VERMONT · automotive-tech
Vermont Certified Inspection Mechanic
Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles — Enforcement and SafetyScope of Work
Every motor vehicle registered in Vermont must be inspected at a designated official inspection station by a state-certified inspection mechanic. A Certified Inspection Mechanic is an individual credentialed by the Commissioner of the Vermont DMV to conduct safety and emissions inspections of the vehicle types for which they are certified. Source: Vermont DMV Inspection Mechanic Certification (https://dmv.vermont.gov/enforcement-and-safety/inspection-stations/mechanic-certification).
Vehicle-Type Endorsements
The certification is endorsed by vehicle category. Applicants take a separate exam for each category of vehicle they wish to inspect: Car/Truck (form VN-202), Motorcycle (form VN-204), and/or School Bus (form VN-203). A mechanic certified only on Car/Truck cannot inspect motorcycles or school buses. Source: Vermont DMV Inspection Mechanic Certification Exam (https://dmv.vermont.gov/document/inspection-mechanic-certification-exam).
Minimum Age
Applicants must be at least 18 years of age. Source: Vermont DMV Inspection Mechanic Certification (https://dmv.vermont.gov/enforcement-and-safety/inspection-stations/mechanic-certification).
Exam
The inspection mechanic exam is open-book. Applicants must answer at least 80% of questions correctly to pass. The exam tests knowledge of Vermont inspection rules under 14-022 Code Vt. R. 14-050-022 (Inspection of Motor Vehicles) and the periodic inspection manual VN-113. Source: Vermont DMV Inspection Mechanic Certification (https://dmv.vermont.gov/enforcement-and-safety/inspection-stations/mechanic-certification) and Periodic Inspection Manual (https://dmv.vermont.gov/sites/dmv/files/documents/VN-113-Periodic_Inspection_Manual.pdf).
Application Process
Applicants submit Form VN-201 (Inspection Mechanic Certification Application) along with the relevant vehicle-type exam. Completed forms are mailed to the Vermont DMV in Montpelier. Source: Vermont DMV Inspection Mechanic Certification Application (https://dmv.vermont.gov/document/inspection-mechanic-certification-application).
Recertification
The credential must be renewed every three years. Recertification typically requires retaking the exam(s) for each vehicle-type endorsement. Source: Vermont DMV Inspection Mechanic Certification (https://dmv.vermont.gov/enforcement-and-safety/inspection-stations/mechanic-certification).
Note on Scope
The Vermont Certified Inspection Mechanic credential is narrower than a full mechanic license — it is specifically the right to perform Vermont's annual safety/emissions inspection. Vermont does not license general motor vehicle repair work at the individual level; technicians performing routine repair work in Vermont without performing state inspections do not need this credential.
Verified May 1, 2026 · compiled from public sources, verify current rules with Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles — Enforcement and Safety before acting