Section 9. Examinations for inspector's license

A. The Department of State Police administers the written examination for original certification for all inspectors. With few exceptions, recertifications are done at the normal testing sites along with original certification tests.

B. In order for an individual to become a certified safety inspector, the following actions shall be followed:

1. The person shall contact his assigned Safety Division trooper or the local Safety Division Area Office to obtain the following:

a. Mechanics Certification Application, Form SP-170B;

b. Criminal History Record Request, Form SP-167; and

c. Mechanics Application Worksheet.

2. The supervising trooper or Safety Division office personnel should ask some preliminary questions to ensure the applicant is qualified to apply.

3. The applicant shall complete (i) Form SP-170B in its entirety and have it notarized on the back; (ii) Form SP-167, to only include sections "Name Information To Be Searched" and "Affidavit For Release of Information," and have it notarized; and complete (iii) the worksheet with two character references, two mechanical references, places of employment, and qualified automotive training or schools completed.

4. The applicant shall then take the completed application forms to the State Police testing site and present it to the trooper conducting the written examination. Applicants arriving after the designated testing time will not be eligible to participate in the written examination.

5. The trooper will verify the notarizations and check the driver's license for validity and identification of the applicant. If the applicant's driver's license is found to be expired, suspended or revoked, the applicant will be advised and the application will be destroyed. The applicant may reapply once the driver's license has been reissued or reinstated.

6. If the applicant successfully completes the test, the trooper will note at the end of Section I on the Form SP-170B the word "Passed" and the date. The trooper will sign the test and send it to Safety Division Headquarters, Mechanics File Section, for further processing and investigation.

7. The Class A examination will consist of five sections: general information, brakes, suspension, lights, and glass. Each section will contain 20 questions. A minimum score of 75% must be attained for each section and for the practical examination. The Class B and C examinations will consist of 50 questions each. A minimum score of 74 must be attained on the written and practical examination.

8. If the applicant fails the test, it will be noted at the end of Section Ion the Form SP-170B with the word "Failed" and the date.

9. If the applicant desires to test again for the written or practical test, he may do so after 30 days. If the applicant is again unsuccessful in passing the examination or examinations, the trooper shall take the application forms and forward them to Safety Division Headquarters, Mechanics File Section. The applicant may contact his assigned Safety Division trooper or the local Safety Division Area Office after six months to reapply.

C. Recertification.

1. Safety inspectors desiring to renew their inspector's license must participate in the recertification written examination. Inspectors arriving after the designated testing time will not be eligible to participate in the written examination.

2. All safety inspectors will be required to satisfactorily pass the appropriate examination for the license the inspector holds.

3. A safety inspector will not be permitted to perform inspections after the expiration date of his inspector's license.

4. A safety inspector's license shall be valid for a period of three years.

5. All safety inspectors' licenses will display an inspector's VSP number and will no longer display the social security number. The inspector's VSP number will be written on the inspection sticker receipt or displayed on the automated MVIP receipt.

6. Safety inspector testing sites will no longer be included on an inspection bulletin. Testing site information will be updated in the computer system, so that the usual letters going to inspectors to remind them of their upcoming recertification will contain the updated information. All Safety Division Area Offices will also have the updated information.

7. If the safety inspector has any questions about the testing sites, the safety inspector should contact the Safety Division Area Office closest to him. The office numbers are:

Richmond 804-743-2217

Culpeper 540-829-7414

Amherst 434-946-7676

Wytheville 276-228-6220

Suffolk 757-925-2432

Salem 540-387-5437

Fairfax 703-803-2622

D. Reinstatement of safety inspector licenses following a period of suspension or revocation.

1. Once a safety inspector's license has been suspended, regardless of the cause for suspension, no application Form SP-170B is required for reinstatement; however, Form SP-170D and Form SP-167 must be completed.

2. If the inspector is suspended for less than six months, the safety inspector's license will be held at the local Safety Division Area Office and returned upon the expiration of the suspension period. A check will be made with DMV prior to reinstatement.

3. If the inspector's license has been suspended for six months or more, he may request reinstatement 60 days prior to the suspension expiration by contacting the supervising trooper. A check will be made by the supervising trooper with DMV and the Central Criminal Records Exchange. A credit report shall also be reviewed by the supervising trooper prior to reinstatement of the inspector. The inspector's license will be returned after the suspension expiration if still valid.

