The rear license plate light is not on, can the car be inspected?

License plate lights are one of the mandatory items to be checked according to the motor vehicle inspection process.

Giao thong Newspaper's hotline received questions from readers about whether the inspection center checks the license plate light when registering a car. If the light does not come on, will the inspection be rejected?

Checking the license plate light is a mandatory inspection item when registering a car (illustrative photo).

Regarding this issue, a representative of a registration center said that license plate lights help to clearly display vehicle license plates in low light conditions, providing important support in recording and identifying vehicles to serve the management of security, order, and traffic safety.

It also helps increase vehicle recognition, ensuring safety when traveling at night.

The Law on Road Traffic Order and Safety (effective from January 1, 2025) stipulates that motor vehicles participating in traffic must ensure technical safety and environmental protection quality according to the provisions of law.

On the other hand, according to QCVN 09:2024 regulations on technical safety quality and environmental protection for automobiles, rear license plate lights are one of the mandatory lights on manufactured, assembled, and imported automobiles.

In addition, the license plate light must be white, must light up when the front lights are turned on, and cannot be turned on and off with a separate switch.

QCVN 122:2024 - National technical regulation on motor vehicles, trailers, semi-trailers, four-wheeled cargo vehicles with engines in technical safety inspection and environmental protection also stipulates that checking the rear license plate light is one of the mandatory inspection items when registering motor vehicles.

To check, the inspector will turn the lights on and off and observe directly or through supporting devices (mirrors, screens, etc.), combined with shaking by hand to check.

However, in cases where cars do not have rear license plate lights, or have them but they are not securely installed or in the wrong position; do not light up when the front lights are turned on; the light-scattering glass is blurry, cracked, broken or the light color is not white, according to QCVN 122:2024, they will be classified as minor damage or defect (MiD).

Thus, in the case of readers of Giao Thong Newspaper, when the vehicle passes all remaining inspection items, it will still be granted a certificate and inspection stamp with an inspection period appropriate to the vehicle's production time.

However, the representative of the inspection center recommends that vehicle owners still need to fix and replace the license plate light if it does not light up, to avoid being checked and fined by traffic police while driving on the road.

Decree 168/2024 regulating the level of administrative penalties for violations in the field of road traffic, effective from January 1, 2025, clearly states: A fine of 400-600 thousand VND will be imposed on drivers who do not have enough headlights, license plate lights, brake lights, signal lights, windshield wipers, rearview mirrors, seat belts, escape tools, fire fighting equipment, air pressure gauges, vehicle speedometers or have such equipment but it is not effective, not up to design standards (for vehicles that are required to have such equipment).

Source: https://www.baogiaothong.vn/den-soi-bien-so-sau-khong-sang-o-to-co-duoc-dang-kiem-192250117175543273.htm