When replacing your windshield, one crucial aspect to consider is the fate of your current inspection sticker. Inspection stickers are a legal obligation in many states and necessary to show your car has satisfied the mandated safety and emissions standards. What happens to your inspection sticker when you replace your windshield?
It depends on your state regulations, but the main concern with inspection stickers during windshield replacement is more practical than legal. Your inspection sticker may lose grip, rip, or be good enough to mount on the newly reinstalled windshield. It depends on its condition and how gently you peel it off.
Let’s review all the legalities and technicalities of changing your windshield and how to get a new inspection sticker.
Why Inspection Stickers Are Important
Car inspection is an obligation in most American states, and it’s necessary to ensure that vehicles are safe on the road. The inspection process varies from state to state but usually involves checking aspects like safety features, emissions levels, and overall vehicle condition.
Once your car has passed the inspection, you receive a sticker that should be displayed on your windshield as proof of compliance. The sticker is visible to law enforcement officers and other road users.
This sticker shows that your car has met all the necessary requirements and is legally fit to hit public roads. Without this sticker, you risk getting pulled over by law enforcement or fined for not having an up-to-date inspection.
What Happens During Standard Windshield Replacement?
When a windshield is damaged beyond repair, a replacement is often needed. This process involves removing and replacing the old windshield with a new one.
Let’s review what happens during standard windshield replacement before discussing what becomes of your inspection sticker.
The Removal Process
The first step in replacing a windshield is removing the old one. You do this by cutting through the adhesive that holds the windshield in place. This adhesive is often a potent glue-like substance that bonds the windshield to your vehicle’s frame.
Special tools are necessary for this process, such as a cold knife or power tool, to ensure a clean and safe removal. You may need a heat gun to mildly warm the adhesive to loosen its grip before using your cold knife.
After removing the windshield, clean off any remaining adhesive, and inspect the frame for damage.
Installing the New Windshield
The technician will apply a primer to your vehicle’s frame before placing a new adhesive layer. This primer helps the adhesive bond to the frame, ensuring a secure fit.
Next, the new windshield is carefully placed onto the frame and pressed into place to ensure proper bonding. The technician will then check for any air or water leaks before proceeding with the final steps.
Here’s more about how long it takes to replace a windshield.
What Happens to Your Inspection Sticker?
Let’s address the question at hand: what happens to your inspection sticker during this process?
The short answer is that it depends on the state you live in, its specific regulations, and may even vary between repair providers like car dealerships may have different policies than dedicated windshield replacement providers..
States that require inspection stickers often have their own protocols on how a person would remove or reattach stickers. The protocols are based on the adhesives they’ve decided to use, so drivers from states with these laws will need to refer to their own states’ laws.
You can find these laws at your state’s Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) or Department of Transportation (DOT) website.
Some states that disallow reattaching inspection stickers have them change color when removed from the windshield, making it evident if you’ve tried to reuse an old sticker.
Your state may be liberal enough to allow you to reattach the old inspection sticker to the new windshield, but the sticker may still rip or lose grip, making replacement impossible.
How to Get a New Inspection Sticker After Windshield Replacement
So, you’ve successfully replaced your windshield. Maybe you’re lucky enough to replace it at Rite-Way, so all your cameras and sensors are also recalibrated.
Your old inspection sticker lost grip or tore during the process. There’s also rules in some states disallowing you from reattaching the sticker on the new windshield. What now?
Well, you’ll need to get a new one from your state’s motor vehicle authority.
Here’s what you need to do to get a new inspection sticker after windshield replacement:
- Reach out to your area Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to confirm the local government’s demands for getting a new inspection sticker.
- Provide proof of windshield replacement, such as a receipt or work order from an authorized auto glass company.
Depending on your state’s regulations, your car may not need a fresh inspection. For example, Kentucky State doesn’t impose an annual inspection sticker requirement, so if you’re from the area, you won’t need to worry about all this.
You can get a new sticker from the DMV without additional testing if your vehicle passed an earlier inspection within a specific timeframe.
Tips for Replacing the Sticker Securely to the New Windshield
Once you have successfully removed the sticker from the old windshield, it’s time to reapply it onto your new windshield. Here are some tips to ensure a secure application:
- Clean the area where you will be placing the sticker thoroughly using rubbing alcohol or glass cleaner.
- Carefully line up the sticker on the new windshield, ensuring it is straight and centered.
- Press down firmly on all edges of the sticker to secure it in place.
- If bubbles appear, use a credit card or squeegee to smooth them from the center towards the edges.
If you’re a Kentucky resident, you may not need an inspection sticker, but you may want to know whether auto insurance covers glass repair and replacement in Kentucky.
Trust the Experts at Rite-Way Auto Glass
At Rite-Way Auto Glass, we understand the importance of maintaining a safe and functional windshield. Our team is extra equipped to deal with your windshield replacement and recalibration for any vehicle make and model.
We also provide convenient services such as mobile repairs, so you don’t have to worry about taking time out of your busy schedule to visit a repair shop. Contact us today for more information or to schedule an appointment.
Stay safe on the road with properly installed windshields from Rite-Way Auto Glass; we do it the Rite-Way.
