Mechanical safety inspections

The purpose of a mechanical safety inspection is to determine if your vehicle is mechanically safe to drive.

Our vehicle inspections guide outlines what vehicles require this inspection.

Inspection process

In addition to the vehicle's mechanical safety, certain structural components will be inspected to ensure corrosion or damage is repaired to the original manufacturers' or repair industry standards.

However, there are some components that are not checked during a mechanical safety inspection, including:

• the engine
• the transmission
• the air conditioning and other non-safety related components
• surface rust that doesn't jeopardize the vehicle's structural integrity

Note: The inspection doesn't warranty or guarantee the condition of your vehicle's components and systems for any period of time.

Steps to follow:

1. Make an appointment with a certified vehicle inspection station for the inspection.
2. Take your vehicle to be inspected.
3. If you had a body integrity inspection done on your vehicle, give the inspection station a copy of the Body Integrity Inspection Certificate.
4. When your vehicle passes the inspection, you'll get a validated Mechanical Safety Inspection Certificate.
5. Take a copy of the validated Mechanical Safety Inspection Certificate (and Body Integrity Inspection Certificate, if applicable) to any motor licence issuer to register your vehicle.
6. Keep a copy of your inspection certificates for your records.

Cost of inspection

The inspection station is permitted to charge the shop rate multiplied by 1.5 hours for smaller vehicles up to and including half-ton trucks. The charge for larger vehicles is the hourly shop rate multiplied by 2 hours. Inspections are PST exempt, but GST still applies.

Four-wheel alignment check

A 4-wheel alignment check is necessary to detect steering and structural defects and damage. The check is included in the charge and time allotted for the vehicle inspection. However, if a wheel alignment, adjustment or repairs are needed, there will be an additional charge.

Note: If you choose to have the alignment done by another repair shop, an alignment check will have to be done at the original inspection station during the reinspection. Inspection stations are permitted to charge for this 2nd alignment check.

Reinspection

If your vehicle fails the initial inspection and you choose to make outside arrangements to have deficiencies corrected, you have 30 days to return to the inspection station to have your vehicle reinspected.

If you don't return within 30 days, your vehicle will require another full inspection, in which case you'd be charged the full fee. This 30 days doesn't exceed the provision that total loss vehicles must be inspected within 60 days or before the expiry of the current registration, whichever occurs first.

There is no charge for the 1st reinspection if the inspection of the repaired items doesn't require the removal of components or an alignment check. Subsequent inspection of rejected items may result in a charge.