La. Admin. Code tit. 55 § III-809

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 9, September 20, 2024

Section III-809 - General Inspection Requirements

A. Fees for Inspection

1. The fee for safety and commercial inspections will be the current fee set by law for each inspection performed, whether it was approved or rejected. No sales tax or late penalty fees will be collected on inspections.

2. A rejected vehicle is entitled to one free re-inspection if returned to the same inspection station within 30 days.

B. Repairs or Adjustments

1. The owner of a vehicle is under no obligation to have defects corrected by the inspection station. The owner may have the vehicle repaired where he chooses or may repair the vehicle himself. The inspection station is only required to perform a complete and proper inspection.

C. Issuance of Inspection Certificates

1. An inspection certificate will be issued for every vehicle inspected which passes the safety and/or emission requirements. The month that a certificate is issued shall be indicated by an insert placed in the appropriate area of the certificate. The year the certificate expires will also be indicated by an insert placed in the appropriate block on the certificate. All of the information on the back of the sticker must be filled in with black indelible ink. The certificate will be firmly attached to the lower left-hand corner of the windshield as viewed from the driver's seated position. Under no circumstances will an inspection certificate be applied to the windshield without the month and year of expiration being noted in the appropriate blocks provided.

2. Mechanic inspectors shall fill in all requested information on the back of the inspection sticker and sign in the appropriate space using a black ink pen.

3. When inspecting motorcycles, motor-driven cycles, trailers and semi-trailers, an "X" will be stamped on the face of the inspection certificate, between the month and year insert. Under no circumstances will the stamp cover the month nor the year of expiration insert or the audit number of the inspection certificate. Inspection certificates of this type will be attached to the registration certificate for the vehicle.

4. All trailers will be considered a separate inspection and a certificate will be issued for each. A separate fee will be charged for each vehicle inspected. The inspection certificate for a trailer will never be placed on the windshield of the towing vehicle.

5. Each inspection shall be a complete inspection. All of the items noted within these rules and regulations shall be inspected.

6. Pre-inspections cause hardship for both you and the customer and will not be allowed.

7. Only year inserts (issued by the Office of Motor Vehicles) shall be placed on MVI certificates. Under no circumstance shall a station stamp or write the year on the certificates.

8. Inserts must be properly affixed to the sticker with the month and year in the proper area on the sticker.

D. Issuance of Rejection Certificates

1. When a vehicle is presented for inspection and fails to pass the safety or emission standards, the current fee will be charged for the service of inspecting the vehicle. The owner or operator will be advised of the defects causing the vehicle to fail inspection.

a. When a vehicle is presented for inspection and the owner/operator requests a one- or two-year inspection and the vehicle is rejected, the station must charge for the sticker that was requested.

2. A rejection certificate is valid for a time period of 30 days from the date of issuance. The owner or operator of the rejected vehicle is allowed this 30 day period to make the necessary repairs or replacements which will place the vehicle in compliance. If the vehicle presents no hazard to the public, it may be used for normal activities. If the vehicle presents a definite hazard to the public, a restricted 20 mile limitation on usage may be imposed (see Subsection E, Issuance of Restricted Rejection Certificate).

3. When a rejected vehicle is returned to the same inspection station within 30 days of issuance, the inspector is required to check only the items previously found defective unless other obvious defects are noted. There is no charge for this re-inspection provided that the defects are corrected and the vehicle is returned to the same inspection station within the 30 day time period. If the vehicle is taken to another inspection station, a complete inspection is to be performed and another fee is required.

4. Only one rejection certificate may be issued to a vehicle. Under no circumstances shall any station issue a second rejection certificate to a vehicle.

5. An inspection station may not issue a rejection certificate solely because the station is out of inspection certificates. If the station's supply of inspection certificates becomes depleted, the station must completely cease inspecting until a new supply of certificates is obtained.

6. All rejection certificates must be entered in the weekly log report in numerical order and must be accounted for. The log report must indicate the items found defective by making a notation in the appropriate blocks provided. In the non-attainment area, the same information shall be entered in the stations computer. The reverse side of the rejection certificate must also indicate the defective items found.

7. Should the owner or operator of a rejected vehicle refuse to accept the rejection certificate, it will be noted as such on the log report. The completed rejection certificate will be attached to the log report and kept with the station. In the non-attainment area, the station shall keep a file for all rejection certificates that have been refused.

8. The rejection certificate must be filled out in ink only. It will be noted on the reverse side of the rejection certificate, the date of inspection, a brief description of the vehicle and the expiration date of the rejection certificate. The face of the rejection certificate will be stamped with the number of the month in which the vehicle was inspected.

9. The rejection certificate will be affixed to the lower left-hand corner of the windshield as viewed from the driver's seated position. The owner or operator will be told by the mechanic inspector of the 30 day expiration of the certificate and what items caused the vehicle to fail inspection. The owner or operator will be advised of the procedure for re-inspection.

10. If the vehicle is returned for re-inspection within the 30 day limit and the defective items have been corrected, and for some reason the station cannot re-inspect the vehicle, the fee collected at the time of rejection must be returned to the owner or operator.

11. If the vehicle fails inspection due to an emission system defect, the reverse side of the rejection certificate will be marked to indicate which system failed.

E. Issuance of Restricted Rejection Certificates

1. If a rejected vehicle presents a definite hazard to the public, the vehicle's usage shall be restricted. A restricted rejection certificate shall be issued limiting the vehicle's usage to 20 miles. The owner or operator still has 30 days to repair the defective item(s). The vehicle should only be used to be repaired, inspected or returned to the owner or operator's residence. The face of the rejection certificate will be marked with the number of the month it is issued along with an X stamped next to it. The mileage at which the rejection will expire will be placed on the face of the certificate. The date of expiration will also be noted on the certificate.

2. A vehicle would be classified as restricted when one or more of the following items causes a rejection. This does not eliminate the fact that a combination of defects may also render the vehicle unsafe and, therefore, restricted:

a. no liability insurance;

b. steering;

c. tires, wheels and rims;

d. braking system;

e. tail lights or stop lights; or

f. exhaust systems.

La. Admin. Code tit. 55, § III-809

Promulgated by the Department of Public Safety and Corrections, Office of State Police, Safety Enforcement Section, LR 25:2426 (December 1999), amended by the Department of Public Safety and Corrections, Office of State Police, LR 38:2553 (October 2012), Amended by the Department of Public Safety and Corrections, Office of State Police, LR 42434 (3/1/2016).

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 32:1304-1310.