School Vehicle Inspections
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Which vehicles require a school vehicle inspection
School vehicles must be safe before they carry children or other passengers. Maryland law requires these vehicles to get regular school vehicle safety inspections. The following vehicles must be inspected:
- School buses
- Vehicles used regularly to transport school children
- Other vehicles enrolled in a school transportation program
Before a vehicle can be registered with a school vehicle classification, an acceptance inspection must be completed through the MVA’s School Bus Inspection and Compliance Division. You cannot use the vehicle to carry students or passengers until it passes inspection.
When your vehicle must be inspected
After the acceptance inspection and the school vehicle is registered, three inspections are required per year regulated by the MVA: one Type A inspection and two Type B inspections. Your school vehicle would also be inspected After it fails an inspection and repairs are made.
School vehicle inspections
Before a vehicle can be registered as a school vehicle, it must complete an acceptance inspection. This inspection ensures all school vehicles are built to Maryland specifications (“MD” letters in body identification serial number).
- Public School Vehicles – inspection completed by county public school transportation representative
- Private School/Entity Vehicles – inspection completed by MVA representative
- Please note: a “Type A” inspection is required for a used vehicle (greater than 500 miles), when completing an acceptance inspection.
This school vehicle inspection includes the inspecting of items set forth in the Code of Maryland for Type I and Type II school vehicles.
- Completed yearly within a 12-month period.
- School buses over 12 years old must complete this inspection at a state certified inspection station.
- Includes the brake readings of all four wheels.
- Must be completed on an School Vehicle Inspection Certification - Type A (EP-213) - PDF - 587.78 KB. An original copy must be kept on file for as long as the owner owns the school vehicle or contracted to the Board of Education.
- Submit form to the MVA through the MVA School Bus Portal. If you are a private bus owner and unable to submit electronically, please email us. If you are a Board of Education contractor, please submit according to their procedure.
This school vehicle inspection includes the inspecting of items set forth in the Code of Maryland for Type I and Type II school vehicles.
- Two Type B inspections are required per year. The inspections must be scheduled at least 60 days apart.
- A representative from the MVA will be present to observe and record one “Type B” inspection, while the other representative may be there to observe. Except for school vehicles over 12 years old, the MVA representative will conduct instead of observing and recording.
- School vehicles that are public-owned or contracted to a public school must contact the Maryland Department of Education on their requirement for additional “Type "B" inspections. Typically, buses that are contracted to a public school complete three (3) Type B inspections per year.
- Inspections must be submitted using the MVA School Bus Portal for the School Vehicle Inspection Certification - Type B (EP-203) - PDF - 571.81 KB form.
How to get a school vehicle inspection
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Find an inspection station authorized for school vehicles
Use Maryland State Police's Inspection Station Lookup to find a licensed inspection station that is convenient for you. Not all stations are certified for school vehicle inspections, so confirm before taking your vehicle.
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Take your vehicle & documents to the inspection station
Bring your:
- Vehicle
- Vehicle registration
- Any other required paperwork
- Fee - Inspection fees are set by the inspection station. Ask the station about fees before your inspection.
The inspection station will check your vehicle and record the results.
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Get your results & next steps
If your vehicle passes inspection
- The inspection results are recorded.
- You will receive an updated inspection certificate. Keep it for your records.
- You can use the vehicle to carry students or other passengers
If your vehicle does not pass inspection
- You will receive a School Vehicle Safety Repair Order listing everything that needs to be fixed. View more information below on major vs. minor defects.
- Make the required repairs.
- Return to the inspection station to have the vehicle re-inspected. You must fix all items on the repair order before the vehicle can be used.
Repair orders: major vs. minor defects
During an inspection, any defect(s) found is recorded and printed on a sheet (repair order), for the vehicle owner to address. Defects are recorded in two categories: major and minor defects.
School vehicle inspection - major and minor defects
- If any major defects are recorded during an inspection, the vehicle becomes suspended, and the tags will be confiscated.
- The owner of the school vehicle will then need to complete repairs to correct the recorded major defect(s) before a re-inspection can be completed by the MVA representative.
- For Major defects, the bus owner must contact the MVA School Bus Inspection Division to schedule a re-inspection.
- The MVA will return tags once the vehicle passes re-inspection.
- If minor defect(s) are recorded during an inspection, the bus owner has 30-days to complete repairs.
- Bus owners can self-certify repair orders for minor defects after repairs are completed. Bus owners can log into the MVA School Bus Portal and change the status from open to closed, then return the signed copy of the repair order to the MVA within 30-days.
- If minor defect(s) are not addressed in 30-days, the vehicle registration is suspended and tags will be confiscated.
Important notes
- School vehicles that fail to complete their inspection(s) or do not complete their repairs within the designated timeframe (30 days), will be suspended and tags removed from the vehicle. If you are unable to complete repairs, please contact the MVA School Bus Division.
- School vehicle owners unable to utilize the MVA School Bus Portal should email the MVA School Bus Division a copy of the signed repair order within 30-days.
Questions? We can help.
Contact us if you have questions or need more information.