Question for Virginia residents - safety inspections?

[Oldsmobile_Mike]

My state (Virginia) requires annual safety inspections. I'm wondering if any other residents of Northern Virginia area happen to be on here and have a recommended inspector? I have a shop I trust for my work trucks, but am unsure about taking something this new to one of them. Rivian guide did not have any shop recommendations beyond "get it done as soon as possible" and sent me links to a couple service manuals.

Maybe I'm being overly cautious but just don't want to take it somewhere where they don't even know how to put it up on a lift, LOL. ?

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[tjmsquared]

I'm in NOVA and I took my truck to the same shop I've been going to for years. It's the Shell at the corner of Route 123 and Old Courthouse.

I was a little nervous having him drive the truck in and out of the bay, but I figured he does this all day long, he must know what he's doing. The whole process was as uneventful as it has been every other year.

 

[Oldsmobile_Mike]

The whole process was as uneventful as it has been every other year.

Thanks! I know that area, may head to them. I figured I'm just being overly cautious. ?

 

[CodeZephyr]

I took ours to the same shop I’ve taken our other cars to. I was a bit worried about it, but they have seen many Teslas, and had no issues figuring it out. This was on Franconia rd near Van Dorn, the sunoco.

 

[Tango45]

So, I went for a long drive today out to Purceville and Middleburg and I noticed that there's no safety inspection sticker... do we have to do this on our own? Every time I've bought a new vehicle, it had the sticker already installed. I don't want to get pulled over and get hosed on that...

 

[Oldsmobile_Mike]

So, I went for a long drive today out to Purceville and Middleburg and I noticed that there's no safety inspection sticker... do we have to do this on our own? Every time I've bought a new vehicle, it had the sticker already installed. I don't want to get pulled over and get hosed on that...

"Normal" car dealerships are able to do safety inspections. Rivian isn't set up for that yet. Yeah, you want to get that done. I'm waiting for my jackpucks to come in this week so I can take it somewhere (and have those available if they want to lift it up).

 

[virgnia_rivian]

So, I went for a long drive today out to Purceville and Middleburg and I noticed that there's no safety inspection sticker... do we have to do this on our own? Every time I've bought a new vehicle, it had the sticker already installed. I don't want to get pulled over and get hosed on that...

You do have to do it on your own.

From the VA State Police:
"If a vehicle is purchased out-of-state and then registered in Virginia, it must be inspected once it is registered in this state."

Rivian's are purchased in Illinois, but registered in VA.

Also from VA State Police:
"There is no grace period. You may have a safety inspection performed on your vehicle regardless of what state it is registered in. It is recommended that you have the safety inspection performed before registering the vehicle in Virginia."

https://vsp.virginia.gov/safety-and-enforcement/safety-division/vehicle-inspection-faqs/

 

[jeeden]

Wow glad I saw this. I was always under the impression in a new from the factory vehicle did not require a safety inspection in its first year in Virginia. Maybe it used to be that way and it's not now?

I'm impersonville and we haven't gotten our permanent registration yet. I did order another key fob and may need to go to the service center in Richmond for them to program it. I wonder if they could do the inspection there? If not I guess I'll talk to the local shop in town and see if they can do it. I'm sure they all just pencil whip it through since it's a brand new car

 

[Tango45]

The "grace period" is until you get pulled over. I got one done yesterday. Took five minutes, no lifting. I'm assuming the guy saw the odometer and took that into account. For what it's worth, it was the Sunoco in Vienna on 123 and Center St.

 

[virgnia_rivian]

The "grace period" is until you get pulled over. I got one done yesterday. Took five minutes, no lifting. I'm assuming the guy saw the odometer and took that into account. For what it's worth, it was the Sunoco in Vienna on 123 and Center St.

I've never had a safety inspection that included a lift, and yeah it takes about 5-10 minutes to complete.

Years ago when I had my 1yo Xterra go in for its annual inspection the guy looked at the mileage, asked if it was new and just replaced the sticker haha.

 

[Oldsmobile_Mike]

I've always gone to the same place with my trucks because for whatever reason, a lot of VA inspectors want to fail you for having a brush guard on the front of your truck because it "covers the lights" (at least according to whatever the outdated code says). So they'll make you take off your guard for the inspection. Which is dumb, and a waste of time. I always said this is a *safety feature*:

Anyhow, not an issue with a Rivian yet (unless I get one of those Kenya trucks, LOL). Just something to keep in mind. I go to a place that specializes in truck repairs and sells truck accessories like campers and trailers, so they dgaf about a brush guard. Have an appointment to take the Riv in to them next week and have my jackpucks ready, just in case. ?

 

[Oldsmobile_Mike]

may need to go to the service center in Richmond for them to program it. I wonder if they could do the inspection there?

Doubt it. You need to be a certified state inspection facility by the Virginia State Police. They didn't say anything about it when I was there last week, but didn't ask specifically about that, either (until I got home and emailed my guide). If they are able to do it, let us know!

 

[tg_cid]

State Inspection stations must provide inspections to any vehicle. That’s why Tesla doesn’t do ‘em - they don’t want to do them for other cars - and also why you can bring your Rivian to any place that offers inspections.

(Same goes for motorcycles, which is how i learned this; It also means, yes, you can bring your car to any dealership and demand an inspection sticker. I probably wouldn’t, but you could.)

Got mine done at the gas station here at north point in Reston. Ten minutes or so. Triggered the alarm a few times.

 

[Alan]

I got mine done today (thanks Mike for the reminder) at a tire shop in Manassas. It took way too long, they'd never actually seen one before so they probably had to figure it all out and then play around. Two things I'll do differently next time, first bring the key fob so that I wouldn't have to leave my phone in the car, and second, take off the aero covers so that they could see the brakes.

 

[Oldsmobile_Mike]

Two things I'll do differently next time, first bring the key fob so that I wouldn't have to leave my phone in the car

I plan on giving them a keycard and the fob. And standing over the shoulder of their inspector, if they'll let me (since I probably already know more about the car than them, LOL). ?

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