Home State Police: Inspection, rejection stickers look different for 2026 in Virginia
State/U.S. News

State Police: Inspection, rejection stickers look different for 2026 in Virginia

Crystal Graham

rejection sticker Virginia State Police recently unveiled new safety inspection and rejection stickers for 2026.

The primary change takes place with the rejection stickers, which will now be white instead of pink. They will also adhere much more securely to a vehicle windshield and will have to be scraped off once a vehicle passes inspection. Older versions did not adhere well and often fell off after the grace period had passed.

Motorcycles and trailers will also have one sticker instead of two; they will be orange in color.

In 2025, 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 were designed to make counterfeiting them more difficult.

The sticker also includes two QR codes: one points to the Virginia State police safety division website; 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.

Inspection stickers expiring in 2027 will be blue.  For 2028 and 2029, the stickers will be red and yellow.

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Crystal Graham

Crystal Graham

A 1999 graduate of Virginia Tech, Crystal Graham has worked for 25 years as a reporter and editor for several Virginia publications, written a book, and garnered more than a dozen Virginia Press Association awards for writing and graphic design. She was the co-host of "Viewpoints," a weekly TV news show, and co-host of "Virginia Tonight," a nightly TV news show, both broadcast on PBS. Her work on "Virginia Tonight" earned her a national Telly award for excellence in television. You can reach her at [email protected]