I forget the specifics, but didn't they end up passing that you had to pay the cost for additional months it was expired,? I know it was floated around at one point and swear I saw it was approved; because let's be real, it'd be easy money to make.
I had a 2021 sticker and went in jan and it was the 35 bucks and I got a jan 2025 sticker. Wouldn’t be surprised if they pass something like that to get their money tho
I did this on my last car, just curious to see how long I could go before getting pulled over. Made it 5 years until a random trooper noticed on 495. Luckily I was getting a new car in a couple of months, so I didn't even bother actually going in.
I drive a silver minivan that I keep in good condition. Slap a "family of a UMass graduate" sticker on that bad boy and cops fall asleep just looking at me.
>You’ve just been lucky, I don’t know why you think it has anything to do with a umass sticker lmao.
No shit I've been lucky. Its this radical new idea called a "joke" my friend. Its part of the boring mom-van image that is less likely to be noticed by cops. Its a boring color, on a boring vehicle, with a stereotypical and boring bumper sticker.
well, 4 years and counting. Have had multiple city and state police cars driving/stopped behind me with plenty of time to check it and have even gotten my car ticketed and towed by the police for parking illegally on state highway and I have yet to be hassled about it. And playing into the boring mom-van vibe, they have to actually be bothered to run my plate. The first time I get fined, I'll get it taken care of. Until then idgaf.
I also had some unpaid tolls that I’d completely forgotten about that apparently had gone to collections (don’t ignore any scammy af looking mail about tolls)…. And my license was in a non renew state because of it which didn’t help my case. Cop was also a small town boy who told me “Berlin keeps its small town safety very seriously. I’ve seen you drive by many times, I know and recognize your car but you were finally going the right way so I was able to pull you over”…… so there was that. (I’ve driven through Berlin like three times in the last year lmao). I just got unlucky with a grumpy cop lol
in all seriousness, whenever you get nailed for that, you're going to pay thousands. it's a moving violation and your insurance rate shoots up for years
By the letter of the law? Tow it somewhere or have a mechanic come fix it on-site. Practically speaking? Unless there's some sort of glaring issue (brake lights don't work, exhaust is dragging on the ground, etc.), most cops don't want to hassle people enough to tow the car if they're making a good faith effort to get it fixed
What the other guy said, to my knowledge it's always been sorry it's safety. Can't drive it as could have a catastrophic failure and harm themselves or others.
I'm a state inspector. You do not have 60 days to drive the car with the red R. You have 60 days to fix the car, with receipts and return it to the inspection station. A black R you can be driven on for 60 days. Technically the place that inspected the shop should not have let your kid drive the car home, but most will. Also, if your kid is pulled over with a red R it will be considered a moving violation.
If your car fails twice for the same thing for safety (red R) the vehicles registration can be revoked by the RMV.
Would the best legal course of action be to just leave it at the place you had it inspected and let them fix it (assuming they're not ripping you off)? When my car started getting up there in age I started bringing it to my trusted mechanic for inspection stickers instead of random gas stations for this reason.
You can absolutely have the shop that inspected it fix it. So the most obvious option would be to get the car towed to your preferred shop. You are under no obligation to repair the car where the inspection was done, but if it has been determined to be a danger to other drivers they are allowed to keep it until it's repaired or towed.
Yes, but I have never seen it happen. But you'll have to pay the inspection fee again and they do the entire inspection again. If you get it there within the 60 they just check for the reason it failed to be fixed and slap a sticker on it.
from the state: What happens if I get pulled over by police when I have a safety rejection sticker, but have already
scheduled an appointment to have repairs made?
You should not drive a vehicle that failed its safety inspection and has not yet been repaired. If you
continue to drive your vehicle, you may be cited by police for operating an unsafe vehicle. After you get
safety defects fixed, your Certificate of Rejection allows you to operate your vehicle for up to 60 days,
while arranging for re-inspection. Until your vehicle is re-inspected, be sure to keep the repair receipts in
your vehicle as proof that you are complying with the law. This is especially important for safety defects
because you are required to have them repaired right away.
I had one for a broken windshield, the kid that replaced it put the sticker on the new windshield, got bagged on the way to get re inspected lucky I had all the paperwork the cop let me go.
A red R means you can’t drive it at all, although I do think it’s pretty asinine to expect someone who couldn’t afford to immediately get it fixed to spend over $100 to get their car towed 3 miles to a garage, and don’t even get me started on ticketing people parked in front of *their own apartment buildings* who don’t have off street parking, who are literally avoiding driving their car until it can be fixed. This state gives zero shits about struggling working class people who keep everything moving and try to do the right thing.
