§ 175.41. Procedure.
(a) Unauthorized display of certificate of inspection. No certificate of inspection or temporary inspection approval indicator may be marked or affixed to a vehicle unless the vehicle has successfully passed inspection, meeting the requirements of 75 Pa.C.S. (relating to Vehicle Code) and this chapter.
(b) Type. A certificate of inspection shall be selected for the particular type of vehicle being inspected according to this chapter. The certificate of inspection shall be examined before using. If found to be incorrect, the inspection station supervisor and the Vehicle Inspection Division shall immediately be notified.
(1) TS-460 shall be used for motor vehicles except motorcycles and motor-driven cycles.
(2) TS-463 shall be used for trailers, motorcycles and motor-driven cycles.
(3) A temporary inspection approval indicator shall be used to designate a vehicle which has successfully passed the required periodic safety inspection, but which shall display a renewed emission certificate of inspection before a new safety certificate of inspection sticker may be affixed to the vehicle.
(c) Required information. The information on the rear of the certificate of inspection shall be completed in its entirety in permanent ink. The odometer reading is not required to be completed for trailers and motorcycles.
(1) The temporary inspection approval indicator shall be affixed as described in subsection (e)(5) so as to be visible to the vehicle operator (while seated in the driver’s location) without obscuring any required information entered on the back of the safety certificate of inspection.
(2) When replacing a certificate of inspection for which a temporary inspection approval indicator has been issued, the back of the new certificate of inspection shall be completed using the information recorded at the time of the original inspection.
(d) Affixing certificate of inspection or temporary inspection approval indicator. The certificate of inspection or temporary inspection approval indicator shall only be affixed to the vehicle immediately upon the successful completion of the inspection, on the premises of the official inspection station and on a portion of the premises located within 100 feet and on the same side of the street as the official inspection station. A certificate of inspection or temporary approval indicator may not be issued or affixed at another area or location.
(1) It is the responsibility of the certified inspection mechanic who performed the inspection to affix the certificate of inspection or temporary inspection approval indicator to the vehicle in the location prescribed by the Department. The certificate of inspection or temporary inspection approval indicator shall be affixed only after completion of the entire inspection, including the road test. A mechanic exempted by the Department from performing the road test under this chapter is responsible for affixing the certificate of inspection or temporary inspection approval indicator.
(i) Inspection stations may not replace a certificate of inspection to which a temporary inspection approval indicator has been affixed if one or more of the following apply:
(A) The inspection station did not perform the original inspection of the vehicle or issue the temporary inspection approval indicator affixed to the current certificate of inspection.
(B) The vehicle does not display a renewed emission certificate of inspection.
(C) The original safety certificate of inspection has expired.
(D) The vehicle is in an obviously unsafe condition, including, but not limited to, bald tires, exhaust leaks, broken glazing and broken or missing lighting.
(ii) Inspection stations may charge the posted fee for inspection of a vehicle to which a temporary inspection approval indicator has been affixed. A fee may not be charged for the temporary inspection approval indicator. The posted fee for the new certificate of inspection may only be charged when the new safety certificate of inspection is affixed to the vehicle.
(2) The surface on which the sticker is to be attached shall be wiped dry and clean of road film, grease and moisture for proper adhesion. The following apply:
(i) The glass or body surface shall be cleaned thoroughly.
(ii) The protective slip sheet shall be removed from the adhesive side of the certificate of inspection or temporary inspection approval indicator.
(iii) The sticker shall be positioned carefully, then squeezed until it is tightly affixed to the windshield, body or existing certificate of inspection.
(iv) Only the current certificate of inspection shall be visible.
(e) Certificate of inspection location. The certificate shall be located as follows:
(1) On a motor vehicle, the certificate of inspection shall be affixed in an upright position, to the extreme lower left-hand inside corner of the windshield—driver’s side.