4. If the suspended inspector's license expires during the suspension period, the inspector may complete the process for inspector recertification as set forth in this section. The trooper administering the test will retain all documentation. The inspector's license will be returned at the end of the suspension period and the appropriate documents forwarded to the Safety Division.

5. Inspectors whose safety inspector's licenses have been revoked must complete the application process for initial certification as set forth in this section.

E. Vo-Tech students who successfully complete the Vocational Automotive Mechanics Course and who are expected to graduate from the program with the required 1,080 hours, and meet the requirements of the Department of State Police, will be certified as safety inspectors.

1. The Vo-Tech instructor will contact his assigned Safety Division trooper or the local Safety Division Area Office by March 15 of each year. The written examination will be scheduled for students who are at least 18 years of age or who will be at least 18 years of age by May 31 of that year.

2. The Safety Division troopers responsible for administering the written examinations at the Vo-Tech Centers will forward sufficient application Form SP-170B for each student to complete prior to the testing date. A Criminal History Record Request (Form SP-167) if the student is at least 18 years of age, must also be completed. The Safety Division trooper will indicate at the top of the Form SP-170B the name of the Vo-Tech school where the examination was given.

3. The trooper will verify the notarizations and check the driver's license for validity and identification of the applicant. If the applicant's driver's license is found to be expired, suspended or revoked, the applicant will be advised and the application will be destroyed. The applicant may re-apply once the driver's license has been reissued or reinstated.

4. If the applicant successfully completes the written examination, the trooper will note at the end of Section I on the Form SP-170B the word "Passed" and the date. The trooper will sign the test and forward it to Safety Division Headquarters, Mechanics File Section, for further processing and investigation. Due to the age of these students, this should be done in a minimal amount of time.

5. If the applicant fails the test, it will be noted at the end of Section I on the Form SP-170B with the word "Failed" and the date.

a. The Safety Division trooper will only administer one written examination at the Vo-Tech Center. Those students who fail the first written examination may retest, but not sooner than 30 days from the date of the last written examination. Those students who fail the first written examination will keep the Form SP-170B in their possession and present it to the Safety Division trooper at the test site prior to taking the second written examination.

b. The second written examination will not be administered to the students prior to the end of the school year. Prior to taking the second written examination, the student shall have completed the Vocational Automotive Mechanics Course and must be employed at an official inspection station. These students will not be required to have completed the one year of practical experience as an automotive mechanic.

c. For those students who pass the second written examination, the Safety Division trooper will forward the student's Form SP-170B to the Safety Division for further processing and investigation. Those students who successfully pass all phases for original certification will then be issued a temporary inspector license by the Safety Division trooper.

d. Students failing the second written examination will not be allowed to test again for six months and must complete the application process as set forth for original certification.

6. The written examination will consist of five sections: general information, brakes, suspension, lights, and glass. Each section will contain 20 questions. A minimum score of 75% must be attained for each section.

7. Those students who successfully complete all phases of the written examination and background checks will then be administered a practical examination. The Vo-Tech instructor who holds a valid Class A Safety Inspector's License will administer the practical "Class A" examination to each student who is expected to graduate from the program. The Safety Division trooper should be on hand to observe at least some of the practical examinations administered by the Vo-Tech instructor to ensure that testing is administered according to Safety Division regulations.

8. Those students who successfully complete all phases for original certification by May 31 will be issued a temporary inspector license by the Safety Division trooper. The Safety Division trooper will then forward the completed temporary inspector license to the Safety Division Headquarters, Mechanics File Section.

a. The Safety Division will mail a permanent inspector's license to the student, provided he is at least 18 years of age by May 31 of that year.

b. The Vo-Tech instructor will be required to contact the Safety Division trooper prior to the end of the school year if any student fails to complete the Vocational Automotive Mechanics Course.

c. Any student who fails to complete the Vocational Automotive Mechanics Course will not be licensed as a certified safety inspector and will be required to complete the application process as set forth for original certification.

9. Those students who will be at least 18 years of age after May 31 of that year and have successfully completed the Vocational Automotive Mechanics Course must contact the Safety Division trooper assigned to the inspection station where they are employed and complete the application process as set forth for original certification. These students will not be required to have completed the one year of practical experience as an automotive mechanic.

Historical Notes

Derived from Volume 21, Issue 04, eff. September 22, 2004; amended, Virginia Register Volume 24, Issue 08, eff. March 1, 2008; Volume 28, Issue 24, eff. August 1, 2012; Volume 32, Issue 24, eff. October 3, 2016.

Statutory Authority

§ 46.2-1165 of the Code of Virginia.