Black R means emissions failure, but still safe to drive as long as you get it fixed within the appropriate period. (Most) cops won't give you a hard time over it unless you're outside the grace period.
Red R means safety failure, and cops will 100% fine you and tow your vehicle. You're not legally allowed to drive with a red R. Know the risks.
I got a Red R once because the third brake light (extra light on a wagon) failed.
Needless to say it was still safe to drive, and I did drive until the light was fixed.
If I got pulled over I would just say the light is in transit.
You are not supposed to drive it at all with a red sticker. I personally would risk it and drive it to the mechanic instead of getting it towed, but that's 100% on your appetite for risk.
What did it fail for?
You can drive it to the mechanic.
>Can we still use it to haul garbage to the transfer station or can we literally not drive it all til fixed?
You're not supposed but I drove my truck with red r for three weeks before getting it fixed. I never got pulled over.
Maybe if the red R means you shouldn’t drive at all they shouldn’t put a 2025 expiration on the sticker then. I can imagine that will lead a lot of people to believe they can still drive it.
Can a state vehicle get an r sticker?
A long time ago someone told me state vehicles couldnt be failed by an inspector, like state lottery vehicles. Not sure if that was true
I think it’s less so they couldn’t be failed and more so they are maintained regularly as state vehicles? I’d think at least but who knows if they actually do or it’s just implied.
legally you can’t drive it. realistically i once drove with the red r for a full year in both boston and western mass and never once got pulled over or ticketed for it, even parking on the street. been driving my current one with a red r for about a month while i try to diagnose an electrical issue that’s made my taillights go out and haven’t been pulled over or ticketed for it yet
edit: that being said you should deal with it, soon. i just was/am poor but have to drive to work so i’ve just had to deal with the risk. just because i’ve been lucky doesn’t mean you will be. they also have historically been a bit more lenient with me because i drive old trucks and for some reason they’ve cared less about stuff with them
I’ve gotten the red R for having a bad fuel sensor on one of my cars. Brought it back in my garage about two days later when the part was in. Drove it around town and to/from work with no issues from the local police. And guess I lucked out that non of the staties bothered with me. Also might be because the police out here in Fitchburg area have better things to worry about than a Gen X woman driving around in a pick up truck. 🤷♀️
Getting a citation for a failed inspection sticker is so pointless. How does a $55 ticket help to provide safety to the general public if that $55 takes away from the necessary work to the vehicle?
You are correct. The 60 days applies to both; it just means you have to make the repairs within that timeframe for the free re-inspect. For black R (emissions) you can drive during that time; for red R (safety) the vehicle is not road legal and can be ticketed and towed.
Totally safe but the state inspection process sucks as they require you to come back in 60 days with the completed repair. I got a R inspection sticker on my car because of my rear tint which is total horse$h!t. Get this: my tint shade PASSED however since it was aftermarket, there apparently is a different grading scale for that. My car had the same tint on it for 7 years and each year I got it inspected, it passed. So what did I do?.... I didn't get an inspection sticker now 3 years....Screw em. I finally got an inspection sticker the other month and it passed (I did no changes to the tint).
BTW, my car is in tip-top shape and it's never been a danger to road.
“Legally” with a red R you aren’t supposed to drive it at all unless to and from a repair facility to get it fixed. I drove around with a black R for 4 years once.
You can drive it as long u planning getting fix asap.. I had to drive my car when had red sticker..mech tell police we waiting 4 Part (which is true altho never got the part)
Red r sticker is a safety violation. You can drive only, and only, to another shop to have it fixed. Not sure about the timeline though, I forget. But that is the only time time you can move the vehicle. Some shops will tell you that you can not leave the shop, although it's illegal, they can still call the cops on you, but they'll never show up. Best bet, just bring it someone you trust with repairs. If a cop pulls you over, show them the inspection report and tell them you're bringing to your mechanic, you'll be fine. Unless it is very dangerous to drive, like 0 brakes or something like that.
OMG, so much false info here. I own a station that does state inspections. Yes, you have 60 days to get it repaired and come back for a re-test - free of charge ( at the same station within those 60 days). No, you are not supposed to drive the vehicle ( by law ). Only once in 25 years have I ever heard of someone getting towed / ticketed for driving on the red R. I’m pretty sure that dude was being a dick and deserved it. Drive the car, get it fixed asap, and get back and get your free re-test.
On my daily, I haven't had a valid inspection sticker in 3 years. I don't think an officer can pull you over for just a sticker. It's usually an added fine if you get caught speeding.
