[Archived] City of Alexandria to Resume Enforcement of Vehicle Safety Inspections on December 1, Continue Suspension of Enforcement of State Vehicle Registration

For Immediate Release: October 30, 2020 

On December 1, the City of Alexandria will resume enforcement of state vehicle safety inspections, which has been temporarily suspended since August. Inspection stations are open, and the City encourages vehicle owners to stay current on inspections while following COVID-19 guidelines like staying 6 feet apart from others, disinfecting commonly touched surfaces, and washing hands with soap and water or using hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. During November, police and parking enforcement officers will place reminder notices on vehicles with expired safety inspections.

The City will continue to suspend enforcement of the local requirement to display current state vehicle registration decals, because the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles is experiencing a backlog of up to three months to schedule the appointments necessary for registration-related services. While existing vehicle registrations may typically be renewed online, new registrations and certain other services require in-person appointments. 

As previously announced, the payment deadline for the City’s personal property tax (car tax and business property tax) for tax year 2020 has been extended by City Council from October 5 to December 15. Enforcement of 2021 tax registration and new (red) residential parking permits will begin on December 16. Vehicles that are not currently registered for the car tax, or are parked in residential permit zones without a current (blue) parking permit, may still be ticketed.

All other normal parking restrictions remain in effect. Motorists should also be aware that they may be cited by other state or local police and sheriff’s departments in other jurisdictions for missing or expired inspections or registrations, even while Alexandria suspends enforcement. Owners of private parking facilities, such as condominiums and apartments, may also enforce their own parking regulations.

For inquiries from the news media only, contact Andrea Blackford, Senior Communications Officer, at andrea.blackford@alexandriava.gov or 703.746.3959.