With the changeover in the calendar year from 2024 to 2025, vehicles in Virginia that have passed safety inspections are now receiving a new safety inspection sticker.  The sticker, which is utilizing the color green for the first time, includes multiple changes from previous iterations.  The changes are designed to make the inspection sticker more difficult to counterfeit.

The new sticker includes 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, includes 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.

“We want Virginians to have confidence that when they see an inspection sticker on a vehicle that the vehicle has been truly inspected by a qualified professional, and that vehicle is, in fact, safe to be out on the road,” said Lieutenant Colonel Matthew Hanley, Interim Superintendent of Virginia State Police. “These new features add an additional layer of security to ensure criminals are not circumventing the safety inspection system.”

As mentioned earlier, inspection stickers being placed on vehicles this year (expiring in 2026), will be green in color.  Inspection stickers expiring in 2027 will be blue.  For 2028 and 2029, the stickers will be red (2028) and yellow (2029).