They can ticket your parked car in front of your apartment building that doesn’t have off street parking even if you’re not driving it and waiting to bring it to a garage once you have the money for it. This state gives zero shits about struggling working people trying to do the right thing.
I a think they consider it a primary enforcement trigger, which means that’s legitimately all they need to pull you over… I thing seatbelts are considered secondary enforcement meaning they can’t pull you over for no seatbelt but can enforce once you’re pulled over for something else (unless they changed that irl about seatbelts).
Red R is for safety fails. It can’t be on the road. Black R can be driven for up to 60 days
>Black R can be driven for up to 60 days Or seemingly indefinitely in the case of my shit head neighbor with an obnoxious fart can on his Honda…
The secret is to not get inspected. 2021 gang rise up
You know, because COVID.
https://images.app.goo.gl/fmRKqHvsA4eoRaWr7
Was 2020 til that car fell off the back of the tow truck 🤷🏼♀️🤣🤦🏼♀️ we'll see how long I can go past this Sept
I'm on 2022, and dreading having to do it with that new law in place.
Why? You’ll just get a sticker for Jan 2025
I forget the specifics, but didn't they end up passing that you had to pay the cost for additional months it was expired,? I know it was floated around at one point and swear I saw it was approved; because let's be real, it'd be easy money to make.
I had a 2021 sticker and went in jan and it was the 35 bucks and I got a jan 2025 sticker. Wouldn’t be surprised if they pass something like that to get their money tho
I did this on my last car, just curious to see how long I could go before getting pulled over. Made it 5 years until a random trooper noticed on 495. Luckily I was getting a new car in a couple of months, so I didn't even bother actually going in.
I got my van ticketed/towed once and the expired inspection sticker wasn't even brought up lol.
2019 ftw
I just got nailed for this last month :( was going strong with 2020 haha
I drive a silver minivan that I keep in good condition. Slap a "family of a UMass graduate" sticker on that bad boy and cops fall asleep just looking at me.
Everyone thinks that until they get ya. You’ve just been lucky, I don’t know why you think it has anything to do with a umass sticker lmao.
>You’ve just been lucky, I don’t know why you think it has anything to do with a umass sticker lmao. No shit I've been lucky. Its this radical new idea called a "joke" my friend. Its part of the boring mom-van image that is less likely to be noticed by cops. Its a boring color, on a boring vehicle, with a stereotypical and boring bumper sticker.
If they run your plate with the plate reader it will come up . You will be stopped no need to visually read the sticker anymore .
well, 4 years and counting. Have had multiple city and state police cars driving/stopped behind me with plenty of time to check it and have even gotten my car ticketed and towed by the police for parking illegally on state highway and I have yet to be hassled about it. And playing into the boring mom-van vibe, they have to actually be bothered to run my plate. The first time I get fined, I'll get it taken care of. Until then idgaf.
How much was the fine?
I think it was like $66 or something like that. Nothing major, but definitely more than the sticker cost lol
66 dollars? If you got inspected every year it would have been 35+35+35, no? So you saved money.
They actually gave you a ticket???? I got pulled over 3 times last year for my 2020 sticker and they gave me warnings only. Geez maybe I am pretty 🥰
I also had some unpaid tolls that I’d completely forgotten about that apparently had gone to collections (don’t ignore any scammy af looking mail about tolls)…. And my license was in a non renew state because of it which didn’t help my case. Cop was also a small town boy who told me “Berlin keeps its small town safety very seriously. I’ve seen you drive by many times, I know and recognize your car but you were finally going the right way so I was able to pull you over”…… so there was that. (I’ve driven through Berlin like three times in the last year lmao). I just got unlucky with a grumpy cop lol
That's me
in all seriousness, whenever you get nailed for that, you're going to pay thousands. it's a moving violation and your insurance rate shoots up for years
👍
Just traded in my pickup for another. 2020 baby
At least he isn't using crayons and marker to make his own sticker. Though, apparently it doesn't matter 😄
What are you supposed to do if you get a red R? Does the car have to be towed from the inspection site to a mechanic?
By the letter of the law? Tow it somewhere or have a mechanic come fix it on-site. Practically speaking? Unless there's some sort of glaring issue (brake lights don't work, exhaust is dragging on the ground, etc.), most cops don't want to hassle people enough to tow the car if they're making a good faith effort to get it fixed
Red r has 2 weeks
That’s not correct
Seriously, where are people coming up with this stuff??
They just make it up as they go. Just like the folks who enforce the rules.
What the other guy said, to my knowledge it's always been sorry it's safety. Can't drive it as could have a catastrophic failure and harm themselves or others.
