Section 169.78 Municipal Inspection Station

MINNESOTA STATUTES AND CODES

Section 169.78 Municipal Inspection Station

169.78 MUNICIPAL INSPECTION STATION.

(a) Every municipality in the state shall have the power to acquire, erect, establish, equip, operate, and maintain motor vehicle testing stations, for the purpose of testing and inspecting motor vehicles using the public streets of any such municipality, and to finance and pay for the same out of the proceeds of the collection of fees charged for such inspection. Any municipality may pass, and by proper penalties enforce, ordinances for these purposes, and by such ordinances:

(1) require the attendance of such motor vehicles at such testing station for the purpose of inspection, at such time as shall be deemed reasonable, after due notice thereof shall first have been given to the owner of such motor vehicle or the owner's agent; provided, that any owner of five or more commercial vehicles having testing equipment and facilities meeting the requirements of the municipality may be exempted from the requirements of attendance at such testing station;

(2) require the payment of inspection fees, but such fees shall not exceed the amount of 50 cents for any one inspection, or $1 for any one year;

(3) provide free inspections as often as the owner desires between compulsory inspection periods;

(4) provide for the issuance of an inspection certificate and require the same to be displayed on the windshield of such motor vehicle in the lower right corner thereof, and in such manner as not to obstruct the driver's view;

(5) prohibit the operation on the public streets of such municipality of any motor vehicle which shall not have been submitted for inspection within a reasonable time after notice of such required inspection shall have been given to the owner of such motor vehicle or the owner's agent, or any motor vehicle which shall be found to be in a faulty or unsafe condition or in violation of any city ordinance or state law, and now having a proper inspection certificate properly displayed.

(b) No such inspection shall be required of the owner of a vehicle who is not a resident of the municipality operating and maintaining the motor vehicle testing station.

(c) In making such inspection or tests, no additional or different mechanical requirements than those provided by state law shall be imposed upon or against a motor vehicle or the owner thereof, or the owner's agent, in order to entitle such vehicle to an inspection certificate, but no such certificate shall be issued or attached to any vehicle until and unless such vehicle shall, upon such inspection, be found to comply with the terms of the state law.