(2) On a motorcycle or a motor-driven cycle, the certificate of inspection shall be affixed in a clearly visible, upright position to one of the following areas of the vehicle:
(i) On the left side—traffic side—of the front fork.
(ii) On the left side—traffic side—of the front fender.
(iii) On a plate attached by weld or rivets to the left side—traffic side—of the vehicle for purposes of mounting the certificate of inspection.
(3) The new certificate of inspection may not be placed over the old certificate of inspection. The certificate of inspection which expired or is about to expire shall be removed prior to placement of the new certificate of inspection.
(4) On trailers, the certificate of inspection shall be affixed, in an upright position, to the left front—traffic side—of the trailer, approximately 6 feet high, if possible. The certificate may not be placed on the nose or front side of the trailer. A holder is permitted if it is in the proper location and the certificate of inspection is affixed to prevent theft or transfer to another vehicle. The new certificate of inspection may not be placed over the old certificate of inspection.
(5) The temporary inspection approval indicator shall be affixed to the top left portion of the reverse side of the existing safety certificate of inspection so as to be visible to the vehicle operator (while seated in the driver’s location) without obscuring any required information entered on the back of the safety certificate of inspection.
(f) Inspection cycles. When selecting the proper type of certificate insert, the new expiration date is based upon whether the inspection is an annual or semiannual inspection.
(1) An annually inspected vehicle will receive an inspection for 1 year from the expiration of the safety inspection sticker which is about to expire, except motorcycles, which receive an expiration in accordance with charts provided by the Department. A sticker may not be issued for more than 15 months from the month of inspection. If a vehicle, other than a motorcycle, does not display a currently valid certificate of inspection, the vehicle shall receive an inspection valid for 1 year from the month of inspection.
(2) A semiannually inspected vehicle will receive an inspection for no more than 9 months based on charts supplied by the Department.
(3) Insert stickers will be selected based upon the expiration date on the new inspection. If the vehicle is subject to emission inspection as determined by an I/M indicator on the registration card, the vehicle will receive an I/M indicator tab on the safety certificate of inspection.
(4) A temporary inspection approval indicator shall be used to indicate that a vehicle has successfully passed the required periodic safety inspection, but shall display a renewed emission certificate of inspection before a new safety certificate of inspection sticker may be affixed to the vehicle. The temporary inspection approval indicator does not extend the expiration of any certificate of inspection to which it is affixed.
Authority The provisions of this § 175.42 amended under the Vehicle Code, 75 Pa.C.S. § § 4101, 4103, 4301, 4501, 4521, 4702, 4703, 4706(e), 4728 and 6103.
Source The provisions of this § 175.41 adopted December 2, 1977, effective February 1, 1978, 7 Pa.B. 3499; amended March 27, 1981, effective March 28, 1981, 11 Pa.B. 1101; amended July 9, 1982, effective July 10, 1982, 12 Pa.B. 2181; amended October 29, 1982, effective October 30, 1982, 12 Pa.B. 3859; corrected November 26, 1982, effective October 30, 1982, 12 Pa.B. 4058; amended June 1, 1984, effective June 2, 1984, 14 Pa.B. 1874; amended December 11, 1987, effective December 12, 1987, 17 Pa.B. 5130; readopted December 2, 1988, effective December 3, 1988, 18 Pa.B. 5362; amended September 26, 1997, effective September 27, 1997, 27 Pa.B. 5003; amended October 25, 2013, effective October 26, 2013, 43 Pa.B. 6349. Immediately preceding text appears at serial pages (235229) to (235232) and (302897).
Notes of Decisions One year suspension of inspection privileges was warranted where service station owner furnished certificate without inspection by affixing inspection certificate to dump truck and permitted owner to remove truck from station before bringing the vehicle into compliance with the Vehicle Code. Department of Transportation v. DiMichele, 575 A.2d 678 (Pa. Cmwlth. 1990).
Cross References This section cited in § 175.42 (relating to recording inspection).
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