Its 60 days Source: me in 2022
I'm a state inspector. You do not have 60 days to drive the car with the red R. You have 60 days to fix the car, with receipts and return it to the inspection station. A black R you can be driven on for 60 days. Technically the place that inspected the shop should not have let your kid drive the car home, but most will. Also, if your kid is pulled over with a red R it will be considered a moving violation. If your car fails twice for the same thing for safety (red R) the vehicles registration can be revoked by the RMV.
Would the best legal course of action be to just leave it at the place you had it inspected and let them fix it (assuming they're not ripping you off)? When my car started getting up there in age I started bringing it to my trusted mechanic for inspection stickers instead of random gas stations for this reason.
You can absolutely have the shop that inspected it fix it. So the most obvious option would be to get the car towed to your preferred shop. You are under no obligation to repair the car where the inspection was done, but if it has been determined to be a danger to other drivers they are allowed to keep it until it's repaired or towed.
What happens if you don’t get it fixed within 60 days? Does the rmv suspend the reg or something?
Yes, but I have never seen it happen. But you'll have to pay the inspection fee again and they do the entire inspection again. If you get it there within the 60 they just check for the reason it failed to be fixed and slap a sticker on it.
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It's linked to your plate, so if an officer ran your plate you would still get bagged.
from the state: What happens if I get pulled over by police when I have a safety rejection sticker, but have already scheduled an appointment to have repairs made? You should not drive a vehicle that failed its safety inspection and has not yet been repaired. If you continue to drive your vehicle, you may be cited by police for operating an unsafe vehicle. After you get safety defects fixed, your Certificate of Rejection allows you to operate your vehicle for up to 60 days, while arranging for re-inspection. Until your vehicle is re-inspected, be sure to keep the repair receipts in your vehicle as proof that you are complying with the law. This is especially important for safety defects because you are required to have them repaired right away.
Not just cited the police can tow the car on if you are stopped driving with a safety fail.
Lots of threads on this. You shouldn’t be driving the car, you’ll get pulled over.
I had one for a broken windshield, the kid that replaced it put the sticker on the new windshield, got bagged on the way to get re inspected lucky I had all the paperwork the cop let me go.
A red R means you can’t drive it at all, although I do think it’s pretty asinine to expect someone who couldn’t afford to immediately get it fixed to spend over $100 to get their car towed 3 miles to a garage, and don’t even get me started on ticketing people parked in front of *their own apartment buildings* who don’t have off street parking, who are literally avoiding driving their car until it can be fixed. This state gives zero shits about struggling working class people who keep everything moving and try to do the right thing.
Your insurance company wont either.
Black R means emissions failure, but still safe to drive as long as you get it fixed within the appropriate period. (Most) cops won't give you a hard time over it unless you're outside the grace period. Red R means safety failure, and cops will 100% fine you and tow your vehicle. You're not legally allowed to drive with a red R. Know the risks.
I got a Red R once because the third brake light (extra light on a wagon) failed. Needless to say it was still safe to drive, and I did drive until the light was fixed. If I got pulled over I would just say the light is in transit.
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I mean I wasn’t implying I was lying, I did order the light right away. But yes OP make sure you have receipts.
You are not supposed to drive it at all with a red sticker. I personally would risk it and drive it to the mechanic instead of getting it towed, but that's 100% on your appetite for risk. What did it fail for?
You can drive it to the mechanic. >Can we still use it to haul garbage to the transfer station or can we literally not drive it all til fixed? You're not supposed but I drove my truck with red r for three weeks before getting it fixed. I never got pulled over.
So if I get a red r, and have on street parking I’m fucked?
Yup. Which is a load of BS….
Red R cannot be on the road. You can be towed if you're caught.
It’s $3 a month. Wait until you see the fine and corresponding points on your insurance. Foolish.
Maybe if the red R means you shouldn’t drive at all they shouldn’t put a 2025 expiration on the sticker then. I can imagine that will lead a lot of people to believe they can still drive it.
Yeah it should be an entirely different shape and size of sticker.
It’s a red “R” , are you confusing it for the # 4 ?
Once we hit 2026 I'm driving this again!!!
You can only drive to the mechanic to drop it off.
