2012 Vermont Statutes
Title 23 Motor Vehicles
Chapter 13 OPERATION OF VEHICLES
§ 1222 Inspection of registered vehicles

§ 1222. Inspection of registered vehicles

(a) Except for school buses which shall be inspected as prescribed in section 1282 of this title and motor buses as defined in subdivision 4(17) of this title which shall be inspected twice during the calendar year at six-month intervals, all motor vehicles registered in this state shall be inspected once each year. Any motor vehicle, trailer, or semi-trailer not currently inspected in this state shall be inspected within 15 days from the date of its registration in the state of Vermont.

(b) The inspections shall be made at garages or qualified service stations, designated by the commissioner as inspection stations, for the purpose of determining whether those motor vehicles are properly equipped and maintained in good mechanical condition. The charges for such inspections made by garages or qualified service stations designated to conduct periodic inspections shall be subject to the approval of the commissioner. If a fee is charged for inspection, it shall be based upon the hourly rate charged by each official inspection station or it may be a flat rate fee and, in either instance, the fee shall be prominently posted and displayed beside the official inspection station certificate. In addition, the official inspection station may disclose the state inspection certificate charge on the repair order as a separate item and collect the charge from the consumer.

(c) A person shall not operate a motor vehicle unless it has been inspected as required by this section and has a valid certification of inspection affixed to it. A person shall be subject to a fine of not more than $5.00 if he or she is cited for a violation of this section within 14 days of expiration of the motor vehicle inspection sticker. The month of next inspection for all motor vehicles shall be shown on the current inspection certificate affixed to the vehicle.

(d) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, an exhibition vehicle of model year 1940 or before registered as prescribed in section 373 of this title or a trailer registered as prescribed in subdivision 371(a)(1)(A) of this title shall be exempt from inspection; provided, however, the vehicle must be equipped as originally manufactured, must be in good mechanical condition, and must meet the applicable standards of the inspection manual. (Amended 1967, No. 67; No. 104, § 1; 1969, No. 143, § 3; 1969, No. 299 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1971; 1977, No. 20, § 6; 1993, No. 64, § 3; 1997, No. 32, § 3; 2003, No. 118 (Adj. Sess.), § 1; 2005, No. 80, § 55; 2009, No. 152 (Adj. Sess.), § 15; 2011, No. 62, § 38.)