of the District of Columbia Bus Safety Inspection Act, effective April 9, 1976 (D.C. Law 1-60; 22 DCR 4373 (February 12, 1976)); 32 DCRR §§ 4.202(b), 4.202(c); as amended by § 2(n) of the District of Columbia Motorized Bicycle Act, effective April 7, 1977 (D.C. Law 1-110; 23 DCR 4954 (January 21, 1977)), 32 DCRR § 4.202(d); as amended by § 4(c)(2) of the Historic Motor Vehicle Act of 1977, effective February 25, 1978 (D.C Law 2-41; 24 DCR 3629 (November 11, 1977)), 32 DCRR § 4.204(a); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 30 DCR 2571 (May 27, 1983); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 33 DCR 4308 (July 18, 1986); as amended by §4 of the Motor Vehicle Biennial Inspection Amendment Act of 1993, effective April 26, 1994 (D.C. Law 10-106; 41 DCR 1014 (March 4, 1994)); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 41 DCR 6618 (September 30, 1994); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 48 DCR 1150 (February 9, 2001); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 48 DCR 6261 (July 13, 2001); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 49 DCR 748 (January 25, 2002); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 49 DCR 11261 (December 13, 2002); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 51 DCR 5031 (May 14, 2004); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 51 DCR 8110 (Aug 20, 2004); as amended by the Department of Motor Vehicles Service and Safety Amendment Act of 266, effective March 14, 2007 (D.C. Law 16-279; 54 DCR 903, 921 (February 2, 2007)); as amended by the Fiscal Year 2009 Budget Support Act of 2008, effective August 16, 2008 (D.C. Law 17-219; 55 DCR 7598 (July 18, 2008); as amended by the Historic Motor Vehicle Amendment Act of 2008, effective March 20, 2009 (D.C. Law 17-315; 56 DCR 203, 204 (January 9, 2009); as amended by the Vehicle Inspection Improvement Amendment Act of 2009, effective March 3, 2010 (D.C. Law 18-111; 57 DCR 181 (January 8, 2010); as amended by the Motorized Bicycle Amendment Act of 2012, effective April 27, 2013 (D.C. Law 19-290; 60 DCR 2343 (March 1, 2013)); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 60 DCR 16843 (December 13, 2013); amended by Final Rulemaking published at 62 DCR 11551 (8/21/2015); amended by Final Rulemaking published at 64 DCR 7930 (8/11/2017); amended by Final Rulemaking published at 68 DCR 1404 (1/29/2021)
Authority: Sections 1825 and 1826 of the Department of Motor Vehicles Establishment Act of 1998, effective March 26, 1999 (D.C. Law 12-175; D.C. Official Code §§ 50-904 and 50-905 (2012 Repl.)), Section 801 of the Motor Vehicle and Safe Driving Amendment Act of 2000, effective April 27, 2001 (D.C. Law 13-289; D.C. Official Code §50-921 (2012 Repl.)), and Section 7 of An Act to provide for annual inspection of all motor vehicles in the District of Columbia, approved February 18, 1938 (52 Stat. 78; D.C. Official Code § 50-1107 (2012 Repl.)).