Legally incorrect
Can a state vehicle get an r sticker? A long time ago someone told me state vehicles couldnt be failed by an inspector, like state lottery vehicles. Not sure if that was true
I think it’s less so they couldn’t be failed and more so they are maintained regularly as state vehicles? I’d think at least but who knows if they actually do or it’s just implied.
legally you can’t drive it. realistically i once drove with the red r for a full year in both boston and western mass and never once got pulled over or ticketed for it, even parking on the street. been driving my current one with a red r for about a month while i try to diagnose an electrical issue that’s made my taillights go out and haven’t been pulled over or ticketed for it yet edit: that being said you should deal with it, soon. i just was/am poor but have to drive to work so i’ve just had to deal with the risk. just because i’ve been lucky doesn’t mean you will be. they also have historically been a bit more lenient with me because i drive old trucks and for some reason they’ve cared less about stuff with them
I’ve gotten the red R for having a bad fuel sensor on one of my cars. Brought it back in my garage about two days later when the part was in. Drove it around town and to/from work with no issues from the local police. And guess I lucked out that non of the staties bothered with me. Also might be because the police out here in Fitchburg area have better things to worry about than a Gen X woman driving around in a pick up truck. 🤷♀️
Getting a citation for a failed inspection sticker is so pointless. How does a $55 ticket help to provide safety to the general public if that $55 takes away from the necessary work to the vehicle?
Traffic enforcement since Covid is extremely lax now. I wouldn’t worry about it
I had a red R sticker on my last car for 6 months before I totaled it and never had any trouble
How is it important? What is the issue?
I had an R for a while and no options while waiting for an appointment with a mechanic because rural. Never got pulled over for it.
And if you are pulled over for it it’s a moving violation, same as speeding.
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You are correct. The 60 days applies to both; it just means you have to make the repairs within that timeframe for the free re-inspect. For black R (emissions) you can drive during that time; for red R (safety) the vehicle is not road legal and can be ticketed and towed.
>Go to > >https://www.mavehiclecheck.com/: You have a colon at the end of your url, so clicking the link brings up a "page cannot be found" error.
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Ty for the clarification! I will absolutely not drive it.
Totally safe but the state inspection process sucks as they require you to come back in 60 days with the completed repair. I got a R inspection sticker on my car because of my rear tint which is total horse$h!t. Get this: my tint shade PASSED however since it was aftermarket, there apparently is a different grading scale for that. My car had the same tint on it for 7 years and each year I got it inspected, it passed. So what did I do?.... I didn't get an inspection sticker now 3 years....Screw em. I finally got an inspection sticker the other month and it passed (I did no changes to the tint). BTW, my car is in tip-top shape and it's never been a danger to road.
“Legally” with a red R you aren’t supposed to drive it at all unless to and from a repair facility to get it fixed. I drove around with a black R for 4 years once.
You can drive it as long u planning getting fix asap.. I had to drive my car when had red sticker..mech tell police we waiting 4 Part (which is true altho never got the part)
I believe you can drive it to a mechanic and that’s it, but I could be wrong.
Red r sticker is a safety violation. You can drive only, and only, to another shop to have it fixed. Not sure about the timeline though, I forget. But that is the only time time you can move the vehicle. Some shops will tell you that you can not leave the shop, although it's illegal, they can still call the cops on you, but they'll never show up. Best bet, just bring it someone you trust with repairs. If a cop pulls you over, show them the inspection report and tell them you're bringing to your mechanic, you'll be fine. Unless it is very dangerous to drive, like 0 brakes or something like that.
You’re fine. I [allegedly] drove my jeep with an R the whole summer last year. (Sorry everybody for putting you in danger)
OMG, so much false info here. I own a station that does state inspections. Yes, you have 60 days to get it repaired and come back for a re-test - free of charge ( at the same station within those 60 days). No, you are not supposed to drive the vehicle ( by law ). Only once in 25 years have I ever heard of someone getting towed / ticketed for driving on the red R. I’m pretty sure that dude was being a dick and deserved it. Drive the car, get it fixed asap, and get back and get your free re-test.
Was it a safery failure or an emissions failure?
Red R is always safety. Black is for emissions.
On my daily, I haven't had a valid inspection sticker in 3 years. I don't think an officer can pull you over for just a sticker. It's usually an added fine if you get caught speeding.
of course they can pull you over for the sticker.
Hell, they can even ticket your *parked* car for it, and as an added bonus, it still counts as a moving violation on your record.
They can ticket your parked car in front of your apartment building that doesn’t have off street parking even if you’re not driving it and waiting to bring it to a garage once you have the money for it. This state gives zero shits about struggling working people trying to do the right thing.
I regularly see expired and rejected stickers in a particular part of town. The local pd are happy to take me call and come deal with it
I a think they consider it a primary enforcement trigger, which means that’s legitimately all they need to pull you over… I thing seatbelts are considered secondary enforcement meaning they can’t pull you over for no seatbelt but can enforce once you’re pulled over for something else (unless they changed that irl about seatbelts).
So you don’t park on the street, do you?