PRO TIP! Make your renewal appointment 1-2 weeks in advance of your tag expiration date!
The concept of MVI is rather misunderstood. If you live in Missouri, at some point you must go through the process. Let’s break down the mystique and simplify the task.
The inspection itself is a basic vehicle safety inspection. The major systems on the vehicle will be verified by a Licensed MVI inspector. The inspectors are certified by the Missouri State Highway Patrol to perform the inspections on passenger cars and light trucks that require new tags, or title work, or both.
There is an exemption for vehicles that have less than 150,000 miles or 10 years from the current day today. This is called the ID/OD verification and the VIN number, and the mileage are verified to allow titling of the vehicle. If either the mileage or age of the vehicle falls outside these criteria, a full inspection must be performed.
The basic safety inspection requires the major systems to be in good order. These include the brake linings, hydraulic system and assist unit(booster), the power steering system including the pump, hoses and steering gear or rack and pinion unit, the suspension front and rear, the tires, the lighting system including headlights, taillights, turn signals, tag lites and the 3rd brake light (generally in the rear window), the wipers, washers, mirrors, and windshield. The bumpers, the ride height of the vehicle, the chassis and frame will be checked. The inspector will evaluate all the systems in detail and note any deficiencies for correction. Vehicles in passing condition will be approved for licensing.
You will be given a passing white slip to take to the DMV for processing. A yellow slip will outline any deficiencies to be corrected. The shop of your choice can do your required work, or you may even do it yourself. A yellow slip may return within 20 working days from date of issuance to reinspect the completed work and obtain the passing white slip at no charge. After that, the owner must pay for another inspection.
Some people feel the process is inconvenient and unnecessary. To be sure, if they saw some of the vehicles we inspected and saw firsthand the poor condition of the major systems and realized that they may be driving next to this person on the highway or with their children in the car driving next to that vehicle, they become believers. Rapidly.
Lastly, in the past 2 or 3 years there has been a significant reduction in locations that perform inspections, and a concurrent loss of qualified inspectors. This makes getting a “walk in” inspection very difficult simply because there are far fewer locations and inspectors to do the work while having the volume of needed inspections increasing every year. We do inspections as a courtesy and convenience to our clients and our busy schedule has available slots booked very early. We recommend setting an inspection appointment well in advance of your tag expiration date. You can get the time and date you want instead of calling around all day to get a last-minute inspection.