Before hitting the road, your car has to pass a safety inspection. Not only is it unsafe to drive a car that doesn’t meet the minimum safety standards in your province or territory, but it’s also dangerous. If a part of your car starts malfunctioning while you’re on the road, you put yourself and other drivers at risk. It’s better to be safe rather than sorry. By following our car maintenance tips for your road trip, you can ensure your vehicle remains safe even after passing an inspection.
So, how much does it cost to certify a car? BrokerLink has the answer to this question and so much more in this blog. What are you waiting for? It’s time for us to dive into the costs of a car safety inspection!
Explaining a car safety inspection
Firstly, let’s talk about what a car safety inspection is. In order to pass a car safety inspection, you need to obtain a car safety inspection certificate. What is it? It’s a certificate that determines your vehicle meets the minimum required safety standards to be driven on the road. However, it’s important to keep in mind that the certificate does not confirm if the vehicle is in good condition, there may be underlying issues or more complex issues with the vehicle.
It’s important to note that a car safety inspection certificate is mandatory when buying or selling a used vehicle privately. However, you can still buy a used vehicle and register it with your local government body without a certificate. You can only get licence plates if you have a certificate, though.
Scenarios when you need car safety standards certificate
You will need an inspection and safety standards certificate in the following situations:
- You are buying a used vehicle
- You are registering a vehicle that’s been rebuilt
- You are registering a vehicle from another province or country
- You are doing another safety inspection after failing one
- You purchased a vehicle without a valid inspection sticker
Your motor vehicle inspection is important to ensure it’s safe to drive on the road. With a safety certificate in hand, you can get your licence plates from your local government body.
Who’s responsible for getting a certificate
It’s important to note that private vehicle sellers are not obligated to provide you with a safety standards certificate when selling you a used vehicle. You can ask for one to be a condition of the sale. However, the seller doesn’t have to comply. If this is the case, you will need to find a vehicle inspection station on your own and pay for it out of pocket. In the event that you purchase from a car dealership or a used car dealership, they may be required to have the vehicle pass inspection before selling it, ensure that you know the rules and regulations in your province before shopping.
Sometimes, you’ll want to think of others when the shoe is on the other foot. If you’re selling a used vehicle, follow our summer car maintenance tips and winter car maintenance tips to keep your vehicle in top shape before selling it. This will help it pass the safety inspection when you sell it.
Costs of a motor vehicle inspection
To get a quote for a motor vehicle inspection, you should go to your nearest motor vehicle inspection station and ask for a price. In some provinces, the price is provinically regulated which means no matter where you go the price will be the same. If that is not the case, try shopping around to get different prices because even when buying a used car, you’ll want to save money. You need a safety inspection and certificate regardless of what you end up paying.
Once you know that you need a motor vehicle inspection and the price you’ll pay, head to your nearest inspection station. After all, you’ll want your used car to meet the minimum safety requirements. What you might not know is that there is a car safety inspection checklist, which we will review in the next section.
The checklist your motor vehicle inspection station will have
In order to get your safety standards certificate, you’re going to have to check all the things off the checklist. What components of your vehicle need to be up to standard for you to get your safety certificate? Let’s talk about it. Your motor vehicle will need to meet the following standards:
- Powertrain
- Suspension
- Brake System
- Steering
- Auxiliary equipment
- Lamps
- Electrical system
- Body
- Tires and wheels
- Coupling devices
- Road test
Assuming you pass the motor vehicle inspection, you will get your safety inspection certificate and can head to your nearest office to get your licence plates and register your vehicle. However, you might wonder what will happen if you don’t fulfill the requirements on the car safety inspection checklist. We’ll get into it in a moment.
If you don’t receive your safety standard certificate
If your vehicle does not meet the minimum safety standards, you will not be able to register it. In other words, you cannot drive it until you make the necessary repairs. This is true even if you have car insurance.
Meeting safety standards allows you to drive your vehicle on the road legally. That’s why you will need to visit a vehicle inspection station as soon as possible. In addition to legality, you need to ensure your vehicle passes to protect you and other drivers on the road.
Are you buying a new vehicle? Contact BrokerLink for car insurance!
Assuming you passed your motor vehicle safety inspection and received your safety standards certificate, you can register your vehicle. However, you can’t forget another important aspect of owning a vehicle: getting car insurance! Similarly to a safety inspection, you will need to get car insurance after transferring vehicle ownership.
Not all types of car insurance are mandatory, but opting into additional coverages can protect you if you get into an accident. You can get insured before your vehicle meets safety standards, and the policies insurance companies offer include the following:
After your vehicle passes its safety inspection, you will need to get car insurance. However, shopping around and calling various insurance companies can be overwhelming. That’s why you should let BrokerLink do the work for you. Get in touch with us to find an insurance policy that suits your needs at an affordable price today.
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