Is the D.C. DMV getting rid of car safety inspections?

As of October 1, the District will no longer require passenger vehicles to pass a safety inspection every two years. But that doesn't mean you won't have to take your car to the inspection station or save any money on inspection fees.

While the safety inspections will go away, you will still have to make the trip to the District's only inspection station for an emissions test, and you will still be charged a $35 inspection fee every time you renew your tags.

Commercial vehicles will still have to pass safety inspections.

Motorcycles will be given an exemption since they are not required to pass emissions tests.

D.C. Police will still have the authority to pull you over for burned out headlights or other issues that would make your car unsafe.

Mayor Fenty says the city is following the best practices of other states that have done away with the safety inspections. But it is also projected to save the government $400,000 a year.

Vehicles that have recently failed the safety inspection, will still have return to the inspection station to pick up an renewal sticker, but there won't be any additional testing to check that the problem has been corrected.

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