As the calendar turns to 2026, Virginia will roll out updated vehicle safety inspection stickers featuring new colors and improved security features, Virginia State Police announced.
The 2026 inspection sticker will be blue, continuing the color rotation started in 2025, which included green for the first time as part of efforts to prevent counterfeiting. Last year’s stickers were also reduced in size and added a holographic state seal and dogwood flower image, both designed to be difficult to replicate. Two QR codes were introduced as well, with the larger code linking to the Virginia State Police Safety Division website.
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The most significant change for 2026 involves the rejection stickers. Previously pink, the rejection stickers will now be white and designed to adhere more securely to vehicle windshields. Once a vehicle passes inspection after a rejection, the sticker will need to be scraped off, unlike older versions that often fell off on their own after the grace period.
Additionally, Virginia will issue a single inspection sticker for motorcycles and trailers, replacing the two separate stickers used previously. This new sticker will be orange and will display the year of expiration prominently.
Inspection stickers for 2027 will remain blue, while those for 2028 and 2029 will be red and yellow, respectively, according to the Virginia State Police.
These updates aim to enhance the security and durability of inspection stickers while simplifying the process for certain vehicle types.