If a vehicle whose the seal of inspection has expired is still used on the streets, how will the driver be fined?

Main Content

• What are the documents for the first vehicle inspection for 5-seater car?
• Is the vehicle inspection seal issued once for the lifetime of the vehicle or is it periodically issued?
• If a vehicle whose the seal of inspection has expired is still used on the streets, how will the driver be fined?

What are the documents for the first vehicle inspection for 5-seater car?

Pursuant to Article 6 of Circular 16/2021/TT-BGTVT of Vietnam on necessary documents when producing vehicle dossiers and inspection documents:

- Produce vehicle dossiers

Preparation of vehicle dossiers shall be prepared when a motor vehicle is inspected for the first time to participate in traffic (cases where first-time inspection is conducted to issue Certificate of inspection and seal of inspection with 15 days of validity are not required to produce vehicle dossiers). When bringing motor vehicles to register authority for inspection and preparation of vehicle dossiers, vehicle users must present the following documents:

+ Present: documents on vehicle registration (master register of Vehicle registration issued by competent authority or notice of receipt of master register of registration certificate of vehicles used as security of credit institution) or notice on date of issuing registration;

+ Submit copies of record of factory release quality inspection for motor vehicles manufactured and assembled domestically (except liquidated motor vehicles);

+ Submit master register of Certificate of technical safety and environmental protection for renovated motor vehicles in case of recently renovated motor vehicles.

- Conduct inspection

When bringing motor vehicles to register authority for inspection, vehicle users must present the following documents and information:

+ Documents under Point a and Point c Clause 1 of this Article;

+ Information on username, password, and address of website managing tracking units and/or camera for motor vehicles that are required to mount tracking units and/or camera;

+ Declare information on transport service providers in document monitoring notice according to form under Annex I attached hereto.

Seal of inspection

Is the vehicle inspection seal issued once for the lifetime of the vehicle or is it periodically issued?

Clause 1, Clause 2 Article 9 of Circular 16/2021/TT-BGTVT of Vietnam stipulates certificate of inspection, seal of inspection:

- Qualified motor vehicles shall be issued with Certificate of inspection and seals of inspection with form under Annex X attached hereto.

+ Certificate of inspection and seal of inspection provided to a motor vehicle must carry the same serial number, be printed from inspection management program on templates issued by Vietnam Register, and contain information conforming to vehicle dossiers and data on inspection management program. Motor vehicles declared by vehicle users to provide transport services shall be issued with Certificate of inspection and seals of inspection for motor vehicles providing transport services; motor vehicles declared by vehicle users to not provide transport services shall be issued with Certificate of inspection and seals of inspection for motor vehicles not providing transport services.

+ Motor vehicles that do not participate in road traffic shall only be issued with Certificate of inspection but not seals of inspection.

+ For motor vehicles that have been issued with Certificate of technical safety and environmental protection for imported motor vehicles or Certificate of technical safety and environmental protection for assembled automobiles which mandate operation in closed spaces and oversized vehicles according to Circular 46/2015/TT-BGTVT, only issue Certificate of inspection which reads “Khi tham gia giao thông phải xin phép cơ quan quản lý đường bộ” (Ask road authority for permission when participating in road traffic) but not seals of inspection.

- Effective period of Certificate of inspection and seals of inspection shall conform to frequency of inspection under Annex XI attached hereto but does not exceed expiry date of vehicle registration (if any) or the date on which useful life of the motor vehicles expires.

2. Inspection Period Table

Note: The number of seats of a passenger vehicle includes the seat of the driver.

According to the regulations, the validity period of the Inspection Certificate and the Inspection Seal issued according to the inspection period specified in Appendix XI enclosed with this Circular does not exceed the expiry date of the vehicle registration (if any) or the date the motor vehicle expires.

If a vehicle whose the seal of inspection has expired is still used on the streets, how will the driver be fined?

Pursuant to Article 16 of Decree 100/2019/ND-CP of Vietnam:

“…

4. A fine ranging from VND 2,000,000 to VND 3,000,000 shall be imposed for:

a) Operating a vehicle without a corresponding certificate of vehicle registration or trailer/semi-trailer registration or using an expired certificate of vehicle registration (including trailers and semi-trailers);

b) Operating a vehicle without a license plate (if license plate is required for respective vehicle);

c) Operating a vehicle with certificate of technical and environmental safety or stamp of technical and environmental safety (if required) that has expired for less than 01 month (including those for trailers and semi-trailer);

d) Installing or using a horn the loudness of which is beyond legal limit on the vehicle;

dd) Operating a vehicle without a decent or functional and conformable brake system.

5. A fine ranging from VND 4,000,000 to VND 6,000,000 shall be imposed for:

a) Operating a temporarily registered vehicle beyond its temporary operational period; operating a restricted vehicle beyond its permissible operating area;

b) Operating a vehicle beyond its maximum service life (if limited);

c) Operating an illegally manufactured or assembled vehicle on public road (including modified farm vehicles banned from traffic);

d) Operating a vehicle whose license plate is not consistent with the certificate of registration, or whose a license plate is not issued by a competent authority (including trailers and semi-trailers);

dd) Using a Certificate of technical and environmental safety or stamp of technical and environmental safety or Certificate of vehicle registration that is not issued by a competent authority; using a Certificate of vehicle registration that is not consistent with the chassis or engine number (including trailers and semi-trailers);

e) Operating a vehicle without a certificate of technical and environmental safety or stamp of technical and environmental safety (if required, except for temporarily registered vehicles) or with one that has expired for 01 month or more (including those for trailers and semi-trailer);

…”

According to the regulations, a driver driving a vehicle with an expired inspection seal of less than 1 month will be fined from VND 2,000,000 to VND 3,000,000, a driver driving a vehicle with an expired inspection seal of more than 1 month will be fined from fine from 4,000,000 VND to 6,000,000 VND.