# Car roadworthyness legal requirement in US **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 12, 2003, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-roadworthyness-legal-requirement-in-us/187935 "2003-07-12T07:53:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![MLS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MLS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MLS)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2003, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-roadworthyness-legal-requirement-in-us/187935/21 "2003-07-13T04:42:27Z")
New Jersey has mandatory inspections for lights, including alignment, tires, steering, brakes, horn, exhaust noise or smoke, emissions, liability insurance, and probably more I am forgetting. If you cancel your insurance, the insurance company is required to notify the state dept. of motor vehicles. In addition, if you are observed to be driving a car with a light out, or emitting noticable smoke or excessive noise, or anything else that is deemed unsafe, you can be ticketed. If it’s really bad, your car can be impounded, IIRC. Having a taillight out is an excuse sometimes used to stop a car and do a quick visual check for drugs, intoxication, driving while black, or anything else they feel like laying on you. ---
**Author:** ![county](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce7236/32.png) [@county](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/county)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2003, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-roadworthyness-legal-requirement-in-us/187935/22 "2003-07-13T13:35:15Z")
In Memphis, TN they have an inspection process to check lights, wipers, turn signals and emissions. But that is just for MEMPHIS - as far as I know, there is NO state requirement for anything to get tags/registration. You are required to carry proof of insurance in the car BUT you do not have to show proof of insurance to get tags/registration. ---
**Author:** ![fessie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c37758/32.png) [@fessie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fessie)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2003, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-roadworthyness-legal-requirement-in-us/187935/23 "2003-07-13T13:42:50Z")
In Pennsylvania the test is pretty rigorous & they’re serious about it, you can’t get your plates until everything’s AOK. Including rust spots. But OTOH, you almost never see a broken down abandoned car by the side of the road (good thing, given those mountains). Whereas in Illinois… ---
**Author:** ![whiterabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/cab0a1/32.png) [@whiterabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whiterabbit)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2003, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-roadworthyness-legal-requirement-in-us/187935/24 "2003-07-13T14:33:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by GMRyujin \* > \*\*Yea, at the Kenner inspection, it’s a miracle if the guy gets out of his chair. Or was. \*\* I don’t know why they bother, really. It was only ten dollars, so it’s not like they’re making much off of each car. I have no problem with the idea of inspections, especially after some of the cars I saw around Augusta, but in a weird way I’d be a lot happier if it was a REAL inspection. My car ought to pass anything just fine, it’s in good shape. I resent being asked to pay ten bucks for, essentially, nothing. ---
**Author:** ![Doomtrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/0ea827/32.png) [@Doomtrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doomtrain)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2003, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-roadworthyness-legal-requirement-in-us/187935/25 "2003-07-13T16:37:45Z")
Same here, **whiterabbit** , and the inspection station used to not even be air conditioned, it was just a cinderblock…well, shed. So you’d have to pull up and turn your car off, then sit and cook in the Louisiana heat until they could get around to it. And you know Louisiana officials when it comes to speed. And, seriously, make an effort inspector guys. I know driving is in the Bill of Rights, but still… ---
**Author:** ![Violet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/ebca7d/32.png) [@Violet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Violet)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2003, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-roadworthyness-legal-requirement-in-us/187935/26 "2003-07-13T17:54:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by flapcats \*\*\*Our cars have to pass a series of tests before it can be insured and taxed - if it fails, you can’t drive it on the road until you’ve fixed the problems. It sounds like from this thread Americans can drive whatever state their car is in and it’s their responsibility to have a mechanic tell them their tread is thin, their lights don’t work ect. Is that right? Isn’t it dangerous? \*\* The real problem occurs when there is an accident with an assessment of liability. If someone’s car is not road worthy, and they cause an accident, then the driver could be sued for negligence. Also found an older article that shows that since 1996, “On Board Diagnostics (OBD) is mandatory for all new cars in the USA.” The article was arguing against this for the EU: [http://www.fia.com/tourisme/enviro-a/obda.htm](http://www.fia.com/tourisme/enviro-a/obda.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Gunslinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4491bb/32.png) [@Gunslinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gunslinger)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2003, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-roadworthyness-legal-requirement-in-us/187935/27 "2003-07-13T20:34:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ringo \* > **Texas … emissions testing became mandatory in the mid-'90s.** BTW, that’s only in metro areas (Dallas, Austin, etc.). Out here in the middle of nowhere (which happens to be one of the most polluted counties in the US…), it’s just the lights/horn/brakes bit. ---
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2003, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-roadworthyness-legal-requirement-in-us/187935/28 "2003-07-13T20:55:46Z")
I’d forgotten that. And it seems I remember now some bit about Houstonians wanting to register their cars in adjacent counties. ---
**Author:** ![Turbo\_Dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ce73a5/32.png) [@Turbo\_Dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turbo_Dog)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2003, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-roadworthyness-legal-requirement-in-us/187935/29 "2003-07-14T01:34:43Z")
Just seconding **GaryM** here in that both of our cars failed this year’s safety inspection due to inadequate wiper blades. They check everything here, which is something that I had never heard of, coming from MN and then CA. Lights, tires, signals, brake linings, wipers, horn, belts, windows, etc… then you have to go through emissions. ---
**Author:** ![Atlantis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9de0a6/32.png) [@Atlantis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atlantis)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2003, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-roadworthyness-legal-requirement-in-us/187935/30 "2003-07-14T02:46:14Z")
As per my location, I’m from PA and currently live in Wisconsin. Back in Pennsylvania, there was pretty much a full inspection of the vehicle, like Turbo Dog says above. In Wisconsin, the only requirements are that the car rolls into inspection on its own and that it passes an emissions test. My mother has an '84 Cavalier that she paid 25 bucks for, its got more rust than paint, and we avoid driving it except when we have to because the brakes suck and it truly is an unsafe car. It does, however, get where its going and pass an emissions test, so its perfectly safe here. I personally find that to be very negligent of the WDMV, myself. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2003, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-roadworthyness-legal-requirement-in-us/187935/31 "2003-07-14T15:26:45Z")
I happen to live in Pennsylvania. The yearly inspections are a good idea (IMHO) but they are rather nitpicky, at least around here. When I lived in West Virginia the yearly inspections there were much more oriented towards what was safe for the vehicle. PA, in contrast, will fail a car for something as simple as having its dome light out, and the dome light is hardly necessary for safe operation of the vehicle. In Maryland they only have an inspection when the car is sold. They do have emissions inspections which I think are every 2 years. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2003, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-roadworthyness-legal-requirement-in-us/187935/32 "2003-07-14T16:27:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by county \* > \*\*In Memphis, TN they have an inspection process to check lights, wipers, turn signals and emissions. But that is just for MEMPHIS - as far as I know, there is NO state requirement for anything to get tags/registration. You are required to carry proof of insurance in the car BUT you do not have to show proof of insurance to get tags/registration. \*\* The _only_ state requirement for vehicle inspections in TN if you bring the car here from another state and register it here, or if it’s a kit car. Any other inspections are strictly local. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-roadworthyness-legal-requirement-in-us/187935.md?page=1)