BDR Automotive is a MA State Inspection Station
BDR Automotive MA state inspections on all passenger cars,
commercial vehicles (up to 26,000lbs) and trailers.
Bring your vehicle to BDR Automotive for a stress-free and thorough MA State Safety Inspection. Our Certified Automotive Professionals and friendly staff will explain the inspection process every step of the way and answer any questions you may have about our services. We believe in open communication … and we want to be the MA Official Inspection Station you choose to do your annual State Inspection!
Complying with the requirement to get a MA state vehicle inspection ensures that your vehicle is safe, you avoid fines, and are driving legally. Remember to buy, sell, or register your vehicle in MA, you need to have had an up-to-date inspection and display a current inspection sticker.
SAFETY IS TOP PRIORITY.
The MA Vehicle Check Program, which is the official name for the State Inspection, is focused on safety. A broken taillight, cracked windshield, defective suspension, or other defect can make a vehicle unsafe to drive.
Beginning with a brief visual inspection, one of our BDR Automotive state-licensed inspectors will look for obvious conditions, such as a gasoline leak which would present an immediate danger. If such a condition is present, it must be fixed before the inspection continues. Fourteen key components are evaluated during the safety inspection. (More than 70 items are subject to inspection in commercial vehicles!)
INSPECTION POINTS:
- Brakes, both the parking and service brakes
- Steering wheel and box
- Suspension/front end, springs and shock absorbers
- Horn
- Windshield, windows, windshield wipers and washer
- Mirrors
- All vehicle lights
- Tires and wheels
- Vehicle frame, exterior and interior
- Altered vehicle height
- Seatbelts
- Airbags
- Fuel tank cap
- Exhaust system
MA STATE INSPECTION FAQs
The Massachusetts Vehicle Check program is the vehicle emissions testing and safety inspection program for the Commonwealth. For more information on vehicle inspection, please visit the official Massachusetts website.
All vehicles driven on Massachusetts roads must pass a yearly safety inspection. Newly purchased vehicles must be inspected within seven days of registration.
Vehicles with onboard diagnostic systems that are less than 15 years old must pass an annual emissions test.
The Massachusetts Commercial Motor Vehicle Inspection is equivalent to the annual Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) inspection. Your commercial vehicle will be tested against state and federal requirements at the same time.
If your vehicle passes inspection, you will be given an inspection sticker which is valid for one year, expiring on the final day of the month printed on the sticker.
You will receive a copy of your VIR – Vehicle Inspection Report – which provides information that a repair technician can use to diagnose and repair your vehicle.
If your vehicle passes both the Safety and Emissions Testing, you will be given a new windshield sticker with the number indicating the month your car was inspected (or the month it was due for inspection).
If your vehicle fails inspection, you’ll get a “reject” sticker and will be provided with a printed vehicle inspection report by the inspection station. Failed motorcycles don’t receive a new sticker. If you get the red R, it means you shouldn’t even drive your vehicle as it’s not safe for roads. A black R means it’s safe to drive, but you’re not doing the environment any favors. BDR can fix all or most of the failed issues if a vehicle does not pass the state inspection.
If your vehicle fails either its safety or emissions inspection, it must be repaired and pass its re-test within 60 days of the initial inspection. It is illegal to drive your vehicle before safety repairs have been made. Keep all receipts for repair in your vehicle until your vehicle is re-tested as proof that you are in compliance with the law.
If you continue to drive the vehicle that failed its safety inspection and has not yet been repaired, you may be cited by police for operating an unsafe vehicle. Once the safety defects have been fixed, your Certificate of Rejection allows you to operate your vehicle for up to 60 days, while arranging for re-inspection.
In either case, you have to get your vehicle repaired and re-inspected within 60 days of when it failed the test. The good news is, if you bring it back to the same shop where it failed, and you do so within the 60 day time frame, the re-inspection is free. If you are not within those 60 days, or you bring it to a different shop, you’ll have to pay another $35.00 for the re-inspection.
Fleets of commercial motor vehicles can be tested by mobile inspectors, who bring testing equipment to company lots, or by a licensed company employee.
We inspect commercial vehicles up to 26,000lbs and trailers.
If you have been out of state for one or more years and have an expired sticker, your vehicle will be treated as a late inspection and receive the January sticker of the current year. If you have submitted the proper Out of State Inspection Form as outlined on the form, you will receive credit for that and receive a sticker with the month in which it is being inspected.
Be aware that the MA Registry of Motor Vehicles announced a new rule in November 2022 that discourages motorists from delaying their annual motor vehicle safety inspection. The agency is striving to ensure that all vehicles are inspected each year… on time.
In the past, if your current inspection indicated a 3, meaning that your inspection month is March and you delay until June, your new sticker would say 6. With the new rule, even though the inspection didn’t occur until June, your new sticker will revert to the month you should have had the inspection – March.
Driving any motor vehicle without a valid inspection sticker is a traffic violation. It may result in a fine and affect your insurance rate.