HCMC – The Ministry of Transport has issued a new circular exempting brand-new autos from roadworthiness inspection, with effect from today, March 22.

New autos that find buyers within the first two years from their manufacture date do not have to be inspected for roadworthiness, according to the ministry’s Circular No. 2. The new rule is highly expected to help cope with overloads at vehicle testing and registration centers.

Vehicle testing and registration centers have come under huge pressure from understaffing as the police have detained a lot of leaders and inspectors at many such centers on bribery charges.

But the new circular still requires owners of new cars to come to a testing and registration center to request a roadworthiness stamp and certificate but without having to bring their cars for inspection as previously required.

The roadworthiness inspection stamp and certificate for private-use autos with nine seats or less is valid for 36 months, instead of the previous 30 months.

In the 36th month of circulation, these vehicles will have to go through the first inspection provided that their manufacture date is within seven years or less.

Autos that are within seven to 20 years from the date of manufacture will be inspected on an annual basis. The interval will be reduced to six months afterwards.

For commercial vehicles with more than nine seats, their owners are required to bring their vehicles to an inspection center for their first inspection after two years of service. It is six months longer than the previous regulation.

The ministry is also seeking to authorize vehicle inspection facilities of the police and the military, automakers and assemblers to provide inspection services to tackle the excessive workloads at testing centers nationwide.