A Notice to Massachusetts Vehicle Owners from the RMV

Vehicle owners are reminded to have their vehicles inspected yearly. The Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles urges drivers to check their inspection sticker for the expiration date. MA drivers were previously notified that effective November 1st, 2022, expired inspection stickers will get another sticker. It will indicate the original month the vehicle was due for its annual inspection and when it was inspected. If the vehicle passes inspection before the sticker expiration date, the new sticker will have the same expiration month as the previous one.

If a sticker expires within a previous calendar year, the month of January of the current year will be assigned even if the vehicle was inspected in another month of this year. Newly purchased vehicles are exempt from this change. New vehicles must be inspected no later than seven days from the registration date. That sticker will be issued with the month it was inspected, valid for one year.

There's a penalty if a vehicle is driven with an expired inspection sticker. The penalty can be a moving violation, and fines must be paid to avoid suspension. The violation can result in an insurance increase. Starting October 1, 2022, a printed inspection report is no longer issued for passing vehicles. It can be accessed through Mass Vehicle Check and scanning the QR code on the poster at an inspection location. Owners of a failed vehicle will get a printed vehicle inspection report at the inspection site.

The Massachusetts Vehicle Check was established by the MassDEP and RMV for emissions testing and safety inspections in MA. Vehicles can be inspected at a choice of 1,800 state-licensed inspection stations.