RICHMOND – With the changeover in the calendar year from 2025 to 2026, vehicles in Virginia that have passed safety inspections will now be receiving a new safety inspection sticker. The 2026 sticker will be blue. The sticker went through numerous changes in 2025, including utilizing green for the first time, as part of anti-counterfeiting efforts.
In 2026, the primary change occurs with the rejection stickers. The rejection stickers, starting in 2026, will be white as compared to pink. The rejection stickers will also adhere much more securely to a vehicle windshield and will have to be scraped off once a rejected vehicle passes inspection. Older versions did not adhere as well and usually fell off after the rejection grace period had passed.
In addition, in 2026, there will be one sticker for motorcycles and trailers. Previously, two different stickers were produced. The year of expiration will also appear on the sticker. The sticker will be orange in color.
Last year, inspection stickers for vehicles were reduced in size and began including a holographic state seal as well as a dogwood tree flower image. Both images are difficult for counterfeiters to effectively copy. The sticker also, for the first time, included two QR codes. The larger QR code directs individuals to the Virginia State Police Safety Division webpage. The smaller QR code is for administrative purposes. The expiration month appears on a white background, while the expiration year is placed on top of the dogwood image.
As mentioned earlier, inspection stickers expiring in 2027 will be blue. For 2028 and 2029, the stickers will be red (2028) and yellow